使用網路可以促進社交關係的維持，但過度使用會削弱現實的社交關係。過去研究鮮少探討網路使用與社交壓力之間的關係。本研究旨在探究以社交為目的的網路使用與社交壓力的關係。研究針對430位大學生進行三年的長期追蹤。第一階段資料分析採潛在類別分析（Latent Class Analysis, LCA），以三個社交壓力指標（親密關係、同儕關係，及親子關係之壓力）進行單時間點分群。之後進行潛在類別轉移分析（ Latent Transition Analysis, LTA），檢視大學生社交壓力分群隨時間變動的情況並給予分類。第二階段探討社交網路使用與壓力類別轉移分群的關係。結果顯示，於每個時間點社交壓力可分為高社交壓力與低社交壓力兩群，而壓力類別轉移分群有「均高」、「均低」與「改進」三種。本研究也發現，常利用網路來交友者，其社交壓力較高且持續三年；常利用網路結交男女朋友有可能後來社交壓力減低。然而，利用網路維持已有之關係則對當時與後來的社交壓力改變無影響。總而言之，利用網路進行社交並非一定減輕社交壓力，大學生應使用其他有效直接的壓力因應方式舒緩社交壓力，而非透過網路。

The Internet can stimulate social relationships, but it can also reduce the quality of real-world social relationships if over-used. There has been insufficient evidence about the relationship between Internet use and social stress. The aim of this study was to investigate whether social stressors are associated with social Internet use in terms of the reduction and stimulation hypotheses. Using longitudinal data from 430 students over three years, we first conducted a latent class analysis (LCA) to determine students’ latent classifications based on three self-reported social stressors at each time point. These three stressors related to intimate relationships, peer relationships, and parent-adolescent relationships. Latent transition analysis (LTA) was then conducted to examine how the latent classifications changed over time, and transition patterns were identified. In the next stage, the relationship between stress transition patterns and social Internet use was assessed. The findings indicated that students could be classified as having “high social stress” or “low social stress” at each time point. The transition patterns included “all high,” “all low,” and “improving.” The results showed that students who frequently used the Internet to make new friends experienced high social stress both initially and over time. Increasing Internet use to find boyfriends/girlfriends may have reduced later social stress. However, frequently using the Internet to maintain existing relationships did not affect social stress transitions. In sum, using the Internet for social purposes does not necessarily reduce social stress. Students should employ effective and direct stress coping methods instead of the Internet to release their social stress.