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.

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.

scholarly journals Meta-Analysis of the Association of Alcohol-Related Social Media Use with Alcohol Consumption and Alcohol-Related Problems in Adolescents and Young Adults

2018 ◽  
Vol 42 (6) ◽  
pp. 978-986 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brenda L. Curtis ◽  
Samantha J. Lookatch ◽  
Danielle E. Ramo ◽  
James R. McKay ◽  
Richard S. Feinn ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Young Adults ◽  
Alcohol Consumption ◽  
Media Use ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Adolescents And Young Adults ◽  
Social Media Use ◽  
Alcohol Related Problems

scholarly journals U.S. adolescents’ mental health and COVID-19-related changes in technology use, Fall 2020

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Taylor A. Burke ◽  
Emily R. Kutok ◽  
Shira Dunsiger ◽  
Nicole R. Nugent ◽  
John V. Patena ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Technology Use ◽  
Media Use ◽  
Mental Wellbeing ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Social Media Use ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Media And Technology ◽  
School Status

Preliminary reports suggest that during COVID-19, adolescents’ mental health has worsened while technology and social media use has increased. Much data derives from early in the pandemic, when schools were uniformly remote and personal/family stressors related to the pandemic were limited. This cross-sectional study, conducted during Fall 2020, examines the correlation between mental wellbeing and COVID-19-related changes in technology use, along with influence of COVID-19-related stressors, school status (in-person versus remote), and social media use for coping purposes, among 978 U.S. adolescents. Results suggest self-reported daily social media and technology use increased significantly from prior to COVID-19 through Fall 2020. Increased social media use was significantly associated with higher levels of anxiety and depressive symptoms regardless of other theoretical moderators or confounders of mental health (e.g., demographics, school status, importance of technology, COVID-19-related stress). Despite literature suggesting that remote learning may result in adverse mental health outcomes, we did not find local school reopening to be associated with current depressive/anxiety symptoms, nor with COVID-19-related increases in technology use. Self-reported use of social media for coping purposes moderated the association between increased social media use and mental health symptoms; in other words, some social media use may have positive effects. Although much prior research has focused on social media use as a marker of stress, we also found that increased video gaming and TV/movie watching were also associated with internalizing symptoms, in accordance with others' work. Future research should explore in more granular detail what, if any, social media and technology use is protective during a pandemic, and for whom, to help tailor prevention efforts.

scholarly journals Problematic social media use and depressive symptoms among U.S. young adults: A nationally-representative study

2017 ◽  
Vol 182 ◽  
pp. 150-157 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ariel Shensa ◽  
César G. Escobar-Viera ◽  
Jaime E. Sidani ◽  
Nicholas D. Bowman ◽  
Michael P. Marshal ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Young Adults ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Media Use ◽  
Social Media Use ◽  
Representative Study ◽  
Problematic Social Media Use ◽  
Nationally Representative

scholarly journals Cybercrime Victimization and Problematic Social Media Use: Findings from a Nationally Representative Panel Study

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eetu Marttila ◽  
Aki Koivula ◽  
Pekka Räsänen
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Media Use ◽  
Panel Study ◽  
Routine Activity Theory ◽  
Routine Activity ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Social Media Use ◽  
Problematic Social Media Use ◽  
Nationally Representative ◽  
The Relationship

AbstractAccording to criminological research, online environments create new possibilities for criminal activity and deviant behavior. Problematic social media use (PSMU) is a habitual pattern of excessive use of social media platforms. Past research has suggested that PSMU predicts risky online behavior and negative life outcomes, but the relationship between PSMU and cybercrime victimization is not properly understood. In this study, we use the framework of routine activity theory (RAT) and lifestyle-exposure theory (LET) to examine the relationship between PSMU and cybercrime victimization. We analyze how PSMU is linked to cybercrime victimization experiences. We explore how PSMU predicts cybercrime victimization, especially under those risky circumstances that generally increase the probability of victimization. Our data come from nationally representative surveys, collected in Finland in 2017 and 2019. The results of the between-subjects tests show that problematic PSMU correlates relatively strongly with cybercrime victimization. Within-subjects analysis shows that increased PSMU increases the risk of victimization. Overall, the findings indicate that, along with various confounding factors, PSMU has a notable cumulative effect on victimization. The article concludes with a short summary and discussion of the possible avenues for future research on PSMU and cybercrime victimization.

scholarly journals Relationship Between Problematic Social Media Usage and Employee Depression: A Moderated Mediation Model of Mindfulness and Fear of COVID-19

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mehwish Majeed ◽  
Muhammad Irshad ◽  
Tasneem Fatima ◽  
Jabran Khan ◽  
Muhammad Mubbashar Hassan
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Media Use ◽  
Moderated Mediation ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Trait Mindfulness ◽  
Mediation Model ◽  
Social Media Use ◽  
Media Usage ◽  
Moderated Mediation Model ◽  
Problematic Social Media Use

Social media plays a significant role in modern life, but excessive use of it during the COVID-19 pandemic has become a source of concern. Supported by the conservation of resources theory, the current study extends the literature on problematic social media usage during COVID-19 by investigating its association with emotional and mental health outcomes. In a moderated mediation model, this study proposes that problematic social media use by workers during COVID-19 is linked to fear of COVID-19, which is further associated with depression. The current study tested trait mindfulness as an important personal resource that may be associated with reduced fear of COVID-19 despite problematic social media use. The study collected temporally separate data to avoid common method bias. Pakistani employees (N = 267) working in different organizations completed a series of survey questionnaires. The results supported the moderated mediation model, showing that problematic social media use during the current pandemic is linked to fear of COVID-19 and depression among employees. Furthermore, trait mindfulness was found to be an important buffer, reducing the negative indirect association between problematic social media use and depression through fear of COVID-19. These results offer implications for practitioners. The limitations of this study and future research directions are also discussed.

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.

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