Streaming Media Gratifications as Predictors of Subjective Happiness among Pakistani Youth

Abstract

As streaming platforms expand rapidly among young people, it is worth asking what psychological needs streaming serves and how those needs relate to well-being. This quantitative cross-sectional study examined three streaming motivations, escapism, entertainment, and social interaction, as predictors of subjective happiness among Pakistani youth (N = 308, aged 18-35). Motivations were measured with the Streaming Gratifications Scale and happiness with a shortened Subjective Happiness Scale, analysed in SPSS using correlation and multiple regression. None of the three motives significantly predicted subjective happiness; together they explained virtually none of its variance (R² = .000, p = .988), and each predictor was individually non-significant. A test of whether viewing time moderated the escapism-happiness link could not be trusted because of severe multicollinearity. The happiness scale also needed attention: the original four-item version showed weak internal consistency, so a culturally problematic item was removed to produce an acceptable three-item measure. Overall, streaming motivations were unrelated to happiness in this sample, a result that highlights the importance of cultural context, measurement validity, and the distinction between gratifications sought and gratifications obtained when applying Uses and Gratifications Theory.