The supposed effects of social media on young people sound drastic enough to make us want them to turn off their mobile. Certainly, some studies have pointed out that young people can develop addiction to social networks. Meanwhile, other studies have linked this behavior to poor quality of sleep, low self-esteem, and potentially poor mental health.
However, new research has dispelled the belief that social media use can lead to depression.
“You have to follow the same people over time to conclude that social media use predicts increased depressive symptoms,” says study lead author Taylor Heffer of Brock University in St. Catharine’s (Canada). “By using two large longitudinal samples, we were able to empirically test that assumption.”
The real effect on mental health
The long-term study focused on two independent groups of participants. One was comprised of 594 teens in sixth, seventh, or eighth grade in Ontario, Canada. The other, by 1,132 undergraduate students.
The team surveyed the younger group once a year for 2 years. They asked the older students annually for a total of 6 years, beginning in their first year of college.
The questions focused on how much time they spent on social media on weekdays and weekends, as well as how much time they spent on activities such as watching television, exercising, and doing homework / work.
They also looked at the symptoms of depression. For undergraduate students, they measured these symptoms using the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale. They used a similar but more age-appropriate version of the younger participants.
The researchers then analyzed the data, separating them by age and sex. The findings, which have been published in the journal Clinical Psychological Science , revealed that social media use did not lead to depressive symptoms later. This held true for both groups of participants.
The scientists also found that in adolescent girls, higher depression symptoms predicted later use of social media. Heffer notes that women of this age “who feel depressed may turn to social media to try to feel better.”
Reducing the fear of social media
These findings suggest that excessive use of social media does not lead to depression. More importantly, this can help deter public fears about the impacts of technology.
As Heffer explains, “When parents read media headlines about ‘Facebook depression’ there is an inherent assumption that social media use leads to depression.”
Differences in factors as important as personality are likely to play a key role in how social media can affect mental well-being . For example, some young people may choose to use social media negatively as a comparison tool, while others may simply use it to keep in touch with friends.
Scientists will now need to further examine motivations like these to help authorities, medical experts, and parents figure out the best way forward.
As Heffer explains, “When parents read media headlines about ‘Facebook depression’ there is an inherent assumption that social media use leads to depression.”
Differences in factors as important as personality are likely to play a key role in how social media can affect mental well-being . For example, some young people may choose to use social media negatively as a comparison tool, while others may simply use it to keep in touch with friends.
Scientists will now need to further examine motivations like these to help authorities, medical experts, and parents figure out the best way forward.
Referencia: Clinical Psychological Science The Longitudinal Association Between Social-Media Use and Depressive Symptoms Among Adolescents and Young Adults: An Empirical Reply to Twenge et al. 2019 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/2167702618812727
