Instagram: Friend or foe? The application’s association with psychological well-being

2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (10) ◽  
pp. 2160-2182 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samantha B Mackson ◽  
Paula M Brochu ◽  
Barry A Schneider
Keyword(s):  
Social Comparison ◽  
Psychological Impact ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Self Esteem ◽  
Anxiety And Depression ◽  
Depression And Anxiety ◽  
Psychological Well Being ◽  
The Social ◽  
Anxiety Depression ◽  
Insight Into

The current study examined the association between the social media application Instagram and its users’ psychological well-being. Participants, both Instagram users and non-users, were surveyed online on measures of depression, anxiety, loneliness, self-esteem, body image, and social comparison. Participants who reported having an Instagram account were also asked about their time spent on Instagram and Instagram anxiety. To understand the association between Instagram and psychological well-being, the study’s first aim was to compare participants who had an Instagram account with those who did not have one. Results revealed that participants with the application reported lower levels of anxiety, depression, and loneliness, and higher levels of self-esteem, than participants who did not have an account. Furthermore, loneliness and self-esteem mediated the association between having an Instagram account and depression and anxiety. The second aim of the study was to examine what factors are associated with Instagram users’ reports of anxiety and depression, focusing specifically on participants who reported having an Instagram account. Results revealed that anxiety and depression were predicted by Instagram anxiety and social comparison, respectively. Overall, these results show that Instagram is associated with psychological well-being. However, when Instagram users experience Instagram anxiety or engage in social comparison, it is associated with poorer psychological outcomes. This research provides an insight into the psychological impact that Instagram can have on its users.

scholarly journals Staying Down with the Joneses: Differences in the Psychological Cost of Unemployment across Neighbourhoods

2021 ◽  
pp. 095001702110034
Author(s):  
Peter Howley ◽  
Sarah Knight
Keyword(s):  
Labour Market ◽  
Social Comparison ◽  
Social Norm ◽  
Psychological Impact ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Specific Nature ◽  
Psychological Well Being ◽  
High Unemployment ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Relationship

This article demonstrates how the unemployment of neighbours can ameliorate the psychological costs of unemployment. In support of this premise, we find that while unemployment is always harmful, the gap in psychological well-being between employed and unemployed individuals is much less in relatively high unemployment neighbourhoods (particularly so for males and relatively older cohorts). Our proposed explanation is that people employ close points of social comparison with the result that any feelings of shame or embarrassment associated with unemployment are mitigated when surrounded by unemployed neighbours. One potentially important labour market implication of these findings is that it may be more difficult than anticipated to transition some people out of unemployment in high unemployment neighbourhoods. Apart from highlighting the place-specific nature of the relationship between unemployment and psychological well-being, our findings also highlight the importance of non-pecuniary factors, such as the social norm to work, in explaining the substantive negative psychological impact of unemployment.

scholarly journals The Role of Gender in the Association Among the Emotional Intelligence, Anxiety and Depression

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Rita Sergi ◽  
Laura Picconi ◽  
Marco Tommasi ◽  
Aristide Saggino ◽  
Sjoerd J. H. Ebisch ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gender Differences ◽  
Emotional Intelligence ◽  
Premature Death ◽  
Epidemiological Data ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Anxiety And Depression ◽  
Negative Events ◽  
Depression And Anxiety ◽  
Psychological Well Being

Recent epidemiological data show an increase of depression and anxiety that cause a loss of about 3–4% of the gross domestic product in Europe, as a consequence of a reduced productivity and a premature death of people. Gender differences in both psychopathologies were found from mid-to-late adolescence until 55 years, and data indicate an increase of depression in women. Considering these data, new interventions focused on promoting psychological well-being were designed. A predictive factor of psychological disorders is Emotional Intelligence (EI), the ability to understand and regulate our own emotions, as well as those of others. EI is associated with psychological well-being, as well as with the treatment of mental illness, but gender differences in the association among EI, anxiety and depression remains unclear. The present study aims at analyzing the nomological associations among EI, anxiety and depression. Furthermore, the possible moderating role of gender in the relation between EI, depression and anxiety is investigated in a sample of 1725 healthy participants. Our results show that the ability to recognize and to control emotions in the social context helps us to reduce the risk to be affected by depression and anxiety. Moreover, our study shows that the association of EI with anxiety and depression wasn’t gender moderated. In conclusion, the findings highlight that EI can help people to manage emotions linked to negative events and to successfully understand emotions in others. In addition, we found no moderation role of gender in the association between EI, anxiety and depression.

scholarly journals Correlations of online social network size with well-being and distress: A meta-analysis

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chiungjung Huang
Keyword(s):  
Social Network ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Online Social Network ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Self Esteem ◽  
Network Size ◽  
Effect Sizes ◽  
Anxiety And Depression ◽  
Social Network Size ◽  
Anxiety Depression

This meta-analysis examines the correlations of the number of social network site (SNS) friends with well-being and distress, based on 90 articles consisting of 98 independent samples on correlations of online social network size (OSNS) with happiness, life satisfaction, self-esteem, anxiety, depression, combined anxiety and depression, loneliness, social anxiety, social loneliness, well-being and distress. The correlations between OSNS and well-being indicators are positively weak (from .06 to .15), whereas those for distress indicators are inconclusive (from -.19 to .08). Studies recording the OSNS based on the participant profile have larger mean effect sizes for well-being (.21) and self-esteem (.31) than those based on self-reporting (.06 and .05, respectively). The correlation between OSNS and self-esteem is stronger in samples with a smaller mean network size.

scholarly journals Analysis of Approaches to the Assessment of Psychological Well-Being of Students

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 94-105 ◽  
Author(s):  
I.B. Umnyashova
Keyword(s):  
Psychological Health ◽  
Social Situation ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Subjective Feeling ◽  
Family Development ◽  
Psychological Well Being ◽  
Essential Condition ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Family ◽  
Anxiety Depression

The psychological well-being is an essential condition of development and socialization of students. There are several approaches to understandIng and assessing psychological well-being of children and teenagers. The psychological well-being of school schoolchildren is considered by researchers as subjective feeling satisfaction of life or as a condition of psychological health. Multiple-factor models of psychological well-being (M. Yagoda, K. Riff, Yu.V. Bessonova, A.M. Prikhozhan) indicate the connection of psychological well-being with physiological and socio-psychological characteristics of the personality, which are the basis for self-realization of a person. To develop a program of psychological and pedagogical support aimed at strengthening the psychological wellbeing of schoolchildren, it is relevant to assess the emotional sphere (anxiety, depression, etc.), the cognitive sphere (optimism, reflective abilities), as well as the diagnosis of the characteristics of the social situation of development and the environment child, especially the family development situation and psychological safety of the educational organization.

scholarly journals Autoestima em praticantes de esportes de aventura

2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 57-62
Author(s):  
Rosane Camila De Godoi ◽  
Hélio Mamoru Yoshida ◽  
Paula Teixeira Fernandes
Keyword(s):  
Social Sciences ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Self Esteem ◽  
Statistical Test ◽  
The Self ◽  
Psychological Well Being ◽  
Inherent Risk ◽  
The Social ◽  
Adventure Sports ◽  
Psychological Parameters

INTRODUÇÃO: Tendo em vista a atual ascensão dos esportes de aventura e dos diversos parâmetros psicológicos relacionados à essas práticas, faz-se necessário estudar como esses esportes, e seu risco inerente, são capazes de despertar distintas sensações e de que maneira isso pode influenciar a autoestima de seus praticantes. OBJETIVO: Esse estudo teve o objetivo de avaliar os índices de autoestima em praticantes de rafting, kayak, montanhismo e paraquedismo, avaliando os índices e analisando as correlações entre os grupos. METODOS: Para isso, foram analisados os perfis de 73 praticantes de esportes de aventura (rafting, kayak, montanhismo e paraquedismo), utilizando-se como instrumento a Escala de Autoestima de Rosenberg, na versão adaptada por Hutz. O teste estatístico adotado foi o Kruskal-Wallis, a normalidade dos dados foi testada através do teste de Shapiro Wilk e todas as análises foram realizadas no programa Statistical Package for the Social Sciences. RESULTADOS: Foi possível constatar elevados índices de autoestima em todos os participantes avaliados, em especial nos paraquedistas, sugerindo que os esportes de aventura são capazes de influenciar no bem-estar psicológico e a saúde mental de seus praticantes. CONCLUSÃO: Com os dados obtidos, concluímos que este estudo traz o fortalecimento do bem-estar psicológico por meio da prática dos esportes de aventura, contribuindo para melhor autoestima e maior entendimento dos aspectos relacionados aos praticantes destas modalidades, ainda pouco estudados cientificamente.ABSTRACT. Self-esteem in practitioners of adventure sports.BACKGROUND: In view of the current rise of adventure sports and the various psychological parameters related to these practices, it is necessary to study how these sports, and their inherent risk, are capable of awakening different sensations and how this could affect the self-esteem of its practitioners. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the self-esteem indices in rafting, kayak, mountaineering and skydiving practitioners, evaluating the indexes, and analysing the correlations between the groups. METHODS: For this, the profiles of 73 practitioners of adventure sports (rafting, kayak, mountaineering and skydiving) were analyzed using as an instrument the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, in the version adapted by Hutz. The statistical test adopted was the Kruskal-Wallis, the normality of the data was tested using the Shapiro Wilk test, and all analyzes were performed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences program.RESULTS: It was possible to verify the high self-esteem indices in all evaluated groups, especially skydivers, suggesting that adventure sports are capable of influencing the psychological well-being and mental health of their practitioners. CONCLUSION: With these data, we can conclude that this study raises the question of psychological well-being through the practice of adventure sports, contributing to a better self-esteem and understanding of the aspects related to this portion of the population, which is still little studied.

Identity Accumulation, Verification, and Well-Being

2019 ◽  
pp. 17-33 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter J. Burke ◽  
Christine Cerven
Keyword(s):  
Identity Theory ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Self Esteem ◽  
Identity Verification ◽  
Psychological Well Being ◽  
Identity Processes ◽  
Theoretical Approaches ◽  
The Social

Within identity theory, there are two theoretical approaches that can be used to link identity processes to outcomes of psychological well-being such as high self-esteem, increased happiness, and decreased sadness and anger. The “identity accumulation” hypothesis says accumulating identities based on the social positions people hold provides increasing ontological anchoring and well-being for individuals. The “identity verification” hypothesis says verifying identities increases self-esteem and positive. The present research brings together data to simultaneously examine the merits of both approaches. Results show that identity accumulation does increase well-being, but only if those identities are highly verified. Identity accumulation decreases well-being if those identities are not verified. This suggests that to maintain self-esteem and happiness, one should take on more roles and identities to the extent that those roles can be performed well and the identities verified.

scholarly journals Anxiety, depression and psychological well-being in a cohort of South African adults with Type 2 diabetes mellitus

2016 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Samantha Ramkisson ◽  
Basil J. Pillay ◽  
Benn Sartorius
Keyword(s):  
Diabetes Mellitus ◽  
General Health Questionnaire ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Anxiety And Depression ◽  
Health Questionnaire ◽  
Psychological Well Being ◽  
Psychological Issues ◽  
Type 2 Dm ◽  
Anxiety Depression

<p><strong>Background:</strong> The prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM) has increased at alarming rates globally. South Africa has the second highest number of people in Africa living with DM, with prevalence rates being among the top five countries in Africa. Accordingly, psychological issues associated with DM have been a growing focus of attention. Studies have found that patients with DM have elevated levels of anxiety and depression, and decreased levels of well-being. In South Africa, there is a paucity of studies on the psychological issues associated with DM.</p><p><strong>Objectives:</strong> The aim of this paper was to explore the prevalence and association of anxiety, depressive features and psychological well-being in patients with Type 2 DM.</p><p><strong> Method:</strong> In a cross-sectional survey, patients with Type 2 DM were recruited from public and private facilities. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28) and WHO-5 Well-being Index (WHO-5) were administered.</p><p><strong> Results:</strong> Four hundred and one participants completed the questionnaires. On the WHO-5, 277 (69%) reported good well-being, while 124 (31%) indicated poor well-being and were considered at risk for depressive features. On the HADS, 186 (46%) had mild-to-severe depressive features and 128 (32%) had mild-to-severe anxiety. There was a strong negative correlation between the WHO-5, HADS and General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) scales, which indicated that an increase in anxiety and depressive features decreased psychological well-being.</p><p><strong>Conclusion:</strong> Health-care providers should identify and treat anxiety and depression as a standard part of diabetes care. Patients should also be referred to the appropriate mental health professional as part of the management of diabetes.</p><p><strong>Keywords: </strong>type 2 diabetes; anxiety;depression;psychological well-being; adults</p>

scholarly journals Mechanisms of Parental Stress During and After the COVID-19 Lockdown: A two-wave longitudinal study

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miriam S. Johnson ◽  
Nora Skjerdingstad ◽  
Omid V. Ebrahimi ◽  
Asle Hoffart ◽  
Sverre Urnes Johnson
Keyword(s):  
Relationship Quality ◽  
Parental Stress ◽  
Psychological Impact ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Anxiety And Depression ◽  
Time Points ◽  
Number Of Children ◽  
Civil Status ◽  
The Government ◽  
Anxiety Depression

Background: In the unpredictable times of the ongoing global coronavirus disease (COVID-19), parents worldwide are affected by stressors and strains that follow in the wake of the government-initiated distancing protocols.Objective: In a two‐wave longitudinal survey, we examined levels of parental perceived stress and symptoms of anxiety and depression among a sample of parents at two time points; in the midst of the strictest government-initiated physical distancing protocols following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic (T1, N = 2868) and three months after the protocols discontinued (T2, n = 1489). Further, we investigated the levels of parental stress, anxiety, and depression relative to perceived relationship quality and anger aimed at child(ren) at the two time points, including subgroups based on age, sex, cultural background, civil status, education level, number of children in household, employment status, and pre-existing psychiatric diagnosis.Methods and findings:Parents were asked to fill out a set of validated questionnaires on the two measurement occasions. As expected, the findings indicate that the high levels of parental stress significantly decreased from T1 to T2, indicating that the cumulative stressors that parent’s experiences during distancing protocols declined as a function of the phaseout of the protocols. The decrease of perceived parental stress at the two time points, was accompanied by a significant decrease in symptoms of both depression and anxiety among the participating parents. Symptoms meeting the clinical cut-off for depression (23.0%) and generalized anxiety disorder (23.3%) were reported among participating parents at T1, compared to 16.8% and 13.8% respectively at T2. Reduction in depression and angry at child(ren) from T1 to T2 were further associated with a reduction in perceived parental stress. In addition, relationship quality and angry at child(ren) at T1 predicted change in parental stress. Conclusions: The findings underline some of the negative psychological impact of physical distancing protocols on parent’s health and well-being. Parents who are facing physical distancing and remaining at home with their children may be particularly vulnerable to parental stress, anxiety and depression. Uncovering the nature of how these constructs are associated to parents and families facing social crisis, such as the ongoing pandemic, can contribute to design relevant interventions to reduce parental stress and strengthen parental coping and resilience.Keywords: COVID-19 lockdown, parental stress, anxiety, depression, social distancing.

scholarly journals Predictors of Psychological Well-Being during Behavioral Obesity Treatment in Women

2011 ◽  
Vol 2011 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paulo N. Vieira ◽  
Jutta Mata ◽  
Marlene N. Silva ◽  
Sílvia R. Coutinho ◽  
Teresa C. Santos ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Autonomous Motivation ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Self Esteem ◽  
Self Determination ◽  
Depression And Anxiety ◽  
Psychological Well Being ◽  
Perceived Need ◽  
Need Support

This study examined the association of autonomy-related variables, including exercise motivation, with psychological well-being and quality of life, during obesity treatment. Middle-aged overweight/obese women (n=239) participated in a 1-year behavioral program and completed questionnaires measuring need support, general self-determination, and exercise and treatment motivation. General and obesity-specific health-related quality of life (HRQOL), self-esteem, depression, and anxiety were also assessed. Results showed positive correlations of self-determination and perceived need support with HRQOL and self-esteem, and negative associations with depression and anxiety (P<.001). Treatment autonomous motivation correlated positively with physical (P=.004) and weight-related HRQOL (P<.001), and negatively with depression (P=.025) and anxiety (P=.001). Exercise autonomous motivation was positively correlated with physical HRQOL (P<.001), mental HRQOL (P=.003), weight-related HRQOL (P<.001), and self-esteem (P=.003), and negatively with anxiety (P=.016). Findings confirm that self-determination theory's predictions apply to this population and setting, showing that self-determination, perceived need support, and autonomous self-regulation positively predict HRQOL and psychological well-being.

scholarly journals The Italians in the Time of Coronavirus: Psychosocial Aspects of the Unexpected COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesca Favieri ◽  
Giuseppe Forte ◽  
Renata Tambelli ◽  
Maria Casagrande
Keyword(s):  
Online Survey ◽  
Psychological Impact ◽  
Nationwide Survey ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Italian Population ◽  
Psychological Well Being ◽  
Indirect Contact ◽  
Infected People ◽  
The Social ◽  
Other Information

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic is a worldwide public health emergency that forced the Italian Government to deliberate unprecedented actions, including quarantine, with a relevant impact on the population. The present study is one of the first Italian nationwide survey within the first period of the COVID-19 outbreak aimed to understand the social and psychological impact of the COVID-19 outbreak.Methods: An online survey collected information on sociodemographic data, history of direct or indirect contact with COVID-19, and other information concerning the COVID-19 emergency. The General Psychological Well-Being Index and a modified version of the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5, focused on the COVID-19 experience, assessed the respondents' general psychological condition.Results: Of 1,639 respondents equally distributed in the Italian territory, 5.1% reported PTSD symptomatology, and 48.2% evidenced lower psychological well-being linked to COVID-19 diffusion. Lower psychological well-being was significantly higher in women, younger than 50 years, and with health risk factors. Lower psychological well-being was also detected in individuals who did not know if they were infected, who have had direct exposure or were uncertain about their exposure to COVID-19, or who knew infected people. Regarding the social and behavioral consequences, respondents perceived worsening in demographic, economic, social, and relational conditions. Moreover, they reported increased film viewing, cookhouse time, social media use, and decreased physical activity.Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic appears to be a risk factor for psychological diseases in the Italian population, as previously reported in the Chinese people. About half of the respondents reported a significant psychological impact. Moreover, we confirmed the role of restraining measures that led to modify lifestyles, social perception, and confidence in the institutions. These results underline the need for further studies aimed to develop psychological interventions to minimize the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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