Sayaka Awao, Crystal L Park, Beth S Russell, Michael Fendrich
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Social media use increased early in the Covid-19 pandemic, but little information is available about its impact. The present study examined associations of frequency of use of different social media and the motives for use with subsequent social well-being and mental health. Data were gathered on a nationwide sample of 843 Americans during the first wave of lockdowns and infections in mid-April 2020, and again five weeks later. Participants were adults ages 20 to 88 years old (M = 39.3 years old) recruited from Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk). Controlling for age and gender, greater frequency of Facebook and video chat app use predicted higher levels social support but also higher levels of cumulative Covid-19-related stress appraisals and posttraumatic stress symptoms. Greater use of video chat apps also predicted less loneliness. Greater use of both Instagram and Snapchat predicted more anxiety and cumulative Covid-19-related stress appraisals. Greater use of Instagram also predicted higher levels of posttraumatic stress symptoms. Motives for use (e.g., connect with others, waste time/avoid responsibility, online video gaming with others) also differentially predicted social well-being and mental health. Results indicate that greater social media use early in the pandemic was often associated with more distress and lower levels of social well-being but, effects varied depending on types, frequency, and motivations for use. Overall, the study revealed that social media use related to social well-being and mental health in complex ways.
期刊介绍:
Behavioral Medicine is a multidisciplinary peer-reviewed journal, which fosters and promotes the exchange of knowledge and the advancement of theory in the field of behavioral medicine, including but not limited to understandings of disease prevention, health promotion, health disparities, identification of health risk factors, and interventions designed to reduce health risks, ameliorate health disparities, enhancing all aspects of health. The journal seeks to advance knowledge and theory in these domains in all segments of the population and across the lifespan, in local, national, and global contexts, and with an emphasis on the synergies that exist between biological, psychological, psychosocial, and structural factors as they related to these areas of study and across health states.
Behavioral Medicine publishes original empirical studies (experimental and observational research studies, quantitative and qualitative studies, evaluation studies) as well as clinical/case studies. The journal also publishes review articles, which provide systematic evaluations of the literature and propose alternative and innovative theoretical paradigms, as well as brief reports and responses to articles previously published in Behavioral Medicine.