New research published in Social science and medicine This challenges widespread beliefs about the effects of frequent social media use on mental health. Contrary to popular opinion, researchers found that time spent on platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook has little or no significant impact on mental health indicators such as depression, anxiety, and stress. I discovered that. In some cases, the effects of social media use are neutral or even positive, suggesting that the relationship between these platforms and mental health is more complex than previously thought.
Social media has become central to the daily lives of billions of people around the world, sparking debate about its psychological impact. Some researchers have linked excessive use to problems such as depression, anxiety, and stress, and are sounding the alarm about potential harm. Some emphasize its benefits, such as fostering connections and providing entertainment.
However, many studies rely on self-reported data, which can be prone to bias and misrepresentation. A new study sought to address these gaps by using objective data on social media use to more clearly demonstrate the relationship between social media and mental health.
“We were interested in this topic because of the increasing coverage of the negative impact of social media on mental health, both in the popular media and in policy,” said study author and PhD student at Curtin University. candidate Chloe N. Jones said.
“However, many of the studies supporting these claims rely on self-reported estimates of social media use, which can be inaccurate. We wanted to take a more objective approach to measuring the relationship between psychological distress and cognitive functions such as attentional control.”
The study involved 401 participants, primarily psychology undergraduates and community members between the ages of 17 and 53. The sample was primarily female, with an average age of 22 years. Participants’ social media usage was objectively measured over a one-week period using a smartphone screen time tracking tool. The researchers focused on five popular platforms: Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, Facebook, and Twitter (now X).
In addition to tracking social media usage, participants also completed the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21), an established questionnaire used to assess psychological distress. I did. This measure assessed symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress to gauge participants’ mental health. To assess attentional control (a cognitive ability related to concentration and inhibition), participants performed an antisaccade task. This task required attention to be directed away from distracting stimuli and focused on a target, providing a measure of the ability to manage competing visual input.
Data collection occurred over several years, allowing for a robust sample size and a variety of testing environments. Participants were guided through the steps in person or online to ensure consistency in how the measures were administered.
Researchers found that overall time spent on social media had little impact on mental health indicators such as depression, anxiety, and stress. In contrast to many previous studies, the researchers found no significant relationship between total social media use and psychological distress.
Although there was a very small positive association between social media use and anxiety, this accounted for less than 1.5% of the shared variance, suggesting that it was not a meaningful factor. . There was no association between social media use and symptoms of depression or stress.
Interestingly, this study did not support the idea that frequent social media use impairs attentional control. In fact, researchers observed a small positive association between social media use and attentional control, especially among TikTok users.
“One surprising finding is that there is a positive, albeit small, relationship between social media use and attentional control, and that social media has a negative effect on attentional control. It challenged common assumptions,” Jones said. Cypost.
The researchers also tested whether attentional control moderated the relationship between social media use and psychological distress. In contrast to some previous findings, attentional control did not influence the association between social media use and mental health outcomes. This suggests that an individual’s ability to manage their attention does not significantly alter the impact of social media use on psychological well-being.
Overall, the results show that the association between social media use and mental health is weaker than many people assume. The small associations observed are platform-specific and do not represent significant risks or benefits for most users.
“The main takeaway is that social media use does not have the strong negative effects on mental health and attention control that are often thought,” Jones said. “Our study shows that when objectively measured, social media use has minimal associations with mental health indicators such as depression, anxiety, and stress, and only a modest association with attentional control. This may help reduce unwarranted fears about social media and encourage people to think about the role of social media in a more balanced way.
Although this study provides valuable insights, it is not without limitations. For example, the study focuses only on cell phone use and may not capture social media activity on other devices such as computers. Furthermore, the attentional control task used in the study measured only one specific aspect of this cognitive ability. Future studies may investigate other aspects such as sustained attention and memory to build a more comprehensive understanding.
The study also did not differentiate between active and passive use of social media. Active engagement, such as posting or direct messaging, can have a different psychological impact than passive scrolling. Exploring these nuances may shed more light on how different types of social media use affect mental health.
“It’s important to note that these findings are based on objective measurements of time spent on social media,” Jones said. “Other factors may still be present, such as content type, user characteristics, and individual differences in how social media is used, that influence mental health in ways that were not captured in our study. There is a possibility.”
Another avenue for future research is to examine platform-specific effects in more detail. Each platform offers unique features and user experiences, which may contribute to different mental health outcomes. Understanding these differences can help individuals make more informed choices about their social media habits.
“Our long-term goal is to further investigate the relationship between social media use, mental health, and cognitive function,” Jones said. “Specifically, we aim to investigate various cognitive abilities such as memory and other attention-related processes, as well as psychological factors such as personality and usage patterns. We also aim to investigate social media use and these We plan to conduct experimental studies to better understand the potential causal relationship between the results.
“While our findings suggest that social media use does not have the devastating effects often claimed, it is important to maintain a balanced perspective,” she added. Ta. “Like any technology, social media can have both positive and negative effects depending on how it is used. Our research challenges readers to question the prevailing ‘doom and gloom’ narrative and Instead, it encourages us to think critically about how social media fits into our lives and how we can use it in healthier ways. ”
the study, “Investigating the association between objective social media use, attentional control, and psychological distress” is written by Chloe N. Jones, Daniel Rudayski, Tamsin Mahalingam, and Patrick J.F. Clark.
