Facebook usage and mental health: An empirical study of role of non-directional social comparisons in the UK

"Left on read" examining social media users' lurking behavior: an integration of anxiety and social media fatigue

Introduction

With the widespread use of social media, the behavior and mindset of users have been transformed, leading to a gradual increase in lurking users, which can impede the sustainable development of social media platforms. In this study, we aim to investigate the impact of intrinsic and extrinsic motivational factors on social media users' anxiety, social media fatigue, and lurking behavior.

Methodology

For the confirmation of these phenomena and to validate the theories, a structural equation model was constructed based on the SSO (Stressor-Strain-Outcome) theoretical framework. The model was then tested and validated with data from 836 valid online surveys. These data were analyzed using SPSS 27.0 and AMOS 24.0 software.

Results

The results indicate that intrinsic motivations (such as social comparison and privacy concerns) and extrinsic motivations (including information overload, functional overload, and social overload) are positively associated with users' lurking behavior through the mediating effects of social media fatigue and anxiety. Additionally, for the mediator variables, social media fatigue was found to be positively associated with anxiety.

Discussion

These findings underscore the importance of social media platforms considering both intrinsic and extrinsic motivational factors to mitigate user anxiety and social media fatigue. By addressing these factors, platforms can foster user satisfaction and increase engagement, ultimately contributing to the sustainable development of social media platforms.

Negative psychological and physiological effects of social networking site use: The example of Facebook

Social networking sites (SNS), with Facebook as a prominent example, have become an integral part of our daily lives and more than four billion people worldwide use SNS. However, the (over-)use of SNS also poses both psychological and physiological risks. In the present article, we review the scientific literature on the risk of Facebook (over-)use. Addressing this topic is critical because evidence indicates the development of problematic Facebook use ("Facebook addiction") due to excessive and uncontrolled use behavior with various psychological and physiological effects. We conducted a review to examine the scope, range, and nature of prior empirical research on the negative psychological and physiological effects of Facebook use. Our literature search process revealed a total of 232 papers showing that Facebook use is associated with eight major psychological effects (perceived anxiety, perceived depression, perceived loneliness, perceived eating disorders, perceived self-esteem, perceived life satisfaction, perceived insomnia, and perceived stress) and three physiological effects (physiological stress, human brain alteration, and affective experience state). The review also describes how Facebook use is associated with these effects and provides additional details on the reviewed literature, including research design, sample, age, and measures. Please note that the term "Facebook use" represents an umbrella term in the present work, and in the respective sections it will be made clear what kind of Facebook use is associated with a myriad of investigated psychological variables. Overall, findings indicate that certain kinds of Facebook use may come along with significant risks, both psychologically and physiologically. Based on our review, we also identify potential avenues for future research.

The longitudinal association between narcissism and problematic social networking sites use: The roles of two social comparison orientations

The present study aimed to explore whether the tendency to compare one's abilities and opinions to those of others (social comparison orientation) could longitudinally mediate the association between narcissism and problematic SNS use. A total of 1,196 college students were assessed at three time points over 22 months. The results showed that narcissism at time 1 was positively related to problematic SNS use at time 3 and that ability comparison at time 2 longitudinally mediated the association between narcissism at time 1 and problematic SNS use at time 3, whereas the longitudinal mediating effect of opinion comparison at time 2 was not significant. These findings suggest that narcissism more distally and ability comparison more proximally may be risk factors for engaging in problematic SNS use, and it is important to distinguish between types of social comparisons in problematic SNS use behaviors.

Research on the Influence Mechanisms of the Affective and Cognitive Self-Esteem

Most prior studies examined the direct relation between social media usage and loneliness. This study tries to reveal the covert mechanisms involved in how different types of SMU affect older adults' loneliness, which has rarely been an object of attention in the prior literature. A partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) method was used to analyze the data collected from 466 older adults in a field study. This research divided self-esteem into two dimensions: affective self-esteem (AE) and cognitive self-esteem (CE). The study found that changes in CE only stemmed from functional SMU (FSMU), rather than active SMU (ASMU) and passive SMU (PSMU). ASMU and PSMU had a significant effect on FSMU. CE had a significant effect on loneliness. Objective social isolation (OSI) had a positive relationship with loneliness. Moreover, PSMU, FSMU, and CE had a significant effect on ASMU, CE, and AE, respectively. For older adults, the feeling of connecting with others was more valuable than acquiring specific outcomes. The mediation test results showed that FSMU could play a completely mediating role in the relationship between ASMU and PSMU, as well as that between ASMU and CE. CE significantly mediated the relationship between FSMU and loneliness. Finally, the total effect sizes of ASMU and PSMU on FSMU were significant, and those of CE on older adults' loneliness and AE were significant, while the total effect of AE on older adults' loneliness was non-significant. AE moderated the relationship between PSMU and OSI, so PSMU was related to higher OSI only for users experiencing high AE. These findings offer a guide for the use of social media to conduct future loneliness interventions for older adults.

Understudied social influences on work-related and parental burnout: Social media-related emotions, comparisons, and the "do it all discrepancy"

Recent societal changes, including a global pandemic, have exacerbated experiences of and attention to burnout related to work and parenting. In the present study, we investigated how several social forces can act as demands and resources to impact work-related and parental burnout. We tested two primary hypotheses in a sample of women who responded to an online survey (N for analyses ranged from 2376 to 3525). We found that social comparisons, social media use, negative emotions when comparing oneself to others on social media, and a high do it all discrepancy (feeling one should be able to do it all more so than perceptions that one can) were correlated with higher reports of work-related and parental burnout. Alternatively, positive emotions when comparing oneself to others and social support were related to lower reports of work-related and parental burnout. The influence of social media use on burnout was mediated by the emotions experienced when comparing oneself to others on social media. Tests of moderation indicated that social comparisons had stronger relationships with burnout for those with higher expectations that they should be able to do it all verses can do it all. Tests of social support as a moderator of the relationships between social demands and burnout were largely non-significant. Based on these findings, we make practical suggestions for interventions to increase positive emotions experienced from social media use, and to mediate the do it all discrepancy by redefining expectations around "doing it all."

Predicting Psychological Symptoms When Facebook’s Digital Well-being Features Are Used: Cross-sectional Survey Study

Background

Prior research has linked social media usage to poorer mental health. To address these concerns, social media platforms have introduced digital well-being tools to help users monitor their engagement. Nonetheless, little is known about the effectiveness of these tools.

Objective

In this study, we focused on Facebook to assess users’ awareness and usage of the following six Facebook well-being tools: the Unfollow, Snooze, Off-Facebook Activity, Your Time on Facebook, Set Daily Reminders, and Notification Settings features. Additionally, we examined whether the use of these tools was associated with better mental health outcomes.

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional survey of 598 Facebook users. The survey comprised questions about (1) baseline Facebook use, (2) the adoption of Facebook’s digital well-being tools, and (3) participant demographics. These were used to predict the primary outcome measure—scores on the 21-item Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale.

Results

Most participants (580/598, 97%) knew about Facebook’s digital well-being tools, but each tool was used by only 17.4% (104/598) to 55.5% (332/598) of participants. In turn, the use of two tools was associated with better well-being; although participants who spent more time on Facebook reported higher levels of depression, anxiety, and stress, those who managed their feed content or notifications by using the Unfollow or Notification Settings features had lower scores on each of these measures. However, the use of the Snooze, Off-Facebook Activity, Your Time on Facebook, or Set Time Reminder features was not associated with lower depression, anxiety, or stress scores.

Conclusions

Of the 6 Facebook digital well-being tools, only 2 were associated with better mental health among users. This underscores the complexity of designing social media platforms to promote user welfare. Consequently, we urge further research into understanding the efficacy of various digital well-being tools.

Trial Registration

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04967846; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/study/NCT04967846

Social Media Use and Well-being With Bipolar Disorder During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Path Analysis

Background

Reliable and consistent social support is associated with the mental health and well-being of persons with severe mental illness, including bipolar disorder (BD). Yet the COVID-19 pandemic and associated social distancing measures (eg, shelter in place) reduced access to regular social contacts, while social media use (SMU) increased concomitantly. Little is currently known about associations between the well-being of adults with BD and different types of SMU (eg, passive and active).

Objective

For this study, we had two goals. First, we report descriptive information regarding SMU by persons with BD during COVID-19 (all platforms). Specific to Facebook, we next developed and tested a hypothesized model to identify direct and indirect associations between BD symptoms, social support, loneliness, life satisfaction, and SMU. Responses were collected during the global spread of the Delta variant and prior/concurrent with the Omicron variant, 20 months after the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic.

Methods

Over 8 weeks, we obtained responses from an international sample of 102 adults with BD using the Qualtrics online platform. Most had previously participated in the BADAS (Bipolar Affective Disorders and older Adults) Study (n=89, 87.3%); the remainder were recruited specifically for this research (n=13, 2.7%). The subsamples did not differ in age (t₁₀₀=1.64; P=.10), gender (χ²₂=0.2; P=.90), socioeconomic status (χ²₆=9.9; P=.13), or time since BD diagnosis (t₉₇=1.27; P=.21). Both were recruited using social media advertising micro-targeted to adults with BD. On average, participants were 53.96 (SD 13.22, range 20-77) years of age, they had completed 15.4 (SD 4.28) years of education, and were diagnosed with BD 19.6 (SD 10.31) years ago. Path analyses were performed to develop and test our hypothesized model.

Results

Almost all participants (n=95, 93.1%) reported having both Facebook and LinkedIn accounts; 91.2% (n=93) reported regular use of either or both. During the pandemic, most (n=62, 60.8%) reported accessing social media several times a day; 36.3% (n=37) reported using social media more often since the emergence of COVID-19. Specific to Facebook, the model we hypothesized differed somewhat from what emerged. The resulting model suggests that symptoms of depression predict loneliness and, inversely, social support and life satisfaction. Social support predicts social Facebook use, whereas passive Facebook use predicts life satisfaction. Symptoms of depression emerged as indirect predictors of SMU via social support.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that the operational definition of passive-active SMU requires further analysis and refinement. In contrast to theory, passive Facebook use appears positively associated with well-being among certain populations. Longitudinal data collection over multiple points is required to identify associations between BD symptoms, SMU, and well-being over time.

Using the SOR Paradigm to Understand User Lurking Behavior in Online Knowledge Communities

Users' lurking behaviour may hinder the sustainable development of online knowledge communities. The purpose of this research is to examine users' lurking based on a stimulus-organism-response (SOR) paradigm. The results indicate that both social and technological factors affect anxiety and social network fatigue, both of which further determine lurking behavior. Social factors include social comparison and privacy concerns, whereas technological factors include information overload and function overload. The results imply that online knowledge communities need to be concerned with both perspectives of social and technological factors in order to mitigate users' anxiety and social network fatigue and prevent their lurking behaviour.

Social Comparison on Social Media Increases Career Frustration: A Focus on the Mitigating Effect of Companionship

Social media has become a platform for the daily exchange of information. Although some studies have explored the role and influence of social media on career development, few have examined how daily social media use impacts individuals’ perceptions and emotions regarding their careers. The present study examined this issue using two surveys. We predicted that social comparison would mediate the link between social media usage and its psychological impact. Moreover, we hypothesized that the impact would be mitigated by social interactions (companionship). Study 1 (a self-reported survey that included 309 Japanese employees) demonstrated that viewing other users’ positive posts about their careers could lead to career frustration through social comparison. Concurrently, this study revealed that daily casual interaction with others reduced career frustration. Study 2 was based on an analysis of 1,254 responses obtained from a 7-day experience sampling method survey. It revealed that viewing other people’s career-related posts was associated with upward, downward, and non-directional social comparison. In turn, upward social comparison evoked career frustration at both between- and within-person levels, while downward comparison decreased career frustration at a between-person level. Similar to Study 1, the results of Study 2 indicated that career frustration was mitigated by casual communication with others. Both studies provide evidence that (1) daily social media use affects one’s perception and feelings about their career through social comparison, and (2) career frustration evoked through virtual interactions with others is mitigated by casual interactions in a face-to-face setting.

Trends in Socioeconomic Inequalities in Norwegian Adolescents' Mental Health From 2014 to 2018: A Repeated Cross-Sectional Study

Background

Adolescents’ mental health, and its consistent relationship with their socioeconomic background, is a concern that should drive education, health, and employment policies. However, information about this relationship on a national scale is limited. We explore national overall trends and investigate possible socioeconomic disparities in adolescents’ mental health, including psychological distress and symptoms of depression, anxiety, and loneliness in Norway during the period 2014–2018.

Methods

The present study builds on data retrieved from five waves of the national cross-sectional Ungdata survey (2014–2018). In total 136,525 upper secondary school students (52% girls) completed the questionnaire during the study period. Trends in socioeconomic inequalities were assessed using the Slope Index of Inequality (SII) and the Relative Index of Inequality (RII).

Results

The prevalence of students with moderate to high symptoms score and mean symptoms scores of psychological distress (in terms of symptoms of depression, anxiety, and loneliness) increased among girls and boys during 2014–2018, with girls showing higher rates. Our results suggest distinct, but stable, inequalities between socioeconomic groups, both in absolute and relative terms, among girls and boys during the study period.

Conclusion

Rising rates of adolescents’ psychological distress, particularly among girls, may have long-term consequences for individuals involved and the society as a whole. Future studies should investigate the causes of these results. We did not find evidence of any change in inequalities in adolescents’ mental health between socioeconomic groups, suggesting current strategies are not sufficiently addressing mental health inequalities in the adolescent population and therefore a significant need for research and public health efforts.

Perspectives to social media usage of depressed patients and caregivers affecting to change the health behavior of patients in terms of information and perceived privacy risks

It has been confirmed that the use of social media (SM) can affect the mental health of users. However, there is no explanation for its impact on health behavior. This study focuses on the perspectives of depressed patients and caregivers on social media usage and how it can change their health behavior. A questionnaire designed according to the framework of the I-Change Model (ICM) is used to collect data from a sample group. This group consists of 214 patients diagnosed with major depressive disorders, and 110 caregivers. The data is used to analyze causal relationships with the help of structural equation modeling. The results showed that from the patient's perspective it is essential to be aware of the content and volume of social media usage. An awareness of the perceived risk to privacy is also essentially a motivating factor in patients' decisions to use social media. The views of caregivers suggest that content valence has an essential role to play in their use of social media. After viewing content on social media patients change their behavior. The perceived privacy risk also plays a critical role in patients' decisions to use social media.

A Systematic Review of Excessive Social Media Use: Has It Really Affected Our Mental Health?

Introduction: Social media use has been rapidly increasing over the past few years. Research and practice have mostly focused on the positive impacts of social media, intending to understand and support the various opportunities afforded by this particular technology era. However, it is increasingly observable that social media also involves enormous risks for individuals, communities, firms and even for society as a whole. This systematic review aimed to establish the negative impacts on mental health related to the excessive use of social media.Methods: As many as 15 articles were generated from Scopus, ScienceDirect and Ebscohost. The reviewers independently screened the titles and abstracts in addition to assessing the studies. The study design varied in rigorousness over the quantitative as well as qualitative studies.Results: The result for this study are that having an average daily screen time (more than 2 hours a day) is positively associated with social media addiction. Avoidant attachment was associated with more problematic social media use.Conclusion: Avoidant attachment was associated with more problematic social media use. Thus, an abstinence of several days from social media consumption can caused a reduction in perceived stress.

Active and Passive Social Media Use and Symptoms of Anxiety and Depressed Mood Among Icelandic Adolescents

Adolescent use of social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat has increased dramatically over the last decade and now pervades their everyday social lives. Active and passive social media use may impact emotional health differently, but little is known about whether and to what extent either type of social media use influences emotional distress among young people. We analyzed population survey data collected from Icelandic adolescents (N = 10,563) to document the prevalence of social media use and investigate the relationship of both active and passive social media use with self-reported symptoms of anxiety and depressed mood. A hierarchical linear regression model revealed that passive social media use was related to greater symptoms of anxiety and depressed mood among adolescents and active social media use was related to decreased symptoms of anxiety and depressed mood, even after controlling for time spent on social media. When adding known risk and protective factors, self-esteem, offline peer support, poor body image, and social comparison to the model, active use was not related to emotional distress; however, passive use was still related to adolescent symptoms of anxiety and depressed mood. The effect of social media on emotional distress differed by gender as time spent on social media had a stronger relationship with emotional distress among girls. In addition, passive use was more strongly related to symptoms of depressed mood among girls. Future research should include risk and protective factors as mediators of different types of social media use and adolescent emotional distress.