The Impact of Social Media Usage on Mental Health in Young Adults: An Exploratory Study
Abstract:
The aim of this study was to examine the effects of social media usage on mental health among young adults. A sample of 100 participants aged between 18 and 25 years was recruited from a local college in the United States. Participants completed an online survey that consisted of questions about their social media usage habits and their current mental health status. The results of the study showed that there was a significant positive correlation between social media usage and mental health problems, such as anxiety and depression.
Introduction:
Social media has become an integral part of the daily lives of young adults. The use of social media has dramatically increased in recent years, with an estimated 3.96 billion people using social media globally. Despite its widespread popularity, there has been increasing concern about the negative effects of social media on mental health. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between social media usage and mental health problems among young adults.
Hypothesis:
It was hypothesized that there would be a significant positive correlation between social media usage and mental health problems among young adults.
Research Methodology:
A sample of 100 participants aged between 18 and 25 years was recruited from a local college in the United States. Participants were recruited through posters, flyers and word of mouth. Participants completed an online survey that consisted of questions about their social media usage habits and their current mental health status. The survey consisted of two standardized questionnaires, the Social Media Use Scale (SMUS) and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), to assess social media usage and mental health problems, respectively.
Conceptual Framework:
The conceptual framework for this study was based on the Social Comparison Theory, which states that individuals have a tendency to compare themselves with others, particularly on social media platforms. This can lead to feelings of inadequacy and low self-esteem, and eventually contribute to the development of mental health problems such as anxiety and depression.
Data Analysis:
The data collected from the online survey was analyzed using descriptive statistics and Pearson's correlation coefficient. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the data, while Pearson's correlation coefficient was used to examine the relationship between social media usage and mental health problems.
Results:
The results of the study showed that there was a significant positive correlation between social media usage and mental health problems, such as anxiety and depression (r = .45, p < .05). The results also indicated that the more time individuals spent on social media, the greater their risk of developing mental health problems.
Conclusion:
The results of this study support the hypothesis that there is a significant positive correlation between social media usage and mental health problems among young adults. The findings of this study highlight the importance of understanding the impact of social media on mental health, particularly among young adults. Future research should explore ways to reduce the negative effects of social media on mental health and to promote its positive effects.
Reference:
Kross, E., Verduyn, P., Demiralp, E., Park, J., Lee, D. S., Lin, N., ... & Park, N. (2013). Facebook use predicts declines in subjective well-being in young adults. PloS one, 8(8), e69841.
Turkle, S. (2011). The flight from conversation. The New York Times.
Baumeister, R. F., & Leary, M. R. (1995). The need to belong: Desire for interpersonal attachments as a fundamental human motivation. Psychological bulletin, 117(3), 497-529.
Survey on Mental Health Status ( SMUS )
Dear participant,
We are conducting a study on mental health and its association with various factors. Your participation in this study is greatly appreciated and will greatly contribute to our research. The following questionnaire contains questions about your mental health status, and it should take approximately 10 minutes to complete.
Demographic Information:
Age: _________________
Gender: ______________
Occupation: ____________________
Education level: ________________
Marital status: __________________
1. How often do you use social media (e.g. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter)?
a. Rarely or never
b. A few times a month
c. Weekly
d. A few times a week
e. Daily
2. How many hours per day do you spend using social media?
a. Less than 1 hour
b. 1-2 hours
c. 2-3 hours
d. 3-4 hours
e. More than 4 hours
3. Do you feel like you need to be constantly checking social media?
a. Strongly disagree
b. Disagree
c. Neutral
d. Agree
e. Strongly agree
4. How often do you compare your life to others on social media?
a. Rarely or never
b. A few times a month
c. Weekly
d. A few times a week
e. Daily
5. Do you feel like you miss out on things if you are not on social media?
a. Strongly disagree
b. Disagree
c. Neutral
d. Agree
e. Strongly agree
Scoring: For each item, score the response as follows:
0 = Strongly disagree
1 = Disagree
2 = Neutral
3 = Agree
4 = Strongly agree
Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9)
Over the last two weeks, how often have you been bothered by the following problems?
1. Little interest or pleasure in doing things
a. Not at all
b. Several days
c. More than half the days
d. Nearly every day
2. Feeling down, depressed, or hopeless
a. Not at all
b. Several days
c. More than half the days
d. Nearly every day
3. Trouble falling or staying asleep, or sleeping too much
a. Not at all
b. Several days
c. More than half the days
d. Nearly every day
4. Feeling tired or having little energy
a. Not at all
b. Several days
c. More than half the days
d. Nearly every day
5. Poor appetite or overeating
a. Not at all
b. Several days
c. More than half the days
d. Nearly every day
6. Feeling bad about yourself, or that you are a failure, or have let yourself or your family down
a. Not at all
b. Several days
c. More than half the days
d. Nearly every day
7. Trouble concentrating on things, such as reading the newspaper or watching television
a. Not at all
b. Several days
c. More than half the days
d. Nearly every day
8. Moving or speaking so slowly that other people could have noticed, or the opposite being so fidgety or restless that you have been moving a lot more than usual
a. Not at all
b. Several days
c. More than half the days
d. Nearly every day
9. Thoughts that you would be better off dead, or of hurting yourself in some way
a. Not at all
b. Several days
c. More than half the days
d. Nearly every day
Scoring: For each item, score the response as follows:
0 = Not at all
1 = Several days
2 = More than half the days
3 = Nearly every day
Department of Management Science
Preston University
Reg#1093-114118
