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Maltby J, Rayes T, Nage A, Sharif S, Omar M, Nichani S. Synthesizing perspectives: Crafting an Interdisciplinary view of social media's impact on young people's mental health. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0307164. [PMID: 39008509 PMCID: PMC11249244 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0307164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 07/01/2024] [Indexed: 07/17/2024] Open
Abstract
This study explores the intricate relationship between social media usage and the mental health of young individuals by leveraging the insights of 492 UK school headteachers. It adopts a novel multidisciplinary approach, integrating perspectives from psychology, sociology, education studies, political science, philosophy, media studies, linguistics, social work, anthropology, and health sciences. The application of thematic analysis, powered by ChatGPT-4, identifies a predominantly negative perspective on the impact of social media on young people, focusing on key themes across various disciplines, including mental health, identity formation, social interaction and comparison, bullying, digital literacy, and governance policies. These findings culminated in the development of the five-factor Comprehensive Digital Influence Model, suggesting five key themes (Self-Identity and Perception Formation, Social Interaction Skills and Peer Communication, Mental and Emotional Well-Being, Digital Literacy, Critical Thinking, and Information Perception, and Governance, Policy, and Cultural Influence in Digital Spaces) to focus the impacts of social media on young peoples' mental health across primary and secondary educational stages. This study not only advances academic discourse across multiple disciplines but also provides practical insights for educators, policymakers, and mental health professionals, seeking to navigate the challenges and opportunities presented by social media in the digital era.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Maltby
- School of Psychology and Vision Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, Leicestershire, United Kingdom
| | - Thooba Rayes
- School of Medicine, University of Leicester, Leicester, Leicestershire, United Kingdom
| | - Antara Nage
- School of Psychology and Vision Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, Leicestershire, United Kingdom
| | - Sulaimaan Sharif
- School of Medicine, University of Leicester, Leicester, Leicestershire, United Kingdom
| | - Maryama Omar
- School of Medicine, University of Leicester, Leicester, Leicestershire, United Kingdom
| | - Sanjiv Nichani
- Leicester Children's Hospital, University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, Leicester, Leicestershire, United Kingdom
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Adamczyk G. Pathological buying on the rise? Compensative and compulsive buying in Poland in the pre- and (Post-)pandemic times. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0298856. [PMID: 38512864 PMCID: PMC10956761 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0298856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024] Open
Abstract
The study concerns the development of compensative and compulsive buying in Poland comparing the results of three waves of a cross-sectional study conducted before and at the end of the COVID-19 pandemic. Six predictors of susceptibility to compensative and compulsive buying are in focus: materialism, self-esteem, gender, age, frequency of online shopping, and experience of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the importance of the first four predictors in explaining compensative and compulsive buying is already very well described in the literature, while the novelty consists in the predictive model including the variables that describe frequency of online shopping and negative experiences related to the COVID-19 pandemic, such as coronavirus infection, hospitalization or death of a loved one. On the one hand, a stronger susceptibility to compensative and compulsive buying could be a reaction to these negative experiences of the pandemic; on the other hand, the increased frequency of online shopping as a result of the pandemic may be an important factor in the development of compensative and compulsive buying due to the easy implementation of purchase acts and weaker social control. To achieve the above research objectives, the German Compulsive Buying Indicator (GCBI) was used to measure susceptibility to compensative and compulsive buying. The data were obtained within three waves of the study (2010, 2019, 2022) based on a random sample of about 1,000 respondents representing statistically the general adult population. Drawing on this study, the prevalence of compensative and compulsive buying is observed at 12-19% and 2-4%. The predictors of GCBI are materialism, self-esteem, gender in all examined models and additionally age, frequency of online shopping, and experience of the COVID-19 pandemic in selected models. Although the findings related to the role of materialism, self-esteem, and gender in the prediction of GCBI reflect the results reported in the literature, the analogous conclusions about age, online shopping, and experiences with the COVID-19 pandemic are different from the established opinions. The commonly reported effect of age becomes statistically significant when the examined population is limited to Gens Y and Z. Although extensive online shopping co-exists with compensative and compulsive buying in the total population, the obtained data lead to reverse conclusions in the case of women's subpopulation representing Gens Y and Z. The negative experience with the COVID-19 pandemic operationalised as hospitalization of a close friend predicts GCBI, but again only in the case of representatives of Gens Y and Z, especially among women. The findings show how important the creation of appropriate intervention strategies is within the consumer policy directed to representatives of the younger generations who may develop pathological buying as a response to negative experiences such as COVID-19 pandemic. The findings can inform of the goals behind therapeutic support for compulsive buyers, and implications for social work. People affected by excessive compensative or compulsive buying need to be given opportunities to build up their strengths and growth of their psychological resources towards healthy self-esteem, which seems to be the best protection against excessive compensative and compulsive buying.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grzegorz Adamczyk
- Institute of Sociology, Catholic University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland
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Li J, Wang R. Determining the role of innovative teaching practices, sustainable learning, and the adoption of e-learning tools in leveraging academic motivation for students' mental well-being. BMC Psychol 2024; 12:163. [PMID: 38504386 PMCID: PMC10949821 DOI: 10.1186/s40359-024-01639-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 03/21/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about significant changes in the educational landscape, with a significant shift towards e-learning and remote teaching practices. As such, it has become increasingly important to understand the role of innovative teaching practices, sustainable learning, and the adoption of e-learning tools in leveraging academic motivation for students' mental well-being. PURPOSE The study aims to determine whether academic motivation can helpful for mental wellbeing of students directly and through the adoption of e-learning tools, and sustainable learning considering the role of innovative teaching. METHODS Target population of this research were the students of Chinese universities. Data was collected from 308 students and was analyzed by using Mplus software. RESULTS Students expressed higher motivation, quality education and good mental health. Additionally, it was discovered that academic motivation helped the students to develop good academic record and mental health. CONCLUSION The research's conclusions can help the policy makers creating successful educational initiatives and programs that promote students' overall growth. These results can also guide the university administration and teachers to adopt effective policies and practices for creating academic motivation in order to construct a healthy environment not just for better academic results but also for the well-being of students. Additionally, this research draws attention of future researchers to explore mechanisms that can drive students' academic and psychological outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiuxiang Li
- Social Studies Education, Sunchon National University, Sunchon, Jeollanam-do, 57922, Korea
| | - Rufeng Wang
- College of Physical Education, South-Central Minzu University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430074, China.
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Lowthian E, Fee G, Wakeham C, Clegg Z, Crick T, Anthony R. Identifying protective and risk behavior patterns of online communication in young people. J Adolesc 2024; 96:235-250. [PMID: 37929875 DOI: 10.1002/jad.12270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2023] [Revised: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 10/28/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Research has investigated the association between time spent online and mental well-being, however the nuances between specific online behaviors and well-being have been less explored. This research examines how specific online behaviors (i.e., how young people are engaging online and with whom), are associated with one another, and how these patterns of behaviors are related to well-being. METHODS We used the November 2020 and March 2021 Understanding Society COVID-19 Panel data. The sample consisted of 1432 adolescents aged 10-15 years, who participated in November 2020. Latent class analysis was used to explore patterns of online behaviors. We also investigated how sociodemographic characteristics differed across the classes, along with physical, social, and mental well-being as distal outcomes both cross-sectionally and longitudinally. RESULTS We identified four classes: "Avid users," "Scholars," "Midways," and the "Passengers." The avid users had the highest frequency of posting online content regularly, likewise the scholars also posted online content regularly, however the scholars were differentiated by their higher frequency of schoolwork and news intake online. The midways had more complex activity characterized by talking to friends often and having a social media account, but posted online content less frequently. The passengers were the least active online as they posted pictures and videos less (76% said "never") and only 63% had a social media account. The avid users had the lowest well-being cross-sectionally and longitudinally, and the midways had lower social well-being and appearance dissatisfaction. CONCLUSIONS Online behaviors such as regularly posting or talking to internet-only friends could be related to lower well-being. Policymakers should consider both improving regulations online and building an evidence base to enable caregivers from all backgrounds to support young people.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Lowthian
- Department of Education & Childhood Studies, School of Social Sciences, Swansea University, Swansea, UK
| | - Georgia Fee
- Department of Education & Childhood Studies, School of Social Sciences, Swansea University, Swansea, UK
- School of Education and Children, Centre of Health, Science and Society, University West England, Bristol, UK
| | - Chloë Wakeham
- Department of Criminology, Social Policy and Sociology, School of Social Sciences, Swansea University, Swansea, UK
| | - Zoë Clegg
- Department of Education & Childhood Studies, School of Social Sciences, Swansea University, Swansea, UK
| | - Tom Crick
- Department of Education & Childhood Studies, School of Social Sciences, Swansea University, Swansea, UK
| | - Rebecca Anthony
- Wolfson Centre for Young People's Mental Health, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
- School of Social Sciences, Centre for the Development, Evaluation, Complexity and Implementation in Public Health Improvement (DECIPHer), Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
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Thabrew H, Gega L. Editorial: Control alt delete - technology and children's mental health. Child Adolesc Ment Health 2023; 28:1-3. [PMID: 36642701 DOI: 10.1111/camh.12631] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
With international contributions from Denmark, Peru, Italy, Turkey, Estonia, Russia, Canada, the USA, Australia and the UK, this special issue offers insights and evidence about the technology's ability to act as a force of good and a source of harm for young people's mental health. As we better understand the complex and bidirectional relationship between technology and mental health, we need to move beyond dichotomous narratives about it being good or bad; it is both, depending on how it is used. Collective responsibility across technology companies, researchers, public services and community organisations, parents and the young people themselves can make a difference in the way technology is used to protect and improve mental health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiran Thabrew
- Te Ara Haro, Centre for Infant, Child and Adolescent Mental Health, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Lina Gega
- Department of Health Sciences, University of York, York, UK
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