Social media use and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic in young adults: a meta-analysis of 14 cross-sectional studies

Internet access during COVID-19 and depressive symptoms in middle-aged and older adults: Evidence from a quasi-experimental study in China

BACKGROUND

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the mental health of middle-aged and older adults has become an increasing concern, and the role of the internet in addressing this public health crisis has drawn the attention of researchers. This study evaluated the impact of internet access during COVID-19 on depressive symptoms among middle-aged and older adults.

METHODS

Data were derived from China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) 2018 and 2020. Difference-in-differences analysis was performed to compare changes in depressive symptoms between the internet users during COVID-19 and those who didn't have access to the internet before and during the pandemic.

RESULTS

We found that internet access during COVID-19 pandemic significantly reduced middle-aged and older adults' depressive symptoms. Further investigation identified the underlying mechanisms through which internet access helps in alleviating depressive symptoms by reducing the likelihood of experiencing negative emotions about COVID-19. Heterogeneity analyses showed that rural residents and middle-aged individuals benefited more from internet access during the pandemic.

CONCLUSIONS

Since internet access can alleviate middle-aged and older adults' depressive symptoms amidst public health crisis, policy makers should focus on enhancing their access to the internet.

Validation and psychometric evaluation of the Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale (SWEMWBS) among Czech adolescents using Item Response Theory

BACKGROUND

The topic of adolescent mental health is currently a subject of much debate due to the increasing prevalence of mental health problems among this age group. Therefore, it is crucial to have high-quality and validated mental well-being measurement tools. While such tools do exist, they are often not tailored specifically to adolescents and are not available in Czech language. The aim of this study is to validate and test the Czech version of the Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale (SWEMWBS) on a large sample of Czech adolescents aged 15 to 18 years.

METHODS

The analysis is based on data from the first wave of the Czech Education Panel Survey (CZEPS) and was mainly conducted using Item Response Theory (IRT), which is the most appropriate method for this type of analysis. Specifically, the Graded Response Model (GRM) was applied to the data. This comprehensive validation study also included reliability and three types of validity (construct, convergent and criterion) testing.

RESULTS

The study found that the Czech version of the SWEMWBS for adolescents aged 15 to 18 years (N = 22,498) has good quality and psychometric properties. The data was analysed using the GRM model as it met the assumptions for the use of IRT. The estimated parameter values by GRM demonstrated good discriminant and informative power for all items, except for item 7, which showed poorer results compared to the others. However, excluding it from the scale would not enhance the overall quality of the scale. The five-category response scale functions effectively. Additionally, the results demonstrated high reliability, and all types of validity tested were also confirmed.

CONCLUSIONS

The Czech version of the SWEMWBS for adolescents has been validated as a psychometrically sound, reliable and valid instrument for measuring mental well-being. It can therefore be used with confidence in future studies.

Impact of COVID-19 restrictions on self-poisoning behaviour with mild analgesics in Danish youth

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 pandemic prompted the implementation of precautions to contain the disease, including lockdowns and social isolation. Previous studies have investigated suicide rates among children and adolescents during the pandemic and have found varying results. We speculated how the two lockdowns influenced suicidal behaviour in children and adolescents in Denmark.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to investigate the effect of lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic on suicide attempts, as measured by the incidence rate in all self-poisonings with mild analgesics among children and adolescents.

METHODS

This national Danish registry-based study on children and adolescents used Poisson regression and interrupted time series analysis to examine the incidence rates and trends of self-poisonings with mild analgesics from 2019 to mid-2021.

RESULTS

For the period of this study, 1655 self-poisonings were registered. During the first lockdown, there was a slight, not statistically significant, decrease in self-poisoning rates (incidence rate ratio [IRR]) 0.98) compared to no lockdown. During the second lockdown, there was a significant increase in self-poisonings for the whole Danish population (IRR 1.85) with girls being slightly higher at risk (IRR 1.87). Being a girl or between the ages of 13-17 years old were risk factors for self-poisoning.

CONCLUSION

These findings indicate that the restrictions enforced during the second lockdown greatly impacted youth mental health, especially girls, leading to an 85% increase in self-poisonings. We hope for increased awareness of mental health in children and adolescents during possible future lockdowns.

The Impact of School Closures on Learning and Mental Health of Children: Lessons From the COVID-19 Pandemic

To curb the spread of the coronavirus, almost all countries implemented nationwide school closures. Suddenly, students experienced a serious disruption to their school and social lives. In this article, we argue that psychological research offers crucial insights for guiding policy about school closures during crises. To this end, we review the existing literature on the impact of school closures during the COVID-19 pandemic on children's learning and mental health. We find that the unprecedented scale and length of school closures resulted in a substantial deficit in children's learning and a deterioration in children's mental health. We then provide policy recommendations on how to ensure children's learning and psychosocial development in the future. Specifically, we recommend that more attention should be paid to students from marginalized groups who are most in need of intervention, evidence-informed and personality-tailored mental-health and social- and emotional-learning programs should be implemented in schools, and generational labels should be avoided.

Patterns of unhealthy lifestyle and their associations with depressive and anxiety symptoms among Chinese young adults: A latent class analysis

BACKGROUND

There is little evidence on the association between patterns of unhealthy lifestyle and mental health among young adults.

METHOD

This study included a total of 28,978 young adults aged 18 to 44 years old in Guangdong province in south China, which was conducted from September to December in 2022. We used latent class analysis to classify the patterns of unhealthy lifestyle among young adults and used multiple logistic regression to explore their associations with depressive and anxiety symptoms.

RESULT

The weighted prevalence of depressive and anxiety symptoms were 28.0 % and 19.5 %, respectively. The cumulative effect of unhealthy lifestyles on depressive and anxiety symptoms was significant. Five patterns of unhealthy lifestyle were classified. Compared to the relatively healthy lifestyle class, the class with more unhealthy lifestyles (OR = 6.54, 95 % CI: 5.70-7.51) and insufficient sleep (OR = 6.16, 95 % CI: 4.92-7.70) had higher risk for depressive and anxiety symptoms. Meaningfully, having adequate mental health literacy could reduce the risk of depressive and anxiety symptoms from unhealthy lifestyle by half.

LIMITATIONS

The cross-section design study limited causal inferences, and the self-report information may lead to recall bias.

CONCLUSIONS

Unhealthy lifestyles have a negative impact on depressive and anxiety symptoms through independent, cumulative and combined effects, and they could be interrelated. Unhealthy lifestyle patterns differed in younger population by socio-demographic characteristics and mental health literacy. Health-care professionals and policymakers may provide programs to intervene multiple unhealthy lifestyles and improve mental health literacy by integrating healthy lifestyle education to promote youngers' mental health.

South African emerging adults' capacity for resilience in the face of COVID-19 stressors

Little is known about resilience responses to COVID-19 stressors from emerging adults in minority world contexts. In this cross-sectional study, we explored the association between self-reported COVID-19 stressors and capacity for resilience in 351 emerging adults (Meanage = 24.45, SD = 2.57; 68% female) who self-identified as Black African. We were interested in whether age, gender and neighbourhood quality influenced this association. The main findings were that higher pandemic stress was associated with a greater capacity for resilience. Older participants showed higher levels of resilience, while there was no gender difference in this regard. Those who perceived their neighbourhoods as being of a good quality also showed greater capacity for resilience, despite all participants residing in disadvantaged communities. The theoretical and practical implications of these results are considered.

Psychological impact and associated factors of the COVID-19 pandemic among pregnant women in Fafan Zone health institutions, Somali Region, Eastern Ethiopia, 2021

BACKGROUND

Despite pregnant women's vulnerability to respiratory illnesses and pregnancy complications during the COVID-19 pandemic, research on its psychological impact in the study area, is limited.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to fill this gap by examining the prevalence and factors linked to the psychological impact among pregnant women in the Fafan zone, Somali region of Ethiopia.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study conducted from April 1st to April 30th, 2021, randomly selected health facilities for inclusion. The Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) assessed psychological impact, and data were analyzed using SPSS V 22. Variables with a p-value ≤ 0.25 in bivariate analysis were considered for multivariate analysis via multiple logistic regressions with the backward elimination method.

RESULTS

The study involved 294 pregnant women, constituting 73% of the respondents. The prevalence of psychological impact attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic was 27.2%. Factors such as being in the first trimester of pregnancy (AOR: 5.32), travel history to infected areas (AOR: 3.71), obtaining COVID-19 information from television (AOR: 4.81), and using social media for 1 to 2 hours daily for updates (AOR: 1.35) were significantly associated with this impact.

CONCLUSION

While the psychological impact among pregnant women in this study was relatively lower compared to other research, factors such as gestational age, TV media exposure, travel history, and social media usage for COVID-19 updates were strongly linked to this impact, highlighting the necessity for psychological support services for pregnant women during challenging times.

Variation in social media sensitivity across people and contexts

Social media impacts people's wellbeing in different ways, but relatively little is known about why this is the case. Here we introduce the construct of "social media sensitivity" to understand how social media and wellbeing associations differ across people and the contexts in which these platforms are used. In a month-long large-scale intensive longitudinal study (total n = 1632; total number of observations = 120,599), we examined for whom and under which circumstances social media was associated with positive and negative changes in social and affective wellbeing. Applying a combination of frequentist and Bayesian multilevel models, we found a small negative average association between social media use AND subsequent wellbeing, but the associations were heterogenous across people. People with psychologically vulnerable dispositions (e.g., those who were depressed, lonely, not satisfied with life) tended to experience heightened negative social media sensitivity in comparison to people who were not psychologically vulnerable. People also experienced heightened negative social media sensitivity when in certain types of places (e.g., in social places, in nature) and while around certain types of people (e.g., around family members, close ties), as compared to using social media in other contexts. Our results suggest that an understanding of the effects of social media on wellbeing should account for the psychological dispositions of social media users, and the physical and social contexts surrounding their use. We discuss theoretical and practical implications of social media sensitivity for scholars, policymakers, and those in the technology industry.

Further evidence of the association between social media use, eating disorder pathology and appearance ideals and pressure: a cross-sectional study in Norwegian adolescents

BACKGROUND

Few studies have investigated how the plethora of contemporary social media (SM) platforms relate to, and influence eating disorder (ED) pathology, appearance ideals and pressure to conform to these ideals in youth.

METHODS

In this study, 1558 girls (53%) and boys (47%), predominantly within the 16-19 age range, completed an online questionnaire assessing SM use and perceived influence on appearance, ED pathology, internalization of appearance ideals and perceived appearance pressure.

RESULTS

Results showed that ED pathology was common, particularly in girls, and that internalization of body ideals was gender specific, a thin ideal being more prevalent in girls, and a muscular ideal being more common in boys. Results also showed a strong association between ED pathology and perceived pressure to conform to these appearance ideals. One fourth of the participants reported spending four hours or more on SM daily, and 80% of girls reported that SM, particularly Instagram and TikTok, had a negative influence on how they felt about their appearance. These girls had significantly higher levels of ED pathology and reported higher levels of appearance pressure from the media.

CONCLUSION

A clear pattern of associations between photo- and video specific SM platforms, ED pathology, internalization of body ideals and perceived pressure was found in this study. Adolescent girls appeared to be particularly at risk. The results illustrate an imperative need to keep addressing the potential risks of SM use in adolescents, and to continue monitoring the effect of SM on young people's view of themselves, their appearance, and their eating habits. Future studies should attempt to identify aspects of SM use that may be particularly detrimental for girls and boys in their formative years, but also those that may enhance adolescents' satisfaction and appreciation of their body and appearance.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

The study is registered in the Open Science Framework (Identifier: 10.17605/OSF.IO/5RB6P https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/5RB6P ).

Allergic Complications of Hyaluronidase Injection: Risk Factors, Treatment Strategies, and Recommendations for Management

BACKGROUND

Hyaluronidase is used as a reversal agent for hyaluronic acid fillers and to increase the diffusion of other medications after infiltration. Cases of hyaluronidase allergy have been described in the literature since 1984. However, it is still frequently misdiagnosed. This review aims to summarize the current literature to describe the clinical picture of hyaluronidase allergy and identify any risk factors associated with its development, as well as provide recommendations for management in plastic surgery.

METHODS

A digital search of PubMed, Scopus, and Embase databases was performed by two reviewers following the PRISMA guidelines. This search identified 247 articles.

RESULTS

Two hundred forty-seven articles were identified, and 37 of them met the eligibility criteria. One hundred six patients with a mean age of 54.2 years were included in these studies. History of allergy to other substances (timothy grass, egg white, horse serum, penicillin, insect bites, wasp venom, thimerosal, potassium, histamine, phenylmercuric acetate, and nickel) and allergic diseases (asthma, dermatitis, atopy, rhinitis) was reported. A large portion of the patients with a history of repeated exposure (2-4) experienced the symptoms with their second injection. Nonetheless, there was no significant association between time to allergy development and the number of exposures (P = 0.3). Treatment with steroids +/- antihistamines resulted in the rapid and predominantly complete reversal of the symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS

Prior injections or sensitization by insect/wasp venom might be the primary factor associated with hyaluronidase allergy development. The time between the repeated injections is not a likely contributor to the presentation.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE III

This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

Identifying protective and risk behavior patterns of online communication in young people

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.

Impact of social media usage on academic performance of university students: Mediating role of mental health under a cross-sectional study in Bangladesh

Background and Aim

Social media is undeniably more accessible and more appreciated today. It is undoubtedly one of the most crucial instruments for student communication. Mental health status can also meaningfully influence the students at the higher levels of the educational institutions. This study aims to evaluate the social media usage of university students and its impact on academic performance and mental health.

Methods

To examine under confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) several scale measurements were confirmed by justifying the validity and reliability of several necessary indices and structural equation model. The mediation analysis was also estimated to evaluate the students' Social media addiction (employed Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale) under maximum likelihood estimation with 2000 bootstrapping and 95% bias-corrected bootstrap confidence intervals.

Results

This study shows that the usage of social media significantly improves academic performance on psychological well-being, with a Comparative Fit Index of 0.921 and an RMSEA of 0.06 indicating a good fit of the CFA model. Finally, we exhibit a strong statistically significant positive impact of social media usage on academic success, and as supporting the hypothesis, the study observed a positive mediating role of mental health between social media addiction and academic performance.

Conclusion

The present research investigations produced unique results, that is, online social media enhances mental health and mediates the link between social media addiction and academic performance in Bangladeshi students. This finding also add to the empirical database on social media usage and have significant theoretical and practical ramifications.

Public mental health through social media in the post COVID-19 era

Social media is a powerful communication tool and a reflection of our digital environment. Social media acted as an augmenter and influencer during and after COVID-19. Many of the people sharing social media posts were not actually aware of their mental health status. This situation warrants to automate the detection of mental disorders. This paper presents a methodology for the detection of mental disorders using micro facial expressions. Micro-expressions are momentary, involuntary facial expressions that can be indicative of deeper feelings and mental states. Nevertheless, manually detecting and interpreting micro-expressions can be rather challenging. A deep learning HybridMicroNet model, based on convolution neural networks, is proposed for emotion recognition from micro-expressions. Further, a case study for the detection of mental health has been undertaken. The findings demonstrated that the proposed model achieved a high accuracy when attempting to diagnose mental health disorders based on micro-expressions. The attained accuracy on the CASME dataset was 99.08%, whereas the accuracy that was achieved on SAMM dataset was 97.62%. Based on these findings, deep learning may prove to be an effective method for diagnosing mental health conditions by analyzing micro-expressions.

Navigating the crisis: A review of COVID-19 research and the importance of academic publications - The case of a private university in Lebanon

Objectives

The threat of the Corona virus has had a profound global impact, prompting extensive discussions among academicians and medical researchers seeking to understand its implications across various fields. Consequently this review aims to explore the COVID-19 research approaches adopted at the Lebanese American University (LAU) between 2019 and 2022 and, to eventually shed light on the importance of the academic publications during this crisis period in the context of Lebanon.

Design Data sources Eligibility criteria

Studies related to "Coronavirus", "SARS-CoV-2," or "COVID-19″ were extracted from the SciVal database spanning the period 2019 to 2022. The identified studies, totaling 97 publications, were indexed in Scopus and Web of Science and underwent narrative analysis along with an evaluation using a predefined scale to determine their eligibility. The majority of the studies were literature reviews, followed by observational studies, modeling studies, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses.

Results

The majority of the identified studies (31 %) were focused on the medical field, primarily the impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Additionally, 22 % of studies discussed updates related to global finance and economic markets, while 18 % addressed the psychological burden of the pandemic. Other areas covered in the literature included the impact on performance, nutrition, tourism, politics, and telecommunication.

Conclusion

This study marks a pioneering endeavor that sparks a crucial dialogue regarding peer-reviewed scientific literature during a period of immense need for accurate information. The prevalence of literature reviews can be attributed to the demand for swift dissemination of preliminary findings and the increased call for COVID-19-related research. However, despite the abundance of publications in this specific domain, it is imperative for future research to shift its focus towards the development of novel therapies, preventive measures, psychological insights, and strategies to address the socioeconomic and financial burdens stemming from the pandemic. This study has the potential to establish a standardized framework for addressing similar crises across diverse fields and at various levels.

Limitations

The review readily acknowledges certain limitations. By solely relying on specific databases like Scopus and WoS, there is a possibility of inadvertently overlooking relevant studies. Although the study provides insights into the impact of COVID-19 across different fields and their respective publications, it is important to recognize that the continuous updates to databases and potential exclusions of related studies may have imposed constraints on the findings. Moreover, the urgency for expeditious peer-review during the pandemic may have heightened the chances of errors and diminished transparency. This urgency has unfortunately increased the risk of fraudulent activities and misconduct.

Experiences and lessons learned from community-engaged recruitment for the South Asian breast cancer study in New Jersey during the COVID-19 pandemic

BACKGROUND

South Asians are a rapidly growing population in the United States. Breast cancer is a major concern among South Asian American women, who are an understudied population. We established the South Asian Breast Cancer (SABCa) study in New Jersey during early 2020 to gain insights into their breast cancer-related health attitudes. Shortly after we started planning for the study, the COVID-19 disease spread throughout the world. In this paper, we describe our experiences and lessons learned from recruiting study participants by partnering with New Jersey's community organizations during the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

We used a cross-sectional design. We contacted 12 community organizations and 7 (58%) disseminated our study information. However, these organizations became considerably busy with pandemic-related needs. Therefore, we had to pivot to alternative recruitment strategies through community radio, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey's Community Outreach and Engagement Program, and Rutgers Cooperative Extension's community health programs. We recruited participants through these alternative strategies, obtained written informed consent, and collected demographic information using a structured survey.

RESULTS

Twenty five women expressed interest in the study, of which 22 (88%) participated. Nine (41%) participants learned about the study through the radio, 5 (23%) through these participants, 1 (4.5%) through a non-radio community organization, and 7 (32%) through community health programs. Two (9%) participants heard about the study from their spouse. All participants were born outside the US, their average age was 52.4 years (range: 39-72 years), and they have lived in the US for an average of 26 years (range: 5-51 years).

CONCLUSION

Pivoting to alternative strategies were crucial for successful recruitment. Findings suggest the significant potential of broadcast media for community-based recruitment. Family dynamics and the community's trust in our partners also encouraged participation. Such strategies must be considered when working with understudied populations.

National trends in depression and suicide attempts and COVID-19 pandemic-related factors, 1998-2021: A nationwide study in South Korea

BACKGROUND

Despite the significant psychiatric effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, there's limited data on the prevalence and risk factors of depression and suicide attempts among South Korean adults.

METHODS

A nationwide cross-sectional study using the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) data from 1998 to 2021 was conducted. Changes in prevalence and risk factors for depression and suicide attempts were assessed using weighted odds ratios or weighted beta coefficients.

RESULTS

During the observation period (1998-2021), the prevalence of depression increased in the overall population; however, no significant surge was found regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, from 2.78% (95% CI, 2.41-3.15) in 1998-2005-4.96% (4.32-5.61) in 2020 and 5.06% (4.43-5.69) in 2021. However, immediately after the onset of the pandemic, younger ages, male sex, urban residence, higher education, and high economic status became significant vulnerable factors compared to pre-pandemic periods. The prevalence of suicide attempts remained stable, and there was no notable surge specifically related to the COVID-19 pandemic, from 0.23% (95% CI, 0.18-0.28) in 1998-2005-0.45% (0.25-0.66) in 2020 and 0.42% (0.24-0.60) in 2021. Furthermore, no distinct vulnerable factors associated with suicide attempts have been identified.

CONCLUSION

Through this nationwide serial cross-sectional survey study, we emphasized the need for understanding the differential impacts of global crises, such as COVID-19, across varied population subgroups, thereby highlighting the importance of specific and targeted mental health support strategies.

Screen media activity in youth: A critical review of mental health and neuroscience findings

This review has two primary objectives: (1) to offer a balanced examination of recent findings on the relationship between screen media activity (SMA) in young individuals and outcomes such as sleep patterns, mood disturbances, anxiety-related concerns, and cognitive processes; and (2) to introduce a novel multi-level system model that integrates these findings, resolves contradictions in the literature, and guides future studies in examining key covariates affecting the SMA-mental health relationship. Key findings include: (1) Several meta-analyses reveal a significant association between SMA and mental health issues, particularly anxiety and depression, including specific negative effects linked to prolonged screen time; (2) substantial evidence indicates that SMA has both immediate and long-term impacts on sleep duration and quality; (3) the relationship between SMA and cognitive functioning is complex, with mixed findings showing both positive and negative associations; and (4) the multifaceted relationship between SMA and various aspects of adolescent life is influenced by a wide range of environmental and contextual factors. SMA in youth is best understood within a complex system encompassing individual, caregiver, school, peer, and environmental factors, as framed by Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory, which identifies five interrelated systems (microsystem, mesosystem, exosystem, macrosystem, and chronosystem) that influence development across both proximal and distal levels of the environment. This model provides a framework for future research to examine these interactions, considering moderating factors, and to develop targeted interventions that can mitigate potential adverse effects of SMA on mental well-being.

Exposure to the COVID-19 news on social media and consequent psychological distress and potential behavioral change

Exposure to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) news pandemic is inevitable. This study aimed to explore the association between exposure to COVID-19 news on social media and feeling of anxiety, fear, and potential opportunities for behavioral change among Iranians. A telephone-based survey was carried out in 2020. Adults aged 18 years and above were randomly selected. A self-designed questionnaire was administered to collect information on demographic variables and questions to address exposure to news and psychological and behavioral responses regarding COVID-19. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the relationship between anxiety, fear, behavioral responses, and independent variables, including exposure to news. In all, 1563 adults participated in the study. The mean age of respondents was 39.17 ± 13.5 years. Almost 55% of participants reported moderate to high-level anxiety, while fear of being affected by COVID-19 was reported 54.1%. Overall 88% reported that they had changed their behaviors to some extent. Exposure to the COVID-19 news on social media was the most influencing variable on anxiety (OR 2.21, 95% CI 1.62-3.04; P < 0.0001), fear (OR 1.95, 95% CI 1.49-2.56; P < 0.0001), and change in health behaviors (OR 2.02, 95% CI 1.28-3.19; P = 0.003) in the regression model. The fear of being infected by the COVID19 was associated with the female gender and some socioeconomic characteristics. Although exposure to the COVID-19 news on social media seemed to be associated with excess anxiety and fear, it also, to some extent, had positively changed people's health behaviors towards preventive measures.

Emerging Adult Resilience to the Early Stages of the COVID-Pandemic: A Systematic Scoping Review

Human resilience to COVID-19 related stressors remains a pressing concern following the aftereffects of the pandemic and in the face of probable future pandemics. In response, we systematically scoped the available literature (n = 2030 records) to determine the nature and extent of research on emerging adults' adaptive responses to COVID-19 stressors in the early stages of the pandemic. Using a multisystem resilience framework, our narrative review of 48 eligible studies unpacks the personal, relational, institutional and/or physical ecological resources that enabled positive emerging adult outcomes to COVID-18 stressors. We found that there is a geographical bias in studies on this topic, with majority world contexts poorly represented. Resources leading to positive outcomes foregrounded psychological and social support, while institutional and ecological supports were seldom mentioned. Multisystemic combinations of resources were rarely considered. This knowledge has valuable implications for understanding resilience in the context of other large-scale adverse conditions.

Exploring the influence of behavioral factors on depression and anxiety scores during the COVID-19 pandemic: insights from the Virginia statewide COVIDsmart longitudinal study

BACKGROUND

Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been growing concern about the declining mental health and healthy behaviors compared to pre-pandemic levels. Despite this, there is a lack of longitudinal studies that have examined the relationship between health behaviors and mental health during the pandemic. In response, the statewide COVIDsmart longitudinal study was launched. The study's main objective is to better understand the effects of the pandemic on mental health. Findings may provide a foundation for the identification of public health strategies to mitigate future negative impacts of the pandemic.

METHODS

Following online recruitment in spring of 2021, adults, ages 18 to 87, filled out social, mental, economic, occupational, and physical health questionnaires on the digital COVIDsmart platform at baseline and through six monthly follow-ups. Changes in the participant's four health behaviors (e.g., tobacco and alcohol consumption, physical activity, and social media use), along with sex, age, loneliness score, and reported social and economic (SE) hardships, were analyzed for within-between group associations with depression and anxiety scores using Mixed Models Repeated Measures.

RESULTS

In this study, of the 669 individuals who reported, the within-between group analysis indicated that younger adults (F = 23.81, p < 0.0001), loneliness (F = 234.60, p < 0.0001), SE hardships (F = 31.25, p < 0.0001), increased tobacco use (F = 3.05, p = 0.036), decreased physical activity (F = 6.88, p = 0.0002), and both positive and negative changes in social media use (F = 7.22, p = 0.0001) were significantly associated with worse depression scores. Additionally, females (F = 6.01, p = 0.015), younger adults (F = 32.30, p < 0.0001), loneliness (F = 154.59, p < 0.0001), SE hardships (F = 22.13, p < 0.0001), increased tobacco use (F = 4.87, p = 0.004), and both positive and negative changes in social media use (F = 3.51, p = 0.016) were significantly associated with worse anxiety scores. However, no significant changes were observed in the within-between group measurements of depression and anxiety scores over time (p > 0.05). Physical activity was not associated with anxiety nor was alcohol consumption with both depression and anxiety (p > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

This study demonstrates the longitudinal changes in behaviors within the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. These findings may facilitate the design of preventative population-based health approaches during the COVID-19 pandemic or future pandemics.

The bright and dark sides of social media use during COVID-19 lockdown: Contrasting social media effects through social liability vs. social support

There exist ongoing discussions regarding whether, when, or why heightened reliance on social media becomes benefits or drawbacks, especially in times of crisis. Using the concepts of social liability, social support, and cognitive appraisal theory, this study examines distinct theoretical pathways through which the relational use of social media has contrasting impacts on cognitive appraisals of and emotional responses to the COVID-19 lockdown. We collected online survey data from 494 social media users in the U.S. during the COVID-19 lockdown. The results based on structural equation modeling (SEM) showed double-edged social media effects. When social media use results in perceived social support, it has a favorable impact on coping appraisals of the COVID-19 lockdown. This, in turn, is associated with lower levels of negative affective responses, such as anger, anxiety, and loneliness. In contrast, when social media use results in increased social liability (i.e., obligation to provide support to others), it negatively impacts cognitive appraisals and affective responses. The study makes significant contributions by unpacking two distinct theoretical mechanisms underlying social media effects: particularly social liability which has been underexplored but was found to be an essential concept to explain the dualistic impact of social media.

The effect of social media and infodemic on mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic: results from the COMET multicentric trial

On January 30, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the status of pandemic due to the COVID-19 infection. The initial phases of the pandemic were characterized by uncertainty and public fears. In order to cope with such unexpected conditions, people adopted different coping strategies, including search for information, accessing Internet, and using social media. The present study based on the COMET collaborative research network aims to: (1) assess use of Internet and of social media among the Italian general population; (2) explore differences in web usage between people with pre-existing mental disorders and the general population; (3) identify changes over time in social media usage along the phase 1 of the pandemic; (4) identify the clinical, socio-demographic and contextual predictors of excessive use of social media. A significant increase in time spent on Internet, with an average time of 4.8  ±  0.02 h per day, was found in the global sample of 20,720 participants. Compared with the general population, Internet use was significantly higher in people with pre-existing mental disorders (5.2  ± 0.1 h vs. 4.9  ±  0.02; p < 0.005). According to the multivariate logistic regression model, the risk of excessive use of social media and Internet was significantly higher in people with moderate levels of depressive symptoms (OR: 1.26, CI 95%: 0.99 to 1.59, p < 0.0.005); while protective factors were being students (OR: 0.72, CI 95%: 0.53 to 0.96, p < 0.0029) and living in central Italy (OR: 0.46, CI 95%: 0.23 to 0.90, p < 0.002). The evaluation of social media and Internet use by the general population represents a first step for developing specific protective and supportive interventions for the general population, including practical suggestions on how to safely use Internet and social media.

Scrolling Through the COVID-19 Pandemic: Exploring the Perceived Effects of Increased Social Media Use on the Mental Health of Undergraduate University Students

Social media has become increasingly integrated into the lives of students for the past decade; however, the public health restrictions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic have led to a sharp increase in social media use in a short period of time. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of social media use on university students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Fifteen students from a mid-sized Canadian city were interviewed to share their experiences with social media during the COVID-19 pandemic. Purposive sampling was conducted to gather a diverse sample of participants, including individuals of various ages, gender and sexual identities, and ethnicities. Thematic analysis on the 15 interviews was completed using NVivo (version 12). Participants experienced both advantages and disadvantages associated with social media use. Ease of communication and stress relief were acknowledged as the strongest benefits. Social comparison, loneliness, development of bad habits, and lack of focus were cited as major disadvantages to social media use during the pandemic. Cost-benefit analysis of social media was common, and participants expressed the importance of using social media with moderation, balance, and awareness. Our study indicates that the focus on health with respect to the pandemic should not be solely based on physical health, rather the potential mental health risks associated with social media use during the pandemic should be recognized and addressed by healthcare providers.

COVID-19 Fear, Sleep Quality, Anxiety and Depression: A Moderated Mediation Model

The available literature demonstrates that COVID-19 fear (CV-19 F) may increase depressive symptoms in adolescents. However, few studies have explored the underlying mechanisms of this relationship. This study aimed to understand the role of anxiety and sleep quality in the association between CV-19 F and depression in Vietnamese adolescents. A sample of 685 adolescents, ages 15 to 19 (mean = 16.09, SD = 0.860), was recruited to participate in the study. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales, and the Fear of COVID-19 Scale were completed by participants. Results indicated that the link between CV-19 F and depression was fully mediated by anxiety. Furthermore, this indirect relationship was moderated by sleep quality. Our findings provided new insights into the link between CV-19 F and depression as well as highlighted the potential value of reducing anxiety and improving sleep quality in the prevention of depression in adolescents with high levels of CV-19 F.

Establishing ties or strengthening friendships? Students' use of online social networks in intercultural friendship development

Purpose

This study was conducted to achieve the following objectives: (1) determine the differences and reasons for using outgroup OSNs by gender, age and student groups (Mainland and Hong Kong [HK] students); (2) uncover the impact of online social networks (OSNs) on the development of Mainland–HK friendships and (3) determine the roles of different OSNs (social networking sites [SNSs] and instant messaging platforms [IMPs]) in the development of intercultural friendships in the real world.

Design/methodology/approach

To explore how OSNs facilitate (or inhibit) intercultural interactions, 198 students completed a questionnaire and 24 students participated in follow-up semi-structured interviews examining the role of OSNs in intercultural friendship development.

Findings

Results revealed that demographic and motivational preferences for using outgroup-OSNs differed among students. Both IMPs and SNSs helped students maintain friendships using little effort, whereas it tended to strengthen their existing social networks, rather than helping to start new friendships. IMPs helped develop a sense of “presence awareness”, strengthening pre-existing friendships and solidifying offline connections. SNSs also assisted students in exploring their shared interests while revealing their values and cultural differences.

Research limitations/implications

The authors’ findings offered empirical evidence on social exchange theory and anxiety-uncertainty management theory regarding the perceived benefit of OSNs on students' friendship development.

Practical implications

The study sheds light on the differences between Mainland Chinese and HK students, including participants' perceptions of different friendship stages.

Originality/value

This study is interested in the roles of different SNSs and IMPs in intercultural friendship development, especially their strengths and weaknesses as perceived by students. Also, the authors are curious about how students select and use IMPs and SNSs differently according to their individual preferences and needs. To the authors’ knowledge, the dynamic link between online communication and intercultural friendship development has not been thoroughly examined in the field of intercultural communication.

Short-term improvement of mental health after a COVID-19 vaccination

INTRODUCTION

The role of COVID-19 vaccination on the mental health of the general population remains poorly understood. This study aims to assess the short-term change in depressive and anxiety symptoms in relation to COVID-19 vaccination among Swedish adults.

METHODS

A prospective study of 7,925 individuals recruited from ongoing cohort studies at the Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden, or through social media campaigns, with monthly data collections on self-reported depressive and anxiety symptoms from December 2020 to October 2021 and COVID-19 vaccination from July to October 2021. Prevalence of depressive and anxiety symptoms (defined as a self-reported total score of ≥10 in PHQ-9 and GAD-7, respectively) was calculated one month before, one month after the first dose, and, if applicable, one month after the second dose. For individuals not vaccinated or choosing not to report vaccination status (unvaccinated individuals), we selected three monthly measures of PHQ-9 and GAD-7 with 2-month intervals in-between based on data availability.

RESULTS

5,079 (64.1%) individuals received two doses of COVID-19 vaccine, 1,977 (24.9%) received one dose, 305 (3.9%) were not vaccinated, and 564 (7.1%) chose not to report vaccination status. There was a lower prevalence of depressive and anxiety symptoms among vaccinated, compared to unvaccinated individuals, especially after the second dose. Among individuals receiving two doses of vaccine, the prevalence of depressive and anxiety symptoms was lower after both first (aRR = 0.82, 95%CI 0.76-0.88 for depression; aRR = 0.81, 95%CI 0.73-0.89 for anxiety) and second (aRR = 0.79, 95%CI 0.73-0.85 for depression; aRR = 0.73, 95%CI 0.66-0.81 for anxiety) dose, compared to before vaccination. Similar results were observed among individuals receiving only one dose (aRR = 0.76, 95%CI 0.68-0.84 for depression; aRR = 0.82, 95%CI 0.72-0.94 for anxiety), comparing after first dose to before vaccination.

CONCLUSIONS

We observed a short-term improvement in depressive and anxiety symptoms among adults receiving COVID-19 vaccines in the current pandemic. Our findings provide new evidence to support outreach campaigns targeting hesitant groups.

Impact of Social Media Use on Mental Health within Adolescent and Student Populations during COVID-19 Pandemic: Review

The COVID-19 pandemic has drastically changed our lives. By increased screen time during the pandemic, social media (SM) could have significantly impacted adolescents' and students' mental health (MH). This literature review aims to synthesize the research on the impact of SM usage on MH of adolescents and students during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. A review of the published literature was conducted in April 2021, through a search of PubMed and Web of Science Core Collection databases. The search yielded 1136 records, with 13 articles selected for this review. Most of the included studies observed the negative impact of SM use on MH of adolescents and students, most noticeably observed were anxiety, depression and stress. More active and prolonged SM usage was associated with a negative impact on MH of adolescents and students. Two studies recorded some potentially positive effects, such as support in coping and providing a sense of connection for those who were isolated due to social distancing measures. Since this review focuses on the early period of the pandemic, future studies should investigate the long-term impact of SM use on adolescents and students MH, with all relevant elements that can enable adequate public health response.

Nostalgic Social Media Use and Psychological Well-Being During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Physical and social distancing practices mandated during the COVID-19 pandemic posed serious threats to mental health on a global scale. Drawing upon the literature on nostalgia as a coping resource and the psychological benefits of nostalgic media use, we investigated the relationship between nostalgic social media use and psychological well-being amid the COVID-19 pandemic, considering perceived self-continuity as a mediator. An online survey conducted with a U.S. sample in June 2021 (Study 1; N = 485) showed that nostalgic social media use was positively associated with greater perceived self-continuity, which, in turn, positively predicted emotional well-being. These findings were replicated and extended by a follow-up online survey conducted with a South Korean sample in October 2021 (Study 2; N = 1,510). In addition to replicating the mediation results from Study 1, Study 2 demonstrated that the mediation was significantly moderated by household type (single-person vs. multiperson household). Specifically, those living alone, compared to those living with one or more cohabitants, were more likely to benefit from nostalgic social media use, maintaining higher levels of life satisfaction amid the global health crisis. Implications of these findings are discussed.

Development, Validation, and Utilization of a Social Media Use and Mental Health Questionnaire among Middle Eastern and Western Adults: A Pilot Study from the UAE

OBJECTIVES

We aimed to develop and validate a mental health stigma measurement tool for use within the social media context, utilizing the tool to assess whether the stigma shown in face-to-face interactions translates to social media, coupled with comparing whether social media use can cause the stigma among a sample of Middle Eastern and Western populations.

METHODS

The development and validation phase comprised a systematic process that was used to develop an assessment tool that could be used within the social media context and establish its validity and reliability. A 5-point Likert-type scale (1 = strongly disagree to 5 = strongly agree) was developed to assess mental health stigma. The anonymous questionnaire was distributed from June 2022 to August 2022 on various social media platforms and groups predominated by the two demographics of interest, enrolling 1328 participants (with only 1001 responses deemed valid). The utilization phase consisted of bivariate and multivariable analysis of the data. The cutoff points for low, medium, and high scores were the 25th, 50th, and 75th percentil, respectively.

RESULTS

The instrument comprised three dimensions: acceptance, intolerance, and digital care sentiment. In the Middle Eastern subset of participants, a higher score of intolerance (more stigma) toward mental illness was found in 72.4% of the participants, with a higher score of acceptance being 35.1% and of digital care sentiment being 46.4%. The mean scores for all the scales were as follows: intolerance (3.08 ± 0.64), acceptance (3.87 ± 0.71), and digital care sentiment (3.18 ± 0.69). For Westerners, a higher score of intolerance toward mental illness was found in 24.0% of the participants, with a higher score of acceptance being 56.8% and of digital care sentiment being 38.2%. The mean scores for all the scales were as follows: intolerance (2.28 ± 0.73), acceptance (4.21 ± 0.61), and digital care sentiment (3.08 ± 0.62). Various results were obtained regarding the effect of individual social media platforms on the different subscales.

CONCLUSIONS

Stigma does follow people on social media, whether they are Middle Easterners or Westerners, although to varying degrees. The results of social media interaction and activity varied based on the group that used them, with some having an impact on one group but not the other. For these reasons, proper guidance is advised when utilizing and interacting with social media platforms.

Use of social network as a coping strategy for depression among young people during the COVID-19 lockdown: findings from the COMET collaborative study

BACKGROUND

Use of social media (SM) has exponentially grown particularly among youths in the past two years, due to COVID-19-related changing lifestyles. Based on the Italian COvid Mental hEalth Trial (COMET), we investigated the association between SM use and depressive symptoms among Italian young adults (aged 18-24).

METHODS

The COMET is a nationwide multi-center cross-sectional study that investigated socio-demographic data, social networking addiction (BSNAS), depression, anxiety, and stress (DASS-21), as well as impulsiveness (BIS-15) and aggressiveness (AQ) in a large sample of youngsters, in order to assess the association between BSNAS and DASS-21 indices. Mediation analyses were performed to evaluate the role of impulsiveness and aggressive personality traits in the association between SM use (SMU) and depression.

RESULTS

75.8% of the sample (n = 491) had a problematic SMU. SMU was reduced by high AQ and high DASS-21 scores (F = 42.338, p < 0.001, R² = 0.207). Mediation analyses showed that SMU negatively predicted depressive symptomatology with the interaction mediated by AQ total (ß = - 0.1075), physical (ß = - 0.207) and anger (ß = - 0.0582), BIS-15 total (ß = - 0.0272) and attentional (ß = - 0.0302). High depressive levels were predicted by high AQ scores, low SMU levels, low verbal and physical AQ, and low attentional BIS-15 (F = 30.322, p < 0.001, R² = 0.273). Depressive symptomatology negatively predicted SMU with their interaction mediated by AQ total (ß = - 0.1640), verbal (ß = 0.0436) and anger (ß = - 0.0807), BIS-15 total (ß = - 0.0448) and attentional (ß = - 0.0409).

CONCLUSIONS

SMU during the early phases of the COVID-19 pandemic could have a beneficial role in buffering negative consequences linked to social isolation due to quarantine measures, despite this association being mediated by specific personality traits.

Original Research - Digital technology use and the mental health consultation: a survey of the views and experiences of clinicians and young people (Preprint)

BACKGROUND

Digital technologies play an increasingly important role in the lives of young people and have important effects on their mental health.

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to explore 3 key areas of the intersection between digital technology and mental health: the views and experiences of young people and clinicians about digital technology and mental health; implementation and barriers to the UK national guidance recommendation-that the discussion of digital technology use should form a core part of mental health assessment; and how digital technology might be used to support existing consultations.

METHODS

Two cross-sectional web-based surveys were conducted in 2020 between June and December, with mental health clinicians (n=99) and young people (n=320). Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the proportions. Multilinear regression was used to explore how the answers varied by gender, sexuality, and age. Thematic analysis was used to explore the contents of the extended free-text answers. Anxiety was measured using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Questionnaire-7 (GAD-7).

RESULTS

Digital technology use was ubiquitous among young people, with positive and negative aspects acknowledged by both clinicians and young people. Negative experiences were common (131/284, 46.1%) and were associated with increased anxiety levels among young people (GAD-7 3.29; 95% CI 1.97-4.61; P<.001). Although the discussion of digital technology use was regarded as important by clinicians and acceptable by young people, less than half of clinicians (42/85, 49.4%) routinely asked about the use of digital technology and over a third of young people (48/121, 39.6%) who had received mental health care had never been asked about their digital technology use. The conversations were often experienced as unhelpful. Helpful conversations were characterized by greater depth and exploration of how an individual's digital technology use related to mental health. Despite most clinicians (59/83, 71.1%) wanting training, very few (21/86, 24.4%) reported receiving training. Clinicians were open to viewing mental health data from apps or social media to help with consultations. Although young people were generally, in theory, comfortable sharing such data with health professionals, when presented with a binary choice, most reported not wanting to share social media (84/117, 71.8%) or app data (67/118, 56.8%) during consultations.

CONCLUSIONS

Digital technology use was common, and negative experiences were frequent and associated with anxiety. Over a third of young people were not asked about their digital technology use during mental health consultations, and potentially valuable information about relevant negative experiences on the web was not being captured during consultations. Clinicians would benefit from having access to training to support these discussions with young people. Although young people recognized that app data could be helpful to clinicians, they appeared hesitant to share their own data. This finding suggests that data sharing has barriers that need to be further explored.

Social networking use, mental health, and quality of life of Hong Kong adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic

Background

During the COVID-19 pandemic, adolescents' use of social networking sites/apps has surged, and their mental health and quality of life have also been significantly affected by the pandemic and its associated social-protection measures. The present study first examined the prevalence of social networking sites/apps use and social networking addiction, the mental health status, and the health-related quality of life among Hong Kong adolescent students. We further investigated the associations of the youths' daily use of social networking sites/apps and their social networking addiction with their mental health and quality of life during the pandemic.

Methods

A total of 1,147 students (age = 15.20 ± 0.53 years) recruited from 12 randomly selected local secondary schools in Hong Kong participated in a questionnaire survey in classroom settings between January and June, 2020, right after the COVID-19 outbreak. The questionnaire includes demographic characteristics and scales that measure social networking sites/apps use and social networking addiction, mental health, and quality of life.

Results

Approximately 46.4% of the participants reported using social networking sites/apps often or very often, and 7.8% met the criteria for social networking addiction using Bergen's Social Media Addiction Scale. The prevalence of mild to extremely severe depression, anxiety, and stress among the adolescents stood at 39.6, 37.5, 48.8%, respectively, and the participants' physical, social, and school functioning were lower than the norms of healthy adolescents before the pandemic. Participants who used social networking sites/apps but for <3 h per day (excluding students who never used social networking sites/apps) showed significantly fewer problems of depression, anxiety, and stress than did those who spent more than 3 h per day on social networking sites/apps. Social networking addiction was found to be consistently associated with poor mental health and health-related quality of life.

Conclusion

This study provides important evidence supporting the potential protective effect of guiding adolescents to use social networking sites/apps appropriately in order to mitigate their negative emotions during contexts such as that of the pandemic; it further points to the need to provide extra support to promote the well-being of young people, especially those in disadvantaged situations (e.g., non-intact family) during and after the pandemic.