Qixuan Lin

Effects of Social Media On Mental Health Across Demographics

Started Apr. 22, 2024

Abstract or project description

As technology advances, social media has become a widespread tool for people to build connections and foster entertainment, which may also impact their mental health. This study aims to investigate how different types and ways of using social media affect mental health across demographics. This cross-sectional study used correlation and linear regression analysis to assess the association between age, gender, socioeconomic status, types of social media usage and mental health symptoms. High school students (ages 13 to 18) completed an online anonymous multiple-choice survey. These questions measured the participant’s mental health symptoms, demographics, and use of social media. Time spent on social media was positively associated with anxiety, loneliness, and depression, and negatively associated with self-esteem. Covariate findings within this study showed that creating posts and sharing content on social media (rather than browsing or “liking” posts) was associated with higher depressive symptom severity. This research study suggests that social media as well as the types and ways of using it could influence adolescent mental health. Future research should further investigate how public use of social media affects the mental health of adolescents. Understanding this relationship will lead to better knowledge of the effects of social media on mental health, ultimately fostering a healthier social media experience for adolescents.