1 The Influence of Social Media on Mental Health Martha Ramsey Saint Leo University Research Method II: PSY 535 Instructor Andrea Goldstein November 6, 2022 Introduction When discussing the influence of social media on mental health, first, it is pivotal to understand what social media is and the different dimensions of mental health. On the one hand, social media refers to how people can share information on various issues. Information can be shared in video, image, and audio, among other formats. The information shared via these platforms can benefit the users or have damaging consequences, such as mental issues and radicalization. Some popular social media platforms are Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, and Flickr. According to the Pew Research Center, over 84% of Americans will use social media in 2022, compared to 5% in 2002 ( Pew Research Center, 2022). The most used platforms in the United States are Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest. Mental health is pivotal because it influences the decisions people make ad their participation in daily routines. Issues like trauma, abuse, child neglect, unemployment, and divorce can lead to mental health problems affecting individual functioning. Some dominant mental health issues include depression, sleeping disorders, stress, aggression, and self-denial. On the other hand, mental health incorporates three dimensions: physiological, social, and emotional well-being. It has been argued that social media can affect users’ mental health negatively or positively. One of the highly cited benefits of social media is that the platforms offer users a high sense of privacy. With privacy guaranteed, individuals can openly discuss their woeful experiences without having too woeful experiences. In other words, social media provides a better platform for self-expression, which is not guaranteed through physical encounters. Social media also has the potential to help individuals network with others and build healthy relationships, which is crucial in reducing exposure to mental wellness. Besides connecting with individuals, social media can enable people to connect with other agencies created to deal with mental issues (Robinson & Smith, 2022). On the downside, one of the repercussions of social media on mental health is that it increases the state of loneliness because users may find themselves spending more time on social media applications than interacting with other people. Social media can also lead to body image issues, depression, stress, and cyberbullying (Robinson & Smith, 2022). This research aims to delve deeper into the effects of mental health by focusing on literature and additional research. Research Questions 1. How can the benefits derived from social media use be augmented to suppress the risks? 2. What are the triggers of mental health issues among social media users? 3. What strategies can be implemented to reduce social media use amo.

1. 1
The Influence of Social Media on Mental Health
Martha Ramsey
Saint Leo University
Research Method II: PSY 535
Instructor Andrea Goldstein
November 6, 2022
Introduction
When discussing the influence of social media on mental health,
first, it is pivotal to understand what social media is and the
different dimensions of mental health. On the one hand, social
media refers to how people can share information on various
issues. Information can be shared in video, image, and audio,
among other formats. The information shared via these

2. platforms can benefit the users or have damaging consequences,
such as mental issues and radicalization. Some popular social
media platforms are Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram,
and Flickr. According to the Pew Research Center, over 84% of
Americans will use social media in 2022, compared to 5% in
2002 (
Pew Research Center, 2022). The most used platforms
in the United States are Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and
Pinterest.
Mental health is pivotal because it influences the decisions
people make ad their participation in daily routines. Issues like
trauma, abuse, child neglect, unemployment, and divorce can
lead to mental health problems affecting individual functioning.
Some dominant mental health issues include depression,
sleeping disorders, stress, aggression, and self-denial. On the
other hand, mental health incorporates three dimensions:
physiological, social, and emotional well-being.
It has been argued that social media can affect users’ mental
health negatively or positively. One of the highly cited benefits
of social media is that the platforms offer users a high sense of
privacy. With privacy guaranteed, individuals can openly
discuss their woeful experiences without having too woeful
experiences. In other words, social media provides a better
platform for self-expression, which is not guaranteed through
physical encounters. Social media also has the potential to help
individuals network with others and build healthy relationships,
which is crucial in reducing exposure to mental wellness.
Besides connecting with individuals, social media can enable
people to connect with other agencies created to deal with
mental issues (Robinson & Smith, 2022). On the downside, one
of the repercussions of social media on mental health is that it
increases the state of loneliness because users may find
themselves spending more time on social media applications
than interacting with other people. Social media can also lead to
body image issues, depression, stress, and cyberbullying

3. (Robinson & Smith, 2022). This research aims to delve deeper
into the effects of mental health by focusing on literature and
additional research.
Research Questions
1. How can the benefits derived from social media use be
augmented to suppress the risks?
2. What are the triggers of mental health issues among social
media users?
3. What strategies can be implemented to reduce social media
use among adolescents?
Hypothesis
Social media users are at increased risk of depressive symptoms
and anxiety.
Literature Review
Numerous studies on the influence of social media and mental
health exist. This section focuses on some of the outstanding
peer-reviewed articles on the issue. The review aims to broaden
understanding of the issue while identifying new focus areas.
The keyword used to identify these articles is social media and
mental health. The articles were obtained from Google Scholar
and PubMed electronic databases. All the articles were
published between 2017 and the present.
Many attempts have been aimed to promote an understanding of
the relationship between mental health and social media.
Naslund et al. (2020) focus on the benefits and risks of using
social media and propose new methods to overcome the risks.
One of the benefits of social media is improving social
interaction among different people in the community. Social
media offers readily available and accessible forms of access
for different individuals than in person-conversation. The
second benefit is that social media facilitate access to peer
support networks (Naslund et al., 2020; O’Reilly, 2020). These
connections aim to establish meaningful relationships with
different people and help to connect with agencies and groups
that provide mental health services. A similar perspective
emerged in the study by (Bucci et al., 2019). In the study, Bucci

4. et al. (2019) note that social media provides digital platforms
that allow people to self-monitor and self-manage in a way that
face-to-face approaches have, up until now, not allowed.
One of the mental health risks associated with social media use
is that it affects offline relationships. (Naslund et al., 2020)
Assert that the way people use social media and their time on
these platforms have far-reaching consequences on their daily
lives. Other authors have also found the same in their studies.
In particular, (Twenge et al., 2019) found that the use of social
media among peers resulted in declining in-person social
interaction. As adolescents’ use of social media increased, their
in-person social interactions declined. The study was nationally
representative and had 82 participants aged between thirteen
and eighteen. Using social media has resulted in a sharp
increase in loneliness since 2011 (Twenge et al., 2019). These
findings show that social media can affect individual mental
well-being.
Another risk of using social media is that it can lead to hostile
interactions that trigger mental health problems. In the past,
many social media users have become victims of social media
use. One of the widespread phenomena on social media is
cyberbullying, where specific groups are targeted by hateful
messages (Naslund et al., 2020). Studies show that
cyberbullying disproportionately affects females more than
males (Naslund et al., 2020). Cyber-bulling has the potential to
cause depressive symptoms among victims. Further,
cyberbullying can potentially worsen anxiety symptoms for
young users and females (Naslund et al., 2020). Hence, social
media use can trigger mental health problems.
While the effects of mental illness are well-elaborated, as seen
in the literature, other studies found no connection between
social media use and mental health problems. (Coyne et al.,
2020) studied the effect of spending time on social media
platforms on the mental wellness of participants. The study was
longitudinal and was conducted for eight years. There were 500
participants in the study, and data were collected annually

5. through a questionnaire. The participants were aged between 13
and 20 years. The results showed that increasing time spent on
social media did not affect an individual’s mental wellness.
Consequently, the authors recommended further studies on the
same subject.
Summary
The literature on social media and mental health is
inconclusive. On the one hand, some studies have found
numerous benefits associated with social media use. These
benefits include facilitating social interaction and supporting
peer networks (Naslund et al., 2020). However, there are also
demerits associated with social media use, including risks of
loneliness, worsening anxiety, and depressive symptoms.
Nevertheless, other studies do not find a correlation between
time spent on social media and mental health (Coyne et al.,
2020). Hence, there is a need for more research on the issue.
Research Methodology
This study will use an experimental research method to further
the study on the influence of social media on mental health. The
choice of this method is partly informed by the literature
conducted. The primary study methods used in the existing
studies are longitudinal, cross-sectional, systematic reviews,
and commentaries. Among the reviewed studies, none use the
experimental method to find the correlation between social
media and mental health.
An experimental study is quantitative and contains a set of
variables that can be kept constant during research. The study is
usually conducted in a controlled environment to obtain
accurate results. Subsequently, this study will be conducted in a
controlled environment. Participants will be adolescents aged
between thirteen and nineteen years. The individuals will be
divided into two groups (25 participants each). Before
participating in the research, anxiety and depressive symptoms
will be determined. The aim of assessing depressive and anxiety
symptoms before participation is to account for any external

6. factors affecting study findings. The two groups will be
experimental and control. In control groups, individuals will not
be allowed to use social media applications throughout the
study period. In the experimental group, participants must spend
at least four hours daily on social media. The research period
will be two months. After two months, the researcher will
reassess depressive and anxiety symptoms for participants in
both groups. Depressive symptoms will be determined using
Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), while anxiety symptoms will
be measured using Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7 (GAD-7).
Analysis and Findings
The depressive symptoms and anxiety symptoms scores, as
measured by the respective tools, will be compared. The data
will be analyzed using a t-test to find the significant values and
make conclusions on the influence of social media on mental
health. Suppose there is no significant difference in depressive
and anxiety symptoms in control and experimental groups; the
researcher will conclude that social media does not influence
mental health. However, if there is a significant difference
between the control and experimental groups, the authors will
conclude that social media influences mental health. The
researcher will offer recommendations on dealing with the issue
from these findings.

7. References
Bucci, S., Schwannauer, M., & Berry, N. (2019). The Digital
Revolution and its impact on Mental Health Care.
Psychology and Psychotherapy: Theory, Research and
Practice,
92(2), 277–297.
https://doi.org/10.1111/papt.12222
Coyne, S. M., Rogers, A. A., Zurcher, J. D., Stockdale, L., &
Booth, M. C. (2020). Does time spent using social media impact
mental health?: An eight year longitudinal study.
Computers in Human Behavior,
104, 106160.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2019.106160
Naslund, J. A., Bondre, A., Torous, J., & Aschbrenner, K. A.
(2020). Social Media and Mental Health: Benefits, risks, and
opportunities for research and Practice.
Journal of Technology in Behavioral Science,
5(3), 245–257.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s41347-020-00134-x
O’Reilly, M. (2020). Social Media and Adolescent Mental
Health: The good, the bad and the ugly.
Journal of Mental Health,
29(2), 200–206.
https://doi.org/10.1080/09638237.2020.1714007
Pew Research Center. (2022, October 7).
Social Media Fact sheet. Pew Research Center: Internet,
Science & Tech. Retrieved November 1, 2022, from
https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/fact-sheet/social-
media/

8. Robinson, L., & Smith, M. (2022).
Social Media and Mental Health. HelpGuide.org.
Retrieved November 1, 2022, from
https://www.helpguide.org/articles/mental-
health/social-media-and-mental-
health.htm#:~:text=However%2C%20multiple%20studies%20ha
ve%20found,about%20your%20life%20or%20appearance
Twenge, J. M., Spitzberg, B. H., & Campbell, W. K. (2019).
Less in-person social interaction with peers among U.S.
adolescents in the 21st century and links to loneliness.
Journal of Social and Personal Relationships,
36(6), 1892–1913.
https://doi.org/10.1177/0265407519836170
2
The Influence of Social Media on Mental Health
Martha Ramsey
Saint Leo University
Research Method: PSY 535
Instructor Andrea Goldstein
November 12, 2022
The Influence of Social Media on Mental Health
Introduction

9. Social media has become a major part of people's lives in the
modern world. Since its existence, it has been used for various
purposes in everyday life. The initial purpose of social media
was for easier and faster personal communication. However, it
has gradually been incorporated into different fields, such as the
business world, schools, and hospitals, as a communication and
marketing tool, making it easier to reach more customers and
potential clients within a short time. Nevertheless, social media
has also had its downside, which can also be detrimental to the
health and well-being of its users. Studies conducted recently
have identified the development of mental health issues as one
of the negative effects of social media. Increased use of social
media has been shown to cause various mental health disorders
such as stress and anxiety, depression, and bipolar disorder.
This proposal will analyze an experimental study to identify the
influence of social media on mental health. It will study
selected participants, measures to address the variables of
interest, and the data collection procedure (Bashir & Bhat,
2017).
Participants
Social media can affect any of its users. Therefore, there is no
particular population that is only affected by the overuse of
social media. However, various studies have shown that
teenagers and young adults aged 12- 30 are more prone to
developing mental health issues than older adults (Berryman,
Ferguson & Negy, 2018). This can be attributed to the more
screen time consumed by this set of individuals compared to
people above this age bracket. Therefore, the participants in this
experiment will include high school and college students since
they face higher risks of developing mental health disorders.
According to different research studies and analyses, students
who spend much time on social media are more likely to
develop sleeping disorders, anxiety, depression, and low self-
esteem due to peer pressure on social platforms. This
experiment will study different variables and factors that
influence students' use of social media and how it leads to the

10. development of mental health issues.
Measures
This experiment will study different variables and factors that
lead to the development of mental health issues from too much
use of social media by high school and college students. One of
the most important factors to consider in the experiment will be
the daily amount of time spent on social media by the average
number of students. This will help to distinguish between the
average time that can be deemed healthy and detrimental to a
student’s mental health.
The experiment will also measure the commonly used social
media platforms and their effect on students’ mental health.
Various social platforms have been proven to have chances of
accelerating mental discomfort, such as low self-esteem, which
is one of the initial stages of developing mental health
disorders. Platforms such as YouTube, Instagram, and Snapchat
are some of the most used apps by students in that age bracket.
Data Collection Procedure
In this experiment, data and information will be collected
efficiently to ensure the effectiveness of this experiment.
Selected students will fill out questionnaires concerning their
social media use, such as their feelings and attitudes before,
during, and after using the social platforms. Answers collected
from the questionnaires will be analyzed to identify the various
triggers and underlying factors that make the students develop
negative emotions, ultimately leading to mental issues. This
will be the most crucial stage since it will discuss the effect of
factors such as average time spent on social media, content
consumed, and interactions they may face on social platforms.
References
Bashir, H., & Bhat, S. A. (2017). Effects of social media on
mental health: A review.
International Journal of Indian Psychology,
4(3), 125–131.

11. Berryman, C., Ferguson, C. J., & Negy, C. (2018). Social media
use and mental health among young adults.
Psychiatric quarterly,
89(2), 307–314.
Topic: The Influence of Social Media on Mental Health
Now that you are familiar with many different experimental
methods, consider what they might mean for your study. Use
two variables you consider "predictors" or "IVs" related to your
topic, as well as an outcome of interest. Write a brief hypothesis
about them and write three brief ways you could test your
hypothesis with a single-subject design, a repeated measures
factorial design, a between-groups factorial design, or a mixed
design (choose three of the four methods listed). Be sure to
specific what your IVs and DVs are. Finally, please indicate the
method you are ACTUALLY planning to use for your project
proposal. Give enough detail for classmates to provide
feedback.
I have attached the introduction and Method portion of the
paper to piggyback off of to help complete the assignment