The COVID-19 pandemic profoundly impacted the mental well-being of college students, significantly increasing conditions like anxiety and major depression among young adults aged 18-25 compared to pre-pandemic levels. This surge in mental health issues prompted researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to investigate a potential exacerbating factor: the use of social media. Recognizing the growing prevalence of social media among students, concerns have already been raised by the US Surgeon General regarding its potential risks to the mental health of young people.
Economist Jane Cooley Fruehwirth and her team tackled the complex questions surrounding social media’s role in these mental health trends. They collected longitudinal survey data from first-year students at a large public research university before and during the pandemic. This allowed them to observe changes in social media habits alongside other factors such as social isolation, anxiety and depression symptoms, and lifestyle habits, including sleep, exercise, and social interactions.
The findings of the study were quite revealing. While an initial increase in social media usage at the start of the pandemic did not significantly impact students’ mental health, a continued increase 18 months into the pandemic coincided with a negative shift in mental health outcomes. Students who increased their social media usage by an hour daily after 18 months were notably more prone to depression and anxiety. This correlation became more pronounced as students returned to campus life, suggesting that increased social media use may subtract from time spent on beneficial activities like exercise and exacerbate stress from peer interactions.
Interestingly, the adverse effects of increased social media use were most severe among socially isolated students. These students were not using social media to foster connections but engaging with it more harmfully. This observation led Fruehwirth to note that while some students use social media without detriment, others do not, and distinguishing between these behaviours was a vital focus of the study.
Fruehwirth emphasized the importance of resilience and social support in protecting students from social media’s negative consequences. She pointed out that the narrative isn’t that social media is inherently bad but that its impact can vary significantly among individuals based on their usage patterns and social contexts.
The research also highlighted the significant role that college environments can play in reducing feelings of isolation, with about one in five students feeling isolated on campus. This suggests that factors beyond social media contribute to student isolation, and universities could actively work to reduce this by enhancing physical and social spaces, fostering connections through clubs, and establishing peer support networks to build resilience among students. These measures could mitigate the negative impacts of social media and promote a healthier, more connected student community.
More information: Jane Cooley Fruehwirth et al, The effect of social media use on mental health of college students during the pandemic, Health Economics. DOI: 10.1002/hec.4871
Journal information: Health Economics Provided by University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
