Research conducted in Norway has identified specific social media habits linked to mental health symptoms such as anxiety and depression. The study analyzed five online behaviors: hostility from and towards others, social comparison, passing time, and seeking support.
Results showed that social comparison was the strongest predictor for symptoms in five mental health conditions, including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), oppositional defiant disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, and major depressive disorder. The findings were published in the journal Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health on October 17.
Peter Etchells, a professor at Bath Spa University, explained that researchers are examining different aspects of social media use beyond screen time or passive scrolling. Social comparison offers a lens through which researchers understand how viewing content relevant to personal interests might affect mental health, especially if one frequently sees positive versus negative outcomes.
The research team surveyed over 4,000 Norwegian adolescents, with an average age of 14. They assessed their social media use through the Social Media Use Scale and reviewed the five behaviors. Participants completed a phone questionnaire, measuring symptoms of various mental health conditions. The study linked social comparison to 20 to 26 percent of symptoms variance in generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, and major depressive disorder, while ADHD and oppositional defiant disorder showed a six to nine percent variance.
Hostility from others was the second strongest predictor, accounting for three to six percent variance across all mental health conditions. Simply passing time on social media showed no independent association with the symptoms reviewed. However, as the data was collected at a single point in time, it remains unclear whether the mental health symptoms influenced the specific social media behaviors or vice versa.
Etchells pointed out the need to explore the impact of social comparison on mental health, without confirming a direct association. He emphasized the importance of examining long-term evidence from various studies rather than focusing solely on time spent on social media.
Etchells advised that instead of just measuring social media time, individuals should evaluate how, when, and why they use social media. If one does not feel better after using a particular platform, it might indicate a need for change.
Leave a Reply