scholarly journals Plurality in the Measurement of Social Media Use and Mental Health: An Exploratory Study Among Adolescents and Young Adults

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 205630512110353
Author(s):  
Diamantis Petropoulos Petalas ◽  
Elly A. Konijn ◽  
Benjamin K. Johnson ◽  
Jolanda Veldhuis ◽  
Nadia A. J. D. Bij de Vaate ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Young Adults ◽  
Media Effects ◽  
Exploratory Study ◽  
Social Life ◽  
Media Use ◽  
Quadratic Functions ◽  
Adolescents And Young Adults ◽  
Social Media Use

On a daily basis, individuals between 12 and 25 years of age engage with their mobile devices for many hours. Social Media Use (SMU) has important implications for the social life of younger individuals in particular. However, measuring SMU and its effects often poses challenges to researchers. In this exploratory study, we focus on some of these challenges, by addressing how plurality in the measurement and age-specific characteristics of SMU can influence its relationship with measures of subjective mental health (MH). We conducted a survey among a nationally representative sample of Dutch adolescents and young adults ( N = 3,669). Using these data, we show that measures of SMU show little similarity with each other, and that age-group differences underlie SMU. Similar to the small associations previously shown in social media-effects research, we also find some evidence that greater SMU associates to drops and to increases in MH. Albeit nuanced, associations between SMU and MH were found to be characterized by both linear and quadratic functions. These findings bear implications for the level of association between different measures of SMU and its theorized relationship with other dependent variables of interest in media-effects research.

Problematic Social Media Use in Adolescents and Young Adults: A Meta-Analysis (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Holly Shannon ◽  
Katie Bush ◽  
Paul Villeneuve ◽  
Kim Hellemans ◽  
Synthia Guimond
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Young Adults ◽  
Media Use ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Adolescents And Young Adults ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Social Media Use ◽  
Problematic Social Media Use ◽  
Underlying Mechanisms

UNSTRUCTURED This study sought to systematically examine problematic social media use in youth and its association with symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress. Our hypothesis was that problematic social media use increased the risk of each mental health outcome measure. A systematic search was conducted to identify studies in adolescents and young adults, using the databases Engineering Village, Psychinfo, Pubmed, and Web of Science. A total of 21 studies were identified in our review and included in the meta-analysis. Our meta-regression shows moderate, but statistically significant correlations between problematic social media use and depression (r = .257, p < .001), anxiety (r = .342, p < .001), and stress (r = .313, p < .001). We did not find evidence of heterogeneity of these summary correlations by age. This study provides further evidence of the association between problematic social media use and negative mental health among adolescents and young adults, and supports future research to focus on the underlying mechanisms of problematic use.

Social Media Use and Display of Depressive Symptoms Online by Adolescents and Young Adults

2018 ◽  
pp. 73-88
Author(s):  
Ana Radovic ◽  
Olga Santesteban-Echarri ◽  
Mario Álvarez-Jiménez ◽  
John Gleeson ◽  
Simon M. Rice ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Young Adults ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Media Use ◽  
Adolescents And Young Adults ◽  
Social Media Use

scholarly journals Social media use in adolescents and young adults with serious illnesses: an integrative review

2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 235-244
Author(s):  
George Peat ◽  
Alison Rodriguez ◽  
Joanna Smith
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Young Adults ◽  
Media Use ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Healthcare Research ◽  
Adolescents And Young Adults ◽  
Current Evidence ◽  
Social Media Use ◽  
Holistic Understanding ◽  
Life Threatening

ObjectivesAdolescents and young adults with life-limiting or life-threatening conditions are often socially isolated because of the demands of their illness. Although adolescents and young adults have a noticeable online and social media presence, their motivations for using social media remain unclear. This article aims to summarise empirical research undertaken about how and why social media is used by adolescents and young adults with life-limiting or life-threatening conditions.MethodsAn integrative literature review was undertaken. Key healthcare research databases including CINHAL, MEDLINE and PSYCHINFO were searched for empirical studies reporting the use of social media by adolescents and young adults with life-limiting or life-threatening conditions. Fifteen articles met the inclusion criteria; included articles were quality appraised and a thematic synthesis undertaken to identify key themes.ResultsThe reasons why adolescents and young adults with life-limiting or life-threatening conditions use social media are diverse, with differences relating to age and gender. However, this population in general uses social media to connect with others who have similar lived experiences.ConclusionSocial media platforms can be useful adjuncts to the care of adolescents and young adults with life-limiting or life-threatening conditions. However, current evidence is dominated by studies on social media use by adolescents and young adults with cancer. More research is required to gain a holistic understanding of how and why social media is used by this population and its perceived benefits and limitations.

Social Media Use and Mental Health among Young Adults

2017 ◽  
Vol 89 (2) ◽  
pp. 307-314 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chloe Berryman ◽  
Christopher J. Ferguson ◽  
Charles Negy
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Young Adults ◽  
Media Use ◽  
Social Media Use

scholarly journals LONELINESS AMONG YOUNG ADULTS DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC: THE MEDIATIONAL ROLES OF SOCIAL MEDIA USE AND SOCIAL SUPPORT SEEKING

2020 ◽  
Vol 39 (8) ◽  
pp. 708-726
Author(s):  
Ellie Lisitsa ◽  
Katherine S. Benjamin ◽  
Sarah K. Chun ◽  
Jordan Skalisky ◽  
Lauren E. Hammond ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Support ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Young Adults ◽  
Media Use ◽  
Social Media Use ◽  
Social Support Seeking ◽  
Lower Social Support ◽  
Support Seeking ◽  
The Relationship

Introduction: As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, social distancing and shelter-at-home have become necessary for public health and safety in the United States. This period of social isolation may be a risk factor for mental health problems, particularly among young adults for whom rates of loneliness are already high. Young adults also engage in more social media use than other age groups, a form of socialization associated with adverse effects on mental health, including loneliness and depression. Methods: The current study examined potential mediating roles of social media use and social support seeking on the relationship between age and loneliness symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants included 1,674 adults who completed an online survey regarding depressive symptoms, loneliness, coping strategies, and changes to their daily lives as a result of the pandemic. Results: Results indicated that young adults were lonelier than older adults during the pandemic, showed a greater increase in social media use, and lower social support seeking. Higher increases in social media use and lower social support seeking mediated the relationship between age group and loneliness. Discussion: Findings are discussed in context of prior research and potential effects of stress and isolation during the pandemic. Clinical implications and suggestions for intervention are elaborated.

scholarly journals Social Media and Mental Health in Youth During COVID-19: A Narrative Review

2021 ◽  
pp. 54
Author(s):  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Social Interaction ◽  
Sedentary Behavior ◽  
Media Effects ◽  
Media Use ◽  
Narrative Review ◽  
Mental Health Symptoms ◽  
Social Media Use ◽  
Health Symptoms

Social media effects on youth during COVID-19 have been studied in the context of excessive use and mental health. Although some positive effects have been reported including connecting and social support, the COVID-19 research has typically noted negative effects including sedentary behavior, limited social interaction, depression and anxiety. This narrative review of eighteen COVID-19 publications on social media effects on youth includes sections on prevalence, on effects and on mediators/moderators of those effects. The prevalence of social media use by youth during COVID-19 has varied between 5% and 97% across 22 countries as a function of location, quarantine/lockdown, and type of social media, although the overall prevalence has significantly increased by 27% during the pandemic and has averaged 38% across studies. The most popular social media have been Facebook, What’s App, Instagram and Twitter. The prevalence of mental health symptoms has also varied across countries but has averaged 27% for anxiety, 34% for depression and 35% for stress. Mediators for the relationships between excessive social media and mental health symptoms have included rumination, psychological capital, sense of control and active use and moderators have included mindfulness, academic burnout and “flow”. Limitations of this literature are its sampling of self-reports from university students via cross-sectional surveys and confounding variables including pre-existing psychopathology, lockdown conditions, and sedentary behavior. Research is needed on the specific reasons for excessive social media use (e. g. information seeking, social interaction and escape from negative feelings including loneliness and touch deprivation) to inform intervention protocols for reducing this addictive behavior and its negative consequences on mental health symptoms in youth.

Social Media Use in College-age Youth: A Comprehensive Review and a Call to Action

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 128-143
Author(s):  
Hilary Holmes ◽  
Alba E. Lara ◽  
Gregory S. Brown
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Media Use ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Health Awareness ◽  
Social Media Use ◽  
Call To Action ◽  
College Age ◽  
Mental Health Awareness ◽  
Privacy Breaches

Background: Social media is a relatively new and impactful way to connect millions of people around the world. The intersection of mental health and social media is a poorly studied, yet important area of research. Specifically, with regard to college-aged youth, social media can potentially offer an educational tool to enhance mental health awareness or augment treatment when it is used for professional purposes by mental health advocates or healthcare professionals. There is also the added risk of disinformation, cyberbullying, and privacy breaches. Objective: This review aims to assess the current state of social media use and its influence on mental health, especially in college-age youth. Methods: The authors of this paper utilized PubMed and Medline databases to review the most recent experimental studies and literature reviews available on the topic of mental health and social media. Results: Abstracts and relevant papers were read in full, and information from these studies was cited accordingly. Conclusion: The authors conclude that although more research needs to be conducted, social media may offer benefits for mental health awareness, education, and treatment, specifically in populations such as college-age youth.

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