Social Media Contributions to Strong Black Woman Ideal Endorsement and Black Women’s Mental Health

2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (4) ◽  
pp. 465-478 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexis G. Stanton ◽  
Morgan C. Jerald ◽  
L. Monique Ward ◽  
Lanice R. Avery
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Black Woman ◽  
Media Use ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Self Esteem ◽  
Women’S Mental Health ◽  
Social Media Use ◽  
Strong Black Woman ◽  
Women's Mental Health

Although research findings highlight the complex dualities of the Strong Black Woman ideal and demonstrate its effects on Black women’s mental health and well-being, there is less understanding of the role that social media may play in Black women’s negotiation of this ideal. To what extent might Black women’s engagement with race-related social media, such as the use of Black-oriented blogs and hashtags, contribute to their well-being and potentially buffer contributions of the Strong Black Woman ideal? To investigate this question, we tested 412 Black women who completed online survey measures assessing their general social media use, Black-oriented blog and hashtag use, mental health, and self-esteem. Correlational and regression analyses revealed that, as expected, both greater endorsement of the Strong Black Woman ideal and higher levels of general social media use was associated with adverse mental health and lower self-esteem. Contrary to our expectations, Black-oriented blog use was also associated with more symptoms of depression and anxiety and did not moderate effects of Strong Black Woman endorsement on well-being. Clinicians, instructors, parents, and media activists should be mindful of how the use of both traditional and race-related social media may be both liberating for, and detrimental to, Black women’s well-being.

scholarly journals Social media and mental health: Reviewing effects on eudaimonic well-being

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adrian Meier ◽  
Leonard Reinecke
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Media Use ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Social Media Use ◽  
Self Actualization ◽  
Resilience Factors ◽  
Omission Bias ◽  
Health And Well Being

Do social media affect users’ mental health and well-being? By now, considerable research has addressed this highly contested question. Prior studies have investigated the effects of social media use on hedonic well-being (e.g., affect and life satisfaction), psychopathology (e.g., depressive or anxiety symptoms), or psychosocial risk/resilience factors (e.g., loneliness, stress, self-esteem). Yet, public concern over social media effects often centers on more long-term negative outcomes, which may be better captured by indicators of eudaimonic well-being. Indeed, neglecting the eudaimonic side of well-being may have introduced outcome omission bias, since eudaimonia is both conceptually and empirically distinct from other dimensions of mental health and may be uniquely affected by social media use. Specifically, psychology currently theorizes eudaimonic well-being to be best represented by the experiences of (a) meaningfulness, (b) authenticity, and (c) self-actualization. A research synthesis of how social media use relates to these core indicators of eudaimonia is currently missing, however. We thus present a first narrative review that synthesizes both theoretical and empirical links between three key social media uses (i.e., active, passive, and “screen time”) and eudaimonic well-being. The synthesis shows that while there are indeed several plausible theoretical links, the evidence is too scarce and inconsistent to allow definitive conclusions at this time. We instead give recommendations for how the field can close important gaps by investigating whether social media afford or constrain opportunities to find meaning, live authentically, and grow as a person.

scholarly journals Association of Social Media Use With Social Well-Being, Positive Mental Health, and Self-Rated Health: Disentangling Routine Use From Emotional Connection to Use

2019 ◽  
Vol 46 (2_suppl) ◽  
pp. 69S-80S ◽  
Author(s):  
Mesfin A. Bekalu ◽  
Rachel F. McCloud ◽  
K. Viswanath
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Media Use ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Dose Effect ◽  
Social Media Use ◽  
Emotional Connection ◽  
Self Rated Health ◽  
Health Related

Most studies addressing social media use as a normal social behavior with positive or negative effects on health-related outcomes have conceptualized and measured social media use and its effects in terms of dose–effect relations. These studies focus on measuring frequency and duration of use, and have seldom considered users’ emotional connections to social media use and the effects associated with such connections. By using a scale with two dimensions capturing users’ integration of social media use into their social routines and their emotional connection to the sites’ use, the present study has brought preliminary evidence that may help map where social media use, as a normal social behavior, may be considered beneficial or harmful. Data from a nationally representative sample ( n = 1,027) of American adults showed that while routine use is associated with positive health outcomes, emotional connection to social media use is associated with negative health outcomes. These associations have been consistent across three health-related outcomes: social well-being, positive mental health, and self-rated health. The data also showed that the strength of the positive and negative associations of routine use and emotional connection with the health outcomes varies across socioeconomic and racial/ethnic population subgroups. Our findings suggest that the link between social media use and health may not only be captured by and explained in terms of conventional dose–effect approaches but may also require a more sophisticated conceptualization and measurement of the social media use behavior.

scholarly journals How do Norwegian adolescents experience the role of social media in relation to mental health and well-being: a qualitative study

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gunnhild Johnsen Hjetland ◽  
Viktor Schønning ◽  
Randi Træland Hella ◽  
Marius Veseth ◽  
Jens Christoffer Skogen
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Media Use ◽  
Self Regulation ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Practical Significance ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Social Media Use ◽  
Mental Health Issues ◽  
Health And Well Being

Abstract Background During the last decade, social media has permeated most parts of society. Adolescents are particularly active users of social media, and their use has been suggested as a contributing factor to mental health issues in this group. Quantitative studies have found associations between the frequency and/or duration of social media use and more mental health issues. However, most studies are cross-sectional and the identified associations are weak and of questionable practical significance. The aim of this study was to investigate adolescents’ lived experiences of using social media, focusing on both negative and positive aspects, using a qualitative approach. Qualitative research enables in-depth explorations of the experiences of individuals, nuance quantitative findings, and offer the perspective of adolescents into policies regarding social media use. Methods Experiences and perspectives of 27 adolescents from two senior high schools in Norway were gathered using focus group interviews (mean age 16.8, range 15–18). The data were analysed using thematic analysis. Results According to the participants, social media use catalyse changes to how people communicate and relate to each other (theme 1). Some changes were positive, in terms of facilitating social connectedness, while others were negative, such as people behaving worse than in face-to-face interactions. Further, social media use affected the participants at the individual level (theme 2); positively in terms of a sense of belonging and social support, and negatively in terms of perceived stress, body pressure, and displacing other activities such as sleep and homework. The motivations for using, or not using, social media were multifaceted (theme 3), reflecting the positive and negative aspects of social media in terms of interpersonal and personal consequences. Conclusion Social media was described as an important part of the participants’ everyday life, with both a positive and negative impact on their mental health and well-being. Considering the compelling nature of social media and adolescents’ relatively limited self-regulatory capacities, efforts to modify social media use should avoid relying on self-regulation, while also recognizing the importance of social media as an arena for peer interaction.

scholarly journals Adolescent Social Media User Types and their Mental Health and Well-being: results from a longitudinal survey of 13–14-year-olds in the United Kingdom

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lizzy Winstone ◽  
Becky Mars ◽  
CMA Haworth ◽  
Jon Heron ◽  
Judi Kidger
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Screen Time ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Latent Class ◽  
Media Use ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Poor Mental Health ◽  
Social Media Use ◽  
Health And Well Being

Background There is mixed evidence as to the effects of different types of social media use on mental health, but previous research has been platform-specific and has focused on an oversimplified distinction between active and passive use. This study aimed to identify different underlying subgroups of adolescent social media user based on their pattern of social media activities and test associations between user type and future mental health. Methods Students from nineteen schools (N=2,456) in south-west England completed an online survey measuring thirteen social media activities and four psychosocial outcomes (past year self-harm, depression, anxiety and poor well-being) at age 13 years (October 2019) and repeated a year later (October 2020; aged 14 years). Latent class analysis using Mplus identified distinct classes of social media user. A bias-adjusted three-step model was used to test associations between class membership at baseline and mental health at follow-up. Analyses were adjusted for gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, disability, social media screen-time and baseline mental health.Results A four-class model of social media user at baseline was selected based on fit statistics and interpretability. User types were labelled High Communicators; Moderate Communicators; Broadcasters; and Minimal users. Broadcasters at age 13 had the poorest mental health outcomes at age 14, with mental health and well-being generally better in the two Communicator groups. Conclusions Findings suggest that adolescents with high levels of content sharing – in addition to socialising and browsing online – are most likely to be experiencing poor mental health a year later. Recommendations regarding social media use should move beyond screen-time to consider different user types, and mental health implications of their engagement with different online activities.

scholarly journals Social Media and Mental Health

2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Carboni Jiménez ◽  
Monica Vaillancourt ◽  
Patricia Zhu ◽  
Quinta Seon
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Longitudinal Studies ◽  
Media Use ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Social Media Use ◽  
Methodological Challenges ◽  
Short Span ◽  
Mental Well Being ◽  
Buffering Effects

There are seemingly opposing findings on social media’s effect on mental well-being. Some studies report no detrimental effects, others no association and others even positive or buffering effects. However, social media has rapidly evolved in a short span of time and so has people’s use of the platforms. Collecting an accurate measure of social media use and other methodological challenges particularly affect data in this area. In this commentary, we discuss two longitudinal studies to elaborate these contracting findings on social media and mental health.

scholarly journals The link between mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic and the use of social media

2021 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Media Use ◽  
Search Time ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Test Period ◽  
False Information ◽  
Social Media Use ◽  
A Priority ◽  
Use Of Social Media

The world was faced the extensive spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus. The COVID-19 crisis is a crisis of both physical and mental health. Proper mental health is crucial to the functioning of society at all times in every country and should be a priority and at the center of response and recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic. Mental health and well-being - the well-being of society as a whole - have been severely compromised during the pandemic and are a priority for urgent consideration. In the qarantine period, the social media were important sourses of information. The aim of this study was to fi nd out the relation between social media use and stress together with anxiety during this pandemic of COVID-19. We are looking for trends of social media use and infl uence that on behavioral and mental disorders. This study was conducted with the help of an online based survey of individuals from a fi rst wave and during a second wave of pandemic in Ukraine. It was conducted to understand the relationship between social media and stress during the Covid-19 pandemic and to see dynamics of change. A total of 199 participants of the fi rst test period and 152 participants of a second test period responded to the survey which was conducted by snowballing sampling techniques in the convenient atmosphere. We applied two validated, self-reporting questionnaires namely Perceived Stress Scale and test of Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7. When period of use of social media had increased during the pandemic, it led to an increase in the perception and dissemination of false information (fakes) that negative aff ected psychological well-being. Negative aspects of the use of social networks can aff ect the level of anxiety and stress of the population of our country. Among the respondents, 120 (34.2%) think that their mental health and wellbeing was being deteriorated during this period of pandemic. Total percentage 51.0% of the participants were suff ering from mild anxiety, 11.1% from moderate anxiety and 6.3% from severe anxiety The dissemination of false information in the context of increased search time has all the prerequisites for increasing the risk of deteriorating mental health in our country during a pandemic.

scholarly journals Social Media and Mental Health

2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Carboni Jiménez ◽  
Monica Vaillancourt ◽  
Patricia Zhu ◽  
Quinta Seon
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Longitudinal Studies ◽  
Media Use ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Social Media Use ◽  
Methodological Challenges ◽  
Short Span ◽  
Mental Well Being ◽  
Buffering Effects

There are seemingly opposing findings on social media’s effect on mental well-being. Some studies report no detrimental effects, others no association and others even positive or buffering effects. However, social media has rapidly evolved in a short span of time and so has people’s use of the platforms. Collecting an accurate measure of social media use and other methodological challenges particularly affect data in this area. In this commentary, we discuss two longitudinal studies to elaborate these contracting findings on social media and mental health.

scholarly journals Does Putting Away Your Smartphone Make You Happier? The Effects of Restricting Digital Media and Social Media on Well-Being

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa C. Walsh ◽  
Annie Regan ◽  
Karynna Okabe-Miyamoto ◽  
Sonja Lyubomirsky
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Digital Media ◽  
Media Use ◽  
Negative Emotion ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Self Esteem ◽  
Social Media Use ◽  
Correlational Research ◽  
Dating Apps ◽  
Direction Of Effects

Both scientists and laypeople have become increasingly concerned about smartphones, especially their associated digital media (e.g., email, news, gaming, and dating apps) and social media (e.g., Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat). Recent correlational research links substantial declines in Gen Z well-being to digital and social media use, yet other work suggests the effects are small and unnoteworthy. To further disentangle correlation from causation and better elucidate the strength and direction of effects, we conducted a pre-registered 8-day experimental deprivation study with Gen Z individuals (N = 338). Participants were randomly assigned to one of four conditions: (1) restrict digital media use, (2) restrict social media use, (3) restrict water use (active control), or (4) restrict nothing (measurement-only control). Relative to controls, participants restricting digital media reported a variety of benefits, including higher life satisfaction, mindfulness, autonomy, competence, and self-esteem, and reduced loneliness and stress. In contrast, those assigned to restrict social media reported relatively few benefits (increased mindfulness) and even some costs (more negative emotion).

scholarly journals Negative influences of Facebook use through the lens of network analysis

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lien Faelens ◽  
Kristof Hoorelbeke ◽  
Eiko I Fried ◽  
Rudi de Raedt ◽  
Ernst H. W. Koster
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Network Analysis ◽  
Social Comparison ◽  
Media Use ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Self Esteem ◽  
Central Position ◽  
Social Media Use ◽  
Facebook Use

Various recent studies suggest a negative association between Facebook use and mental health. Yet, empirical evidence for this association is mixed, raising the question under which conditions Facebook use is related to negative outcomes, such as decreased well-being. Our study addresses this question by investigating the relationship between Facebook use, rumination, depressive, anxiety-, and stress-related symptoms, taking into account potential key variables such as social comparison, contingent self-esteem, and global self-esteem. In a first study, we explored the unique relations between these constructs using state-of-the-art network analysis. Subsequently, we conducted a preregistered replication study. In both studies, social comparison and self-esteem held a central position in the network, connecting social media use with indicators of psychopathology. These findings highlight the prominent role of social comparison and self-esteem in the context of social media use and well-being. Longitudinal and experimental studies will be required to further investigate these relationships.

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