Social Media and Psychological Well-Being Among Youth: The Multidimensional Model of Social Media Use

Adolescents and Social Media: Longitudinal Links Between Motivations for Using Social Media and Subsequent Internalizing Symptoms

Knowledge is lacking on whether adolescents' motivations for social media use predict internalizing symptoms, and few studies have considered the moderating role of extraversion. In 2017 (T1) and 2018 (T2), 197 adolescents (49.70% girls, Mage = 13.15, SD = 0.36) from a large metropolitan area participated in this study. Adolescents reported on their social media use motivations and extraversion (at T1) and depressive and anxiety symptoms (T1 and T2). Latent class analysis revealed four motivation profiles at T1: (1) entertainment and fun (30.97%); (2) avoidance and escapism (14.21%); (3) meeting new people, feel involved (16.75%); (4) boredom (38.07%). Social motivations (profile 3) predicted elevated internalizing symptoms at T2. Avoidance and boredom motivations (profile 2 and 4) predicted internalizing symptoms for adolescents with low extraversion. Social media use motivations and extraversion distinguish adolescents who benefit from social media from those who experience difficulties.

Revealing schoolchildren's key situations in the use of digital media inside and outside school: A media diary study

INTRODUCTION

Digital media have become integral to schoolchildren's lives, both within educational and non-educational settings. Educators emphasize the importance of bridging the gap between school learning and children's out-of-school activities. To identify potential variations and commonalities, we investigated key situations with digital media among lower secondary schoolchildren in Germany, aiming to determine which themes are especially relevant in different settings.

METHODS

We analyzed the media usage of German schoolchildren (ages 10 to 17) in class and outside of school using a mixed-method approach with a focus on the qualitative facets of key situations. For this purpose, 49 schoolchildren from seven schools were asked to complete media diaries. Over a six-week period, they documented key situations with details on setting, emotional experiences, post-communication, social support, and self-reflection. We analyzed the key situations using content and frequency analyses.

RESULTS

The schoolchildren reported 145 key situations, from which we developed a categorization system comprising 15 distinct categories. The most reported key situations involved "playing video games", "digital learning or homework", and "online communication or content sharing". Most key situations (115) took place outside of school, while 30 occurring in class. Schoolchildren mostly reported key situations that involved feelings of happiness and low levels of arousal. They discussed key situations more often and in greater depth with family members and school friends, and less often with school staff or non-school friends. Key situations were discussed more often face-to-face than online. Notably, schoolchildren engaged in self-reflection on their key situations, including concerns about excessive media use.

DISCUSSION

Overall, the study provides comprehensive insights into the digital media behaviors of schoolchildren, highlighting individual differences and preferences. The discussion offers valuable implications for both educational practice and future research, particularly regarding the integration of digital media into formal educational settings.

Relationships between daily emotional experiences and smartphone addiction among college students: moderated mediating role of gender and mental health problems

Introduction

The theoretical model of smartphone addiction highlights the role of emotional factors in fostering addictive behaviors. However, most research has focused on long-term emotional states and pathologies, often overlooking the immediate effects of daily emotional fluctuations on smartphone usage and their mechanisms.

Methods

Our study employed an online survey and a moderated parallel mediation model to explore how daily emotional experiences influence smartphone addiction among college students. We analyzed the mediating roles of anxiety, stress, and depression, and the moderating effect of gender.

Results

Our findings indicate that daily negative emotional experiences were positively correlated with smartphone addiction, with stress serving as a significant mediator in the relationship between both positive and negative emotional experiences and addiction. Interestingly, positive emotional experiences directly increased smartphone addiction risk among female students, but they also significantly reduced stress and depression, especially pronounced in women. Further analysis indicated that positive emotions primarily mitigate addiction through reducing stress, a pathway especially significant in females.

Discussion

The study not only confirms the substantial impact of emotional experiences on addiction but also deepens our understanding of their mechanisms, underlining the importance of considering the nature of emotional experiences and gender-specific effects in devising prevention and intervention strategies.

Social media use by teachers during work and its effects on their performance: the role of teacher's wellbeing and social media addiction

BACKGROUND

Although extant literature has investigated the impacts of social sites on employees' job performance in different sectors, scholars have given little attention to teachers' job performance (TJoP) in higher educational institutes.

PURPOSE

We aimed to investigate the direct and mediating impact of social media use (SMU) on TJoP. Based on social cognitive theory, this study proposed a model that consists of six hypotheses.

METHODOLOGY

To empirically test the model, we develop a survey link to collect data from respondents working in universities in Jiangsu province, China. Partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) using SmartPLS 4 has been used for analyzing 454 respondents.

RESULTS

Research findings demonstrate the significant effects of SMU on TJoP, well-being, and social media addiction (SMAdd). In addition, teachers' well-being and SMAdd have a positive and negative significant effect, respectively, on TJoP. Moreover, this research evidenced a significant partial mediation of teachers' well-being and SMAdd.

CONCLUSION

This study points out the key role of SMU in the direct and indirect influences of TJoP through well-being and SMAdd. Further, it brings into view the urgency of higher education to prudently consider the implications of SMU on performance and general well-being among its faculty.

Problematic Social Media Use Among Italian Midadolescents: Protocol and Rationale of the SMART Project

BACKGROUND

Social media (SM) use constitutes a large portion of midadolescents' daily lives as a way of peer interaction. A significant percentage of adolescents experience intense or problematic social media use (PSMU), an etiologically complex behavior potentially associated with psychological distress. To date, studies longitudinally testing for risk or protective factors of PSMU, and collecting qualitative data are still scarce among midadolescents. Self-help interventions specifically targeting PSMU in this population and involving midadolescents in co-creation are needed.

OBJECTIVE

The 2-year SMART multicenter project aims to (1) advance knowledge on PSMU; (2) co-design an unguided self-help app for promoting awareness and functional SM use; and (3) test feasibility and provide preliminary findings on its effectiveness to further improve and adapt the app.

METHODS

The SMART project is organized in 3 phases: phase 1 will focus on knowledge advancement on PSMU and its risk and protective factors using a longitudinal design; phase 2 will explore adolescents perspectives using qualitative approach and will co-design an unguided self-help app for reducing PSMU, which will be evaluated and adapted in phase 3. Around 1500 midadolescents (aged 14-18 years) will be recruited in northern, central, and southern Italy to investigate the potential intra- and interpersonal psychological risk and protective factors for PSMU and define specific PSMU profiles and test for its association with psychological distress. Subjective (self-report) PSMU's psychosocial risk or protective factors will be assessed at 3 different time points and Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) will be used. Moreover, focus groups will be performed in a subsample of midadolescents to collect the adolescents' unique point of view on PSMU and experiences with SM. Those previous results will inform the self-help app, which will be co-designed through working groups with adolescents. Subsequently, the SMART app will be deployed and adapted, after testing its feasibility and potential effectiveness in a pilot study.

RESULTS

The project is funded by the Italian Ministry of University and Research as part of a national grant (PRIN, "Progetti di Rilevante Interesse Nazionale"). The research team received an official notice of research funding approval in July 2023 (Project Code 2022LC4FT7). The project was preregistered on Open Science Framework, while the ethics approval was obtained in November 2023. We started the enrollments in December 2023, with the final follow-up data to be collected within May 2025.

CONCLUSIONS

The innovative aspects of the SMART project will deepen the conceptualization of PSMU and of its biopsychosocial antecedents among midadolescents, with relevant scientific, technological, and socioeconomic impacts. The advancement of knowledge and the developed self-help app for PSMU will timely respond to midadolescents' increased loneliness and psychological burden due to COVID-19 pandemic and humanitarian crisis.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

OSF Registries; https://osf.io/2ucnk/.

INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID)

DERR1-10.2196/58739.

Positive and negative factors of the influence of new media and the digital environment on ideal and belief education among university students in China

The authors identity the relationship between the positive and negative aspects of social media and the ideal belief learning and behavior of university students. The cluster sampling method was adopted in the paper, including Guangdong, Shandong, Henan, Sichuan, and Jiangsu provinces. A total of 1014 questionnaires were distributed to a purposive sample of university students between the ages of 16 and 35. The authors applied the uses and gratifications theory to study students' social media behavior. This study identified 18 positive and negative effects of social media. Noteworthy positive outcomes attributed to social media in fostering ideals and beliefs encompass heightened awareness, enhanced communication facilitation, convenient connectivity, reduced expenses on educational materials, improved social and communication proficiencies, as well as diminished stress levels. The negative effects of new media and the Internet include a lack of critical thinking, a waste of time, dysgraphia, disrupted connection to learning, students' laziness, and health risks.

Young people on social media in a globalized world: self-optimization in highly competitive and achievement-oriented forms of life

Research investigating young people's social media use has been criticized for its limited theoretical foundations and scope. This paper elaborates young people's social media activity from a socio-ecological evolutionary perspective (SEE), where young people's online exchanges cannot be divorced from the highly competitive and achievement-oriented modern market cultures in which they live. In highly competitive and achievement-oriented forms of life, young people's social media environments are often constituted as dynamic and evolving extrinsically oriented ecological niches that afford for status and identity enhancement while also affording for peer approval, belongingness, and self-worth nested within, and subordinate to, these higher-order affordances. The extrinsic value organization of social media platforms that serve young people's status and identity-enhancement are embodied by a community of mutually interdependent criteria that are evolutionary-based, developmentally salient, and market-driven: physical attractiveness, high (educational and extracurricular) achievements, and material success. Young people's online signaling of these interdependent extrinsic criteria affords for status-allocation and self-enhancement, where each criteria becomes an arena for social competition and identity formation, enabling young people to build personal and optimal models of social success congruent with their own interests and abilities. Young people's status and identity enhancing signaling of these extrinsic criteria is moving toward increasingly idealized or perfect embodiments, informed by accelerating, short-term positive feedback processes that benefit from the technological affordances and densely rewarding peer environments instantiated on social media.

Associations between domains of sedentary behavior, well-being, and quality of life - a cross-sectional study

The importance of reducing sedentary behavior (SB) in the prevention of mortality and chronic and mental diseases is scientifically well grounded, but SB can be accumulated in diverse domains of life, such as leisure-time SB, transport between home/work/school when sitting (transport-related SB), or in occupational settings such as working or studying (occupational SB), and the associations for each domain of SB with well-being measures and quality of life are still underexplored from a positive perspective. Through a cross-sectional investigation, we collected data from 584 participants who completed a questionnaire throughout November 2021 and with Spearman correlation test, analysed the associations between SB in three different domains with psychological well-being, satisfaction with life, and quality of life. Our results indicated that after adjustment for physical activity, sex, body mass index, smoking history, chronic disease status, financial perception, quality/duration of sleep and university group, in younger adults (18 to 24 years old), leisure-time SB was negatively related to psychological well-being (rho = -0.255; p = 0.008), and in adults (25 to 64 years old), occupational SB was negatively related to satisfaction with life (rho = -0.257; p < .001) and the mental component of quality of life (rho = -0.163; p = 0.027). Our findings highlight the idea that not all SB is built the same and that future strategies to reduce SB from people's lives must target specific domains of SB according to the age group when aiming to improve well-being and quality of life.

Female blind baseball players against gender discrimination: the "red diamonds" experience

Background

Sport has the well-known power of improving body awareness, self-esteem, and social interaction, thus promoting quality of life and psychophysical wellbeing. Specifically referring to adapted disciplines, habitual practice often becomes an effective integration and self-efficacy booster. Among disabilities, visual impairment deeply alters body image perception, autonomy, and environmental/social interaction heavily reducing sport or leisure involvement opportunities. In particular, visually impaired women represent one of the most vulnerable categories to gender and disability discrimination. Moreover, even when congenitally sightless, they perceive social pressure of mainstream beauty ideals, mostly spread by media, comparable to their sighted peers. On these premises and the previously demonstrated psychophysical benefits of Italian blind baseball practice on this target population, the present study aimed to deepen the social and educative potentialities of such adapted sport applying a more sociological research approach.

Methods

The "red diamonds" event, namely, the first ever female blind baseball match, was the setting for the administration of our structured online survey. In detail, our survey comprised different evaluation tools such as the 18-item Psychological Well-Being Scale, the 12-item Short Form questionnaire, the Dresden Body Image questionnaire, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and sociological model designed questions. Quality of life, psychological wellbeing, self-esteem, body image, and perceived female sport psychological violence were investigated in the whole women sample (n = 33) voluntarily adhering to the game.

Results

Survey results revealed no statistically significant differences between visually impaired players (n = 13; mean age: 32.84 ± 12.05 years) and sighted on-field subjects (i.e., coaches, assistants, and referees; n = 20; mean age: 47.15 ± 12.31 years) in almost all the inquired variables, thus remarking the social and functional benefits of adapted sport through the "dual embodiment" and empowerment phenomenon.

Conclusions

Given that the event was inspired by and performed on the World Day against women violence, our study deepened not only the topic of disability discrimination but also the currently alarming gender-related one. In such a context, the present research might provide interesting cues for further investigations on disability and gender disparities in sports, hence spreading interest in this under-investigated field. In perspective, the "red diamonds" experience could also contribute to inspiring and progressively developing educative tools against any kind of discrimination by promoting integration and social growth through regular sports practice.

Evaluating the influence of dental aesthetics on psychosocial well-being and self-esteem among students of the University of Novi Sad, Serbia: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

A person's smile has been identified as one of the first observed facial characteristics. Even minor deviations from societal beauty standards, especially among younger individuals, can have a negative effect on their self-esteem. The aim of this research is to evaluate the self-perceived psychosocial impact of dental aesthetics and self-esteem among respondents and their association, as well as to determine the main factors contributing to dissatisfaction with dental appearance.

METHODS

This research was conducted as a cross-sectional study that surveyed students of the University of Novi Sad. Other Universities and private faculties were excluded from participation. Data collection used standardized questionnaires measuring the Psychosocial Impact of Dental Aesthetics (PIDAQ) and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES). Questionnaire (an online GoogleForms) was sent to the students via official Facebook groups of the faculties, student's e-mails and Instagram profiles. Data analysis included descriptive statistics, Students T-test, ANOVA, multiple linear regression analysis and Spearman coefficient. To test internal consistency, Cronbach's alpha(α) was calculated for the questionnaire as a whole (0,761) and each used questionnaire (PIDAQ - 0.766; RSES - 0.765). Cronbach's alpha(α) was also calculated for each domain from PIDAQ (DSC-0.946; SI-0.882; PI-0.953; AC-0.916).

RESULTS

The study involved 410 participants, predominantly female (80%), aged between 21 and 23 (45.4%), primarily in ther first academic year (21.5%), and with a grade point average between 8.01 and 9.00 (42.4%). Data analysis has shown a statistically significant difference in the total PIDAQ score and SI subdomain in relation to the academic year (total PIDAQ p = 0.025; SI p = 0.000). In terms of self-esteem, results of multiple linear regression analysis showed that the academic year (95%CI: 0.410-1.837; p = 0.002) and the average point grade (95%CI: -0.025-1.600; p = 0.047) were significant predictors of greater self-esteem. The Spearman coefficient value (r=-0.316, p < 0.001) confirmed a statistically significant negative correlation between PIDAQ and self-esteem. Only 34% of respondents expressed satisfaction with their teeth. Dissatisfaction about the smile was primarily attributed to the arrangement and positioning of their teeth (32.2%). Financial constraints were identified as the main barrier for seeking interventions to improve smile satisfaction (39.5%).

CONCLUSION

Students experiencing a greater psychosocial impact of dental aesthetics tended to exhibit lower self-esteem.

Social media and postsecondary student adoption of mental health labels: protocol for a scoping review

INTRODUCTION

Many postsecondary students use social media at an age when mental health issues often arise for the first time. On social media, students describe their mental states or social interactions using psychiatric language. This is a process of mental health labelling as opposed to receiving a formal diagnosis from a psychiatrist. Despite substantial literature on psychiatric labelling effects such as stigma, little research has addressed the mechanisms and effects of labelling through social media. Our objective is to summarise the existing evidence to address this gap.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

This review includes articles in English published since 1995 on how postsecondary students interact with mental health labels in their use of social media. We will consider empirical studies and theses. The search strategy includes SCOPUS, PubMed, OVID MEDLINE (to access APA PsycINFO), Web of Science and ProQuest Global Dissertations and Theses. This scoping review follows the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extensions for protocols and Scoping Reviews guidelines. The artificial intelligence application, Connected Papers, will assist in identifying additional references. The outcomes of interest are labelling by self or others and changes in self-concept and presentation associated with these labels. Two researchers will independently identify the included studies and extract data, solving disagreements with a third opinion. We will produce tables and narrative descriptions of the operationalisation and measurement methods of labelling and social media use, reported effects and uses of labelling, and explanatory mechanisms for the adoption of labels.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

This literature review does not require ethics approval. The researchers will present their findings for publication in an open-access peer-reviewed journal and at student/scientific conferences. Potential knowledge users include university students, social media users, researchers, mental health professionals and on-campus mental health services.

Which social media platforms matter and for whom? Examining moderators of links between adolescents' social media use and depressive symptoms

INTRODUCTION

Despite extensive research on social media and risks for mental health, not enough is known about individual differences in these risks.

METHODS

The present study, with data collected from 2018 to 2020, investigated the association between social media use (total and for specific platforms) and depressive symptoms in a sample of 237 American adolescents (Mage  = 15.10; SD = 0.49; 51.1% girls and 48.5% boys). We investigated several moderators: gender, self-esteem, personality, and negative reactions to social media. Covariates were gender, timing of the follow-up (pre vs. during the pandemic), and depressive symptoms a year earlier.

RESULTS

Results indicated that greater total time spent on social media was associated with higher levels of depressive symptoms. This effect held for Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube (but not Snapchat, Facebook, or Twitter). Several moderated effects were found. Twitter was associated with more depressive symptoms for girls but not boys. More frequent Instagram use was linked to more depressive symptoms for less or average-level extraverted teens but not for more extraverted teens, suggesting extraversion may be protective. More frequent TikTok use was associated with more depressive symptoms, particularly for teens who said they have more or average-level negative reactions to social media a year earlier.

CONCLUSIONS

This study suggests that certain adolescents may be at increased risk for serious mental health challenges, like elevated depressive symptoms, when using TikTok, Instagram, or Twitter more frequently, underscoring the importance of examining individual differences and particular social media platforms.

Asians and Asian Americans' social media use for coping with discrimination: A mixed-methods study of well-being implications

Although social media has the potential to serve as a coping tool, it is unclear how Asians and Asian Americans use social media to cope with discrimination, and how social media coping is associated with these users' psycho-emotional well-being. Drawing on the Multidimensional Model of Social Media Use, this mixed-methods study examined the well-being implications of three social media coping activities among Asians and Asian Americans. A total of 931 Asians and Asian Americans in the U.S. between the ages of 18 and 93 (M = 46.49, SD = 16.58; 49.2% female) completed an anonymous online survey. Twenty-three participants (12 females) between the ages of 19 and 70 joined seven focus group interviews. Survey results showed that messaging was related to greater race-based traumatic stress (RBTS), although it also had a weak indirect relationship with positive emotions through social support. Posting and commenting had an indirect relationship with both lower RBTS and greater positive emotions via social support. Reading and browsing was associated with greater RBTS (directly) and positive emotions (both directly and indirectly through social support). Focus group data revealed how the three activities contributed to perceived social support and why these activities were associated with promising and/or concerning well-being outcomes.

Taking a nuanced look at adolescent technology use and negative affect: the protective role of preparedness

Adolescents are online more than any other age group, with the majority of their time on social media. Increases in technology use among adolescents have heightened conversations regarding its effects on their negative affect. There have been mixed findings regarding the relationship between technology use and adolescent negative affect; some studies present a negative association or no association, and some show a positive association. To clarify this relationship, we propose moving away from asking only how much adolescents use technology to asking how and what they use it for. We employed the Multidimensional Healthy Technology Use and Social Media Habits Scale (MTECH) and adapted forms of the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) in a sample of 7,234 middle and high school students to assess the extent to which students feel prepared to use technology safely and successfully and whether this impacts the association between the amount of various types of technology they use and their negative affect. We conducted eight moderated regression analyses that, in some models, revealed preparedness had a protective role in the association between technology use and negative affect. In these models, at all levels of technology use, adolescents with higher levels of preparedness experienced lower levels of negative affect than their peers; however, in some instances, this effect was diminished for those using technology with high frequency. These findings support the notion that the association between technology and negative affect is not best modeled as a direct relationship, and instead that we must consider important moderators of this complex association.

Motives for digital social multitasking (DSMT) and problematic phone use among adolescents

INTRODUCTION

Phone use during face-to-face interactions (i.e., digital social multitasking [DSMT]) is a growing activity among adolescents. DSMT appears to be a risk factor for problematic phone use, but little is known about why adolescents engage in DSMT and how different motives of DSMT would be associated with problematic phone use. Drawing on the framework of DSMT and the uses and gratifications theory, this study explored (1) the motives of adolescent DSMT and (2) the direct and indirect relationships between DSMT motives and problematic phone use via the level and perception of DSMT.

METHOD

The study involved survey data from 517 adolescents in the United States recruited through the Qualtrics panels (M_age  = 14.83, SD = 1.93) in the fall of 2020. The sample's gender and racial/ethnic distributions were nationally representative.

RESULTS

We developed a scale measuring adolescent DSMT motives, which showed that adolescents engaged in DSMT because of enjoyment and connection, boredom, information, and habitual use. The motive of habitual use was associated with problematic phone use both directly and indirectly via level of DSMT and perceived distraction caused by DSMT. The information motive was directly associated with problematic phone use, while the boredom motive was indirectly associated with problematic phone use via perceived distraction. Conversely, the motive of enjoyment and connection was related to lower problematic phone use both directly and indirectly via lower perceived distraction.

CONCLUSION

The study identifies DSMT-related risk and protective factors for problematic phone use. The findings should help adults recognize adaptive versus maladaptive forms of DSMT among adolescents and develop proper guidance and intervention.

Digital screen time and suicidality during high school: How important is cyberbullying? A mediation analysis using the youth risk behavioral surveillance survey, 2011-2019

Elevated digital screen time (i.e., 2+ hours per day) is associated with suicidal ideations, planning, and attempts during adolescence. Recent studies suggest quality, rather than duration, of digital screen time is most impactful on adolescent mental health. We investigate the role of cyberbullying victimization on the relationship between elevated digital screen time and risk factors for completed suicide. We pooled five years of biennial Youth Risk Behavioral Surveillance (YRBS) survey data (2011-2019). Participants were n = 73,011 high school students in the United States (US). Elevated digital screen time reflected spending 3 h (or more) per day on leisure, digital media. Outcome variables were: (1) feeling sad/hopeless; (2) suicidal ideation; (3) suicidal planning; and (4) suicide attempt. Structural equation models (SEMs) tested the mediating effects of self-reported online bullying victimization (i.e., cyberbullying) on the effect of elevated digital screen time on suicidality. We controlled for age, sex, race/ethnicity, and survey year. Subsample analyses stratified by sex were also conducted. Overall, 40.5% of high school students reported elevated digital screen time and 15.4% reported cyberbullying. Cyberbullying mediated a substantial proportion of the relationship between digital screen time and feeling sad/hopeless (16%), suicidal ideation (18%), planned suicide attempt (18%), and past suicide attempt (26%), among high school students, controlling for covariates. Similar mediating effects were observed in models stratified by sex. Findings reinforce prior research demonstrating that the quality of leisure, digital media strongly influences the relationship between digital screen time and mental health during adolescence. Findings need replication via longitudinal designs.

Diversity of market gardening farms in western Burkina Faso. Nexus between production environment, farm size, financial performance and environmental issues

This study characterizes market gardening in Houet province in order to determine the various categories of market gardening farms based on specific socioeconomic variables, as well as to analyze the main factors influencing their economic performance. Using principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical ascending classification, the main factors influencing the economic situation of the market garden farms in Houet were analyzed through the interrelationships between the variables considered. Findings revealed four clusters of vegetable farms with different socioeconomic features depending on the farming environment (urban, peri-urban and rural). In the same vein, the results showed that market gardeners in urban areas have the best economic performance. With the regard to the durability of the production, results showed that the majority of market gardeners (95%) have a conventional production method and often use in an uncontrolled way chemical pesticides, as well as mineral fertilizers that some combine with organic amendments.

Mental health professionals as influencers on TikTok and Instagram: What role do they play in mental health literacy and help-seeking?

BACKGROUND

Mental disorders are recognised as the leading causes of disability worldwide. Despite high rates of incidence, few young people pursue formal help-seeking. Low levels of mental health literacy have been identified as a contributing factor to the notable lack of formal help-seeking by young people. Social media offers a potential means through which to engage and improve young people's mental health literacy. Mental health influencers could be a means through which to do this.

OBJECTIVE

The objectives of this study were two-fold: (1) to systematically identify the most popular mental health professionals who could be classified as 'influencers'; and (2) to determine whether their content contributed to mental health literacy.

METHODS

The search function of Instagram and TikTok was used to generate a list of accounts owned by mental health professionals with over 100,000 followers. Accounts not in English, in private, with no posts in the last year or with content unrelated to the search terms were excluded. Accounts were assessed for number of followers, country of origin, verified status and whether a disclaimer was included. Using content analysis, the five most recent posts dating back from 15 November 2021 were analysed for purpose and dimensions of mental health literacy as outlined by Jorm (2000) by three separate reviewers.

RESULTS

A total of 28 influencer accounts were identified on TikTok and 22 on Instagram. Majority of the accounts on both TikTok and Instagram originated from the United States (n = 35). A greater number of accounts included disclaimer and crisis support information on Instagram (12/22, 54.55 %) than on TikTok (8/22, 36.36 %). A total of 140 posts were analysed on TikTok and 110 posts on Instagram. When addressing elements of mental health literacy from this sample, 23.57 % (33/140) TikTok posts and 7.27 %. (8/110) posts on Instagram enhanced the ability to recognise specific difficulties.

CONCLUSIONS

These platforms and accounts provide a potential means through which to make mental health information more accessible, however, these accounts are not subjected to any credibility checks. Careful consideration should be given to the impact of content created by mental health professionals and its role in supporting help-seeking.

International students’ psychosocial well-being and social media use at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic: A latent profile analysis

This study examined the link between the psychosocial well-being and social media use of international students in the US at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, when social isolation was mandated. Unlike prior research, which has typically focused on a single aspect of psychosocial well-being, we conceptualized international students' well-being as a multidimensional construct including internalizing symptoms (i.e., depression, anxiety, loneliness) as well as markers of intercultural difficulties. We then investigated social media use as a function of international students’ idiosyncratic well-being vulnerabilities. A latent profile analysis revealed four groups with distinctive psychosocial profiles: well-adjusted students, interculturally adjusted students with internalizing symptoms, students with low internalizing symptoms but high intercultural difficulties, and maladjusted students with high internalizing symptoms and high intercultural difficulties. Supporting the social compensation perspective, maladjusted international students reported the highest engagement with social media compared to the other groups. These findings shed light on the unique and heterogenous experiences of international students at the onset of the pandemic. They also add nuance to the social compensation hypothesis by delineating person-specific associations between psychosocial well-being and social media use.

Social Media-Driven Routes to Positive Mental Health Among Youth: Qualitative Enquiry and Concept Mapping Study

BACKGROUND

Social media influence almost every aspect of our lives by facilitating instant many-to-many communication and self-expression. Recent research suggests strong negative and positive impacts of social media exposure on youth mental health; however, there has been more emphasis on harmful relationships.

OBJECTIVE

Given the limited research on the benefits of social media for mental health, this qualitative study explored the lived experiences of youth to understand how social media use can contribute to positive mental health among youth.

METHODS

Using an interpretivist epistemological approach, 25 semistructured interviews and 11 focus group discussions were conducted with male and female youth of different ethnicities (aged 15 to 24 years) residing in Singapore, who were recruited through purposive sampling from the community. We conducted inductive thematic analysis and concept mapping to address the research aims.

RESULTS

We found that youth engaged in a wide range of activities on social media from connecting with family and friends to participating in global movements, and these served as avenues for building positive mental health. Based on participants' narratives, our analysis suggested that positive mental health among youth could be influenced by 3 features of social media consumption (connection with friends and their global community, engagement with social media content, and the value of social media as an outlet for expression). Through these, pathways leading to the following 5 positive mental health components were identified: (1) positive relationships and social capital, (2) self-concept, (3) coping, (4) happiness, and (5) other relevant aspects of mental health (for example, positivity and personal growth).

CONCLUSIONS

The study results highlight the integral role of social media in the lives of today's youth and indicate that they can offer opportunities for positive influence, personal expression, and social support, thus contributing to positive mental health among youth. The findings of our research can be applied to optimize engagement with youth through social media and enhance the digital modes of mental health promotion.

Internet behavior patterns of adolescents before, during, and after COVID-19 pandemic

BACKGROUND

The outbreak of COVID-19 has affected the mental health of adolescents. To describe the Internet behavior-changing patterns of adolescents and to understand the impact of clinical features on changing patterns during the COVID-19 pandemic.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We conducted a cross-sectional cohort study using data collected through online investigation in China. A total of 625 adolescents completed the online survey from May 15 to June 7, 2020. The adolescents were asked to retrospect to the Internet behaviors and game behaviors of three time periods as follows: before the COVID-19 outbreak in China, during the COVID-19 outbreak in China, and back to school. The clinical variables of the demographic data, family functionality, and emotional and behavioral symptoms were also collected. According to the Internet behaviors and game behaviors patterns across the three time periods, the subjects will be sub-grouped.

RESULTS

Four Internet behavior-changing patterns during the COVID-19 was identified: (1) Continuous Normal Group (55.52%); (2) Normal to Internet Addiction Group (5.28%); (3) Internet Addiction to Normal Group (14.56%); and (4) Continuous Internet Addiction Group (24.64%). Years of education, academic score ranking, family functionality, and emotional and behavioral symptoms were different across the four groups. Proportions of game behaviors, scores of Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), and SDQ subscale during the period before the COVID-19 outbreak were significant in predicting changing patterns.

CONCLUSION

The Internet behavior patterns of adolescents during the COVID-19 period were various. Clinical features before the COVID-19 pandemic may predict changing patterns. The heterogeneity in characteristics between different changing patterns should be considered when intervening in adolescents' problematic Internet behavior.