Analysis of the Potential Impact of Social Media Usage on the Mental Health of Adolescents
Year: 2024
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: The increasing prevalence of social media usage among adolescents has raised concerns about its potential impact on mental health. The interplay between social connectedness, self-esteem, and mental health requires further exploration to understand the mediatObjective:ing mechanisms involved. To assess the association between social media usage and adolescents’ mental health and the impact of social connectedness and self-esteem on this association. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in the Department of Pediatrics and Department of Psychiatry of DHQ, Narowal from October 2022 to October 2024. A total of 500 adolescents aged from 12 to 15 years attending the hospital departments were included in the study. Data was collected by a 25-item self-completion Strengths and Difficulties questionnaire to assess mental disorders in the participants. To evaluate social media usage, participants were about time spent on its usage. Self-esteem and social interaction were also assessed as mediators. Results: In unadjusted analysis, participants with more active hours had poor mental health with a one-point increase in SDQ score with every increase in socialization (95% CI: 0.19-1.68). Unadjusted analysis showed that more hours on social media led to low self-esteem (p=0.01) and, hence poor mental health (p<0.001). The Monte Carlo test was also significant for an indirect association between self-esteem and mental health (p=0.02) with a 70% impact of social media mediated by self-esteem. More hours on social media were related to reduced happiness with friends (p=0.01) but this did not lead to poor mental health (p=0.58). Conclusion: A higher number of hours spent on social media leads to mental health problems in adolescents in the long term. Additionally, low self-esteem due to social comparison by the use of social media is also an indirect mediator of poor mental health.
Institution: University of Narowal
Language: English
Subfield: Sociology and Political Science
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4405066541