Idiographic network models of social media use and depression symptoms
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.