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

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Micaela Rodriguez ◽  
George Aalbers ◽  
Richard J. McNally

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.

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (39) ◽  
pp. 50-61
Author(s):  
Alisar Hudimova ◽  
Ihor Popovych ◽  
Vita Baidyk ◽  
Olena Buriak ◽  
Olha Kechyk

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.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Md. Saiful Islam ◽  
Md. Safaet Hossain Sujan ◽  
Rafia Tasnim ◽  
Rashenda Aziz Mohona ◽  
Most. Zannatul Ferdous ◽  
...  

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.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patti M. Valkenburg

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.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rahul Bodhi ◽  
Tripti Singh ◽  
Yatish Joshi

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.


Author(s):  
Kati Puukko ◽  
Lauri Hietajärvi ◽  
Erika Maksniemi ◽  
Kimmo Alho ◽  
Katariina Salmela-Aro

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.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Aymerich-Franch

Lockdowns have been imposed around the world to contain the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. However, excessively stringent measures might be a threat to people’s mental health. This study examines the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on psychological well-being and its relationship to habit and routine modifications in a sample of 584 participants on lockdown in Spain. Habits and routines were explored in relation to media and social media use, household chores, eating, drinking and sleeping habits, working and studying, exercise and leisure, and personal care. Participants reported an important increase in negative affect as well as an important decrease in positive affect during the lockdown period, compared to before the lockdown. The decline in psychological well-being was more pronounced in younger participants. There was also a notable increase in media and social media consumption, home cleaning and tidying up, eating and sleeping, cooking and baking, reading for leisure, talking or doing activities with other people in the home, and handwashing. Increases in media and social media use, eating, and doing nothing, were significantly associated with an increase in negative affect and a decrease in positive affect. The results contribute to understanding the impact of the lockdown on psychological well-being and its relationship to habit and routine modifications during this period.


2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 47
Author(s):  
Ntongha Eni Ikpi ◽  
Veronica Akwenabuaye Undelikwo

The use of social media platforms has over the years become a veritable tool for individuals, groups, institutions and corporate bodies for the promotion of health and wellness. In recent times, social media has become one of the most potent agents of the media through which health issues are addressed as well as generated and disseminated to different populations in society. The study was conducted to examine social media use and students’ health lifestyle modification in the University of Calabar, Nigeria. It sought to determine the extent to which students’ use of social media (Facebook, Twitter, and WhatsApp) influences the modification of their health-related lifestyles such as eating habits, sexual behaviour, cigarette and alcohol consumption, drug use and the engagement in fitness activities. The study adopted a randomized descriptive survey design and used a sample of 300 undergraduate students. The questionnaire was the main instrument used for collection of data while simple percentages and means were used to determine the difference between the expected mean of 2.50 and the observed means across various items in the questionnaire. The results showed that apart from Twitter, social media use by University of Calabar students has significantly influenced the modification of their health lifestyles. Since social media has become a veritable tool for the promotion of positive health lifestyle, effort should be made by government through the health sector to create more awareness among students and the entire population of social media users, on the health benefits accruing from use of social media.


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