scholarly journals The Effects of Social Media Use on Adult Well-Being and Ill-Being: What we Know and What We Need to Know

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patti M. Valkenburg
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Media Use ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Effect Sizes ◽  
Umbrella Review ◽  
Social Media Use ◽  
The Past ◽  
Meta Analyses ◽  
The Impact

Research into the impact of social media use (SMU) on well-being (e.g., happiness) and ill-being (e.g., depression) has exploded in the past years. From 2019 to August 2021, 26 reviews have been published: nine meta-analyses, nine systematic reviews, and eight narrative reviews that together included hundreds of empirical studies. The aim of this umbrella review was to synthesize the results of these reviews. Even though the meta-analyses were largely based on the same evidence, they yielded inconsistent effect sizes, especially for time spent on SM, active SMU, and passive SMU. This umbrella review explains why these effects sizes disagree, summarizes the gaps in the literature, and ends with some important recommendations for future reviews and empirical research.

scholarly journals The impact of social media on young web users’ psychological well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic progression

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (39) ◽  
pp. 50-61
Author(s):  
Alisar Hudimova ◽  
Ihor Popovych ◽  
Vita Baidyk ◽  
Olena Buriak ◽  
Olha Kechyk
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Media Use ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Diagnostic Methods ◽  
Psychological State ◽  
Social Media Use ◽  
Psychological Well Being ◽  
Use Of Social Media ◽  
Almost All ◽  
The Impact

Aim. The present study empirically investigates and theoretically substantiates the results of the impact of social media on young web-users’ psychological well-being during the forced self-isolation caused by the progression of the COVID-19 pandemic (N = 254). Materials and methods. Standardized valid psycho-diagnostic methods, the author’s questionnaire (A. Hudimova, 2021), correlation and factor analyses were used to identify young web users’ patterns of social media involvement during the forced self-isolation. Results. The results show that during the global COVID-19 pandemic, young web users give preference for passive social media use rather than for communication. The obtained results showed an expansion in the time spent via social media by young web users. It was found that the progression of the COVID-19 pandemic is accompanied by the participants’ experience of negative emotions and fears of the unknown (r = .204; p <.01). It is substantiated that increasing immersion of young web users in social media is a kind of strategy to escape from bad thoughts (r = .271; p <.01). Significantly, it is stated that uncontrolled use of social media causes sleep disorders during isolation (r = .444; p <.01). Conclusions. The study proves that young people spend almost all day online due to the obsessive pattern of social media involvement and/or procrastination, which often provokes withdrawal syndrome upon the attempt to distract from them. The lack of controlled time spending on social media during self-isolation provokes an exacerbation of anxiety, apathy, depressed mood, and a sense of isolation from social reality. The obtained results provide evidence that the causal relations of passive social media use provoke an exacerbation of feelings of alienation, disrupt the healthy rhythm of sleep, and psychological state of young web-users during the progression of the COVID-19 pandemic.

scholarly journals Are Social Media Ruining Our Lives? A Review of Meta-Analytic Evidence

2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 60-74 ◽  
Author(s):  
Markus Appel ◽  
Caroline Marker ◽  
Timo Gnambs
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Social Networking Sites ◽  
Media Use ◽  
School Achievement ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Research Area ◽  
Thin Body ◽  
Public Attention ◽  
Social Media Use ◽  
Meta Analyses

A growing number of studies have examined the psychological corollaries of using social networking sites (SNSs) such as Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter (often called social media). The interdisciplinary research area and conflicting evidence from primary studies complicate the assessment of current scholarly knowledge in this field of high public attention. We review meta-analytic evidence on three hotly debated topics regarding the effects of SNSs: well-being, academic achievement, and narcissism. Meta-analyses from different laboratories draw a rather equivocal picture. They show small associations in the r = .10 range between the intensity of SNS use and loneliness, self-esteem, life satisfaction, or self-reported depression, and somewhat stronger links to a thin body ideal and higher social capital. There is no indication for potential devastating effects of social media on school achievement; social media use and school grades are unrelated for adolescents. The meta-analyses revealed small to moderate associations between narcissism and SNS use. In sum, meta-analytic evidence is not in support of dramatic claims relating social media use to mischief.

scholarly journals Problematic Smartphone and Social Media Use Among Bangladeshi College and University Students Amid COVID-19: The Role of Psychological Well-Being and Pandemic Related Factors

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Md. Saiful Islam ◽  
Md. Safaet Hossain Sujan ◽  
Rafia Tasnim ◽  
Rashenda Aziz Mohona ◽  
Most. Zannatul Ferdous ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
University Students ◽  
Media Use ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Anxiety And Depression ◽  
Poor Sleep ◽  
Social Media Use ◽  
Psychological Well Being ◽  
College And University ◽  
The Impact

Background: Smartphone and social media use are an integral part of our daily life. Currently, the impact of excessive smartphone and social media use during the COVID-19 pandemic is poorly understood. The present study aimed to investigate problematic smartphone use (PSPU) and problematic social media use (PSMU) among Bangladeshi college and university students during the COVID-19 pandemic.Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out involving 5,511 Bangladeshi college and university students (male: 58.9%; mean age: 21.2 years [SD = 1.7]; age range: 18–25) during the social-distancing in the COVID-19 pandemic (July 2020). A self-reported survey containing questions regarding socio-demographic, lifestyle, and home quarantine activities along with four psychometric scales was completed by participants.Results: The mean scores of PSPU and PSMU were 20.8 ± 6.8 (out of 36) and 14.7 ± 4.8 (out of 30). Based on a hierarchical regression analysis, PSPU and PSMU were positively associated with lower age, poor sleep, social media use, watching television, anxiety, and depression. Additionally, PSMU was linked to being female, living with nuclear family, having urban residence, irregular physical exercise, poor engagement with academic studies, and avoiding earning activities, whilst being male, being married, living with lower-income family, and alcohol consumption were linked to PSMU.Conclusions: The findings indicate that PSPU and PSMU were linked to poor psychological well-being (i.e., anxiety and depression) and other factors (especially lower age, poor sleep) during the pandemic, further suggesting the need for interventions including virtual awareness programs among college and university students.

scholarly journals Idiographic network models of social media use and depression symptoms

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Micaela Rodriguez ◽  
George Aalbers ◽  
Richard J. McNally
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Media Use ◽  
Secondary Analysis ◽  
Network Models ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Psychological Research ◽  
Depression Symptoms ◽  
Social Media Use ◽  
The Impact

Disentangling the impact of social media use on our well-being is a priority for psychological research. Numerous studies indicate that active social media use (ASMU) tends to enhance well-being, whereas passive social media use (PSMU) undermines it. However, such research has conducted analyses at the group-level, thus potentially obscuring individual differences. In this study, we examined person-centered relationships between social media use and depression symptoms by using a secondary analysis of a publicly available experience sampling dataset (Aalbers et al., 2019). Dutch undergraduate students (N = 125) reported PSMU, ASMU, and depression symptoms 7 times daily for 14 days. We (a) visualized interindividual variability in temporal associations between social media use and individual depression symptoms, (b) compared the aggregate network model to idiographic models, and (c) determined the distribution of person-specific temporal associations between PSMU, ASMU, and depression symptoms. Overall, we found that associations between social media use and depression symptoms differed substantially from individual to individual in both strength and kind. In addition, PSMU and ASMU were very weakly to weakly associated with depression symptoms for most individuals. Future work should examine the differential impact that social media have on our well-being, and how their effects may differ depending on our demographic characteristics, personality traits, and usage patterns.

scholarly journals Social Media Use and its Impact on Adolescent Mental Health: An Umbrella Review of the Evidence

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patti M. Valkenburg ◽  
Adrian Meier ◽  
Ine Beyens
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Media Use ◽  
Adolescent Mental Health ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Umbrella Review ◽  
Social Media Use ◽  
Literature Reviews ◽  
Review Of Reviews ◽  
Meta Analyses

Literature reviews on how social media use affects adolescent mental health have accumulated at an unprecedented rate of late. Yet, a higher-level integration of the evidence is still lacking. We fill this gap with an up-to-date umbrella review, a review of reviews published between 2019 and mid 2021. Our search yielded 25 reviews: seven meta-analyses, nine systematic, and nine narrative reviews. Results showed that most reviews interpreted the associations between social media use and mental health as “weak” or “inconsistent,” whereas a few qualified the same associations as “substantial” and “deleterious.” We summarize the gaps identified in the reviews, provide an explanation for their diverging interpretations, and suggest several avenues for future research.

Modelling the role of social media usage in improving users well-being: a social enhancement model perspective

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rahul Bodhi ◽  
Tripti Singh ◽  
Yatish Joshi
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Media Use ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Social Media Use ◽  
Design Data ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Impact

PurposeEmployees have gradually adopted social media sites and their applications that have been associated with enhanced communication and collaboration at the workplace. However, social technologies have both positive as well as negative consequences. The current study examines the impact of loneliness on employees' psychological well-being (PW); subsequently, the mediating role of social media use intensity (SMI) at the workplace. It also examines the moderating role of gender and management status of employees.Design/methodology/approachThe present study conducted an online and offline survey using a cross-sectional design. Data were collected from 206 working professionals from the IT industry in India. Structural equation modelling was applied to analyse data.FindingsResults revealed that employee loneliness is positively associated with SMI. Employee's SMI was positively associated with enhanced PW. Unexpectedly, employee loneliness is positively and significantly related to PW. However, the moderating roles of gender and management status of employees were not supported.Practical implicationsThe current study can help managers, policymakers and organizations better understand the role of employee social media use in the workplace. Using the insights and understanding offered by the study, social media can be effectively utilized in the workplace. The study recommends that organizations may allow the use of social media at the workplace. Social media resources may also be helpful in improving employee communication and digital literacy.Originality/valueThe current study is a pioneer work and contributes to the literature by examining the relationship between loneliness, SMI and PW. This study has essential theoretical and managerial contributions.

scholarly journals Social Media Use and Depressive Symptoms—A Longitudinal Study from Early to Late Adolescence

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (16) ◽  
pp. 5921 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kati Puukko ◽  
Lauri Hietajärvi ◽  
Erika Maksniemi ◽  
Kimmo Alho ◽  
Katariina Salmela-Aro
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Media Use ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Late Adolescence ◽  
Social Media Use ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Age Range ◽  
The Impact

An increasing number of studies have addressed how adolescents’ social media use is associated with depressive symptoms. However, few studies have examined whether these links occur longitudinally across adolescence when examined at the individual level of development. This study investigated the within-person effects between active social media use and depressive symptoms using a five-wave longitudinal dataset gathered from 2891 Finnish adolescents (42.7% male, age range 13–19 years). Sensitivity analysis was conducted, adjusting for gender and family financial status. The results indicate that depressive symptoms predicted small increases in active social media use during both early and late adolescence, whereas no evidence of the reverse relationship was found. Yet, the associations were very small, statistically weak, and somewhat inconsistent over time. The results provide support for the growing notion that the previously reported direct links between social media use and depressive symptoms might be exaggerated. Based on these findings, we suggest that the impact of social media on adolescents’ well-being should be approached through methodological assumptions that focus on individual-level development.

scholarly journals Who Benefits Most From Using Social Media, The Socially Rich or The Socially Poor?

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Loes Pouwels ◽  
Loes Keijsers ◽  
Candice Odgers
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Psychosocial Functioning ◽  
Media Use ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Social Media Use ◽  
Scientific Debate ◽  
The Public ◽  
Art Research ◽  
New Research

Potential harmful effects of social media use on well-being have received ample attention in the public and scientific debate. Recent research suggests, however, that some individuals benefit from using social media. This article therefore questions: Who are likely to benefit most from social media, the socially rich (e.g., extraverted or socially supported individuals) or the socially poor (e.g., anxious or lonely individuals)? Existing empirical studies were suboptimally designed to address this question. To better understand the complex interplay between individuals’ social media use and psychosocial functioning, we introduce new research questions that are linked with appropriate state-of-the-art research methods.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document