For years, we’ve been reading articles linking social media use and mental health, as well as the negative relationship that can exist between the two. However, a new Australian study suggests the connection may be overstated.
This study, ‘Investigating the links between objective social media use, attention control, and psychological distress’, was published in the Social Science & Medicine journal in November 2024.
Social media is now embedded in the fabric of our everyday lives but continues to be heavily scrutinised for its potential to impact our mental health, particularly the mental health of young people. This has also led to many people trying to practice ‘healthier’ social media use, or disconnecting from social media altogether.
This study’s findings would be of particular interest to experts in the field, like those with a Graduate Diploma of Psychology or similar qualification. It challenges the current view that social media is the primary factor to blame for the global mental health crisis.
Most recently, Australia has issued a blanket social media ban for under-16s in response to the idea social media is harming the youth and mental health. This ban sets a potentially dangerous precedent and may pave the way for intrusive digital identity check systems.
Reviewing the new social media study
Social media use (SMU) has been associated with negative mental health outcomes for years. It has also been implicated to contribute and/or cause inhibitory attentional control deficits, like Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
This study's researchers believe these claims come from past studies that may have been inconsistent due to methodological limitations. For example, these studies had an overreliance on self-reported SMU from participants.
So, the present study aims to investigate and examine the relationship between SMU, psychological distress (e.g., depression, stress, and anxiety), and inhibitory attention control through objective measures.
Participants & methodology
The study consisted of 425 participants, consisting of undergraduate psychology students and local community members. The participants were predominantly female (74.7%) ranging from 17 to 53 years of age.
Unlike some past studies, which relied on self-reporting SMU, this study utilised an objective measure instead. The study counted the time spent (in minutes) recorded on the participants’ personal mobile phone devices over one week.
The social media apps recorded were:
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TikTok
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Instagram
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Snapchat
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Facebook
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Twitter/X
This study focused specifically on mobile SMU. This decision was guided by the fact most engagement with social media platforms is now through mobile devices. Statistics show that 98% of Australian users access social media with a mobile device.
To measure psychological distress, this study used The Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21). It is a respected, self-rated 21-item questionnaire that measures the overall psychological distress a person is experiencing across three dimensions (i.e., depression, anxiety, and stress).
The study measured attention control through the use of an antisaccade task. The test requires the participant to look in the opposite direction of a computer-generated cue and is a common technique used to measure attention control.
Examining the findings
Using the combination of objective measures for social media usage, psychological distress, and attention control—the researchers were able to determine whether or not there was a possible connection.
The study found general social media usage was positively associated with attentional control and anxiety. Facebook use was linked to psychological distress. TikTok use was positively associated with attentional control.
Despite these findings, the researchers concluded that while a relationship exists between social media and mental health—it tends to be overstated in media.
Is social media & mental health linked?
Media outlets have already begun reporting on the new study, with a few misinterpreting the data. For example, some websites are spreading the idea that the study found there was little to no relationship between social media and mental health—this isn’t true.
Not only did the researchers find a link between social media and mental health, but the study was also about more than just mental health. The study also examines the link between attentional control.
The study aimed to highlight that the popular but misguided claims regarding the relationship between social media and mental health may come from studies with unreliable data.
The researchers' goal was to set a standard for future studies on the topic to utilise objective measures and move away from unreliable, self-reported data.
Social media and anxiety
Despite the sensationalism regarding the new study, it is still important to practice healthy social media habits. For every study suggesting there is near-to-no link between mental health and social media usage, research and surveys are reporting the opposite.
A survey on national youth mental health from Headspace revealed that a massive portion of young people (57%) not only believe their mental health is getting worse—but 42% of that number cite social media as the reason.
These responses are a stark increase from Headspace’s survey data from previous years. For example, the previous survey from 2018 only had 37% of young people name social media as the primary cause of their mental health decline.
Another recent survey from 2022 that involved 20,000 year 10 students had similar findings. The data revealed regular use of some social media platforms were resulting in poor life satisfaction.
For females, TikTok was associated with the poorest life satisfaction. For males, the use of Discord was most commonly associated with poor life satisfaction. Non-binary students reported the lowest levels of life satisfaction of all, particularly students using Discord.
The pandemic, mental health & social media
The COVID-19 pandemic also greatly contributed to the mental health crisis many countries are facing. During the wake of the virus, many people turned to social media for news and guidance, and it also became many people’s only source of interaction for months.
Not only were people having to deal with life-disrupting events during the initial year of the lockdown, but social media was also strife with polarising misinformation. This misinformation also contributed to fear and stress regarding the virus.
Data shows that within the first year of COVID-19, the global prevalence of anxiety and depression increased by a significant 25%, according to a scientific brief released by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Now, years later—statistics are only on the rise for mental health conditions. WHO has also reported that young people and women have been hit the worst. The pandemic has placed them at disproportionate risk for suicide and self-harming behaviours.
COVID-19 has also caused massive burnout across the healthcare industry, including the mental health sector. This is resulting in massive gaps in mental health services, making it harder for people who require help to access it.
Website of Source: https://studyonline.uts.edu.au/
Source: Story.KISSPR.com
Release ID: 1347479