Hooked on virtual social life. Problematic social media use and associations with mental distress and addictive disorders
Henzel V, Håkansson A
PloS one · 38 citations
How it was studied
- Design
- Controlled clinical trial (indexed by PubMed)
- Studied in
- People
- Main outcome
- Health markers and function
Who paid for it
- Funding
- Independent funding
- University or hospital
- Lunds Universitet
Based on 1 listed funder(s) and full-text disclosure statement.
Publication
- Published
- 2021-04-08 · PLoS One · vol. 16 · issue 4 · p. e0248406
- Publisher
- Public Library of Science
- Cited
- 82 citations · more than 99% of similar papers · 19.7× the field average
- Impact
- Top 10% most cited in its field
- References
- 66 works
- Access
- Open access (journal) · CC-BY
- Research areas
- Impact of Technology on Adolescents · Digital Mental Health Interventions · Gambling Behavior and Treatments
- Keywords
- social media addiction, psychological distress, behavioral addiction, internet addiction, problem gaming, problem gambling, instant messaging, addiction, young adults, general population
- MeSH
- humans, cross-sectional studies, behavior, addictive, mental health, age factors, video games, internet, adolescent, adult, aged, aged, 80 and over, middle aged, sweden, female, male, social media
2 authors
From SE
- Vincent HenzelLund University; Region Skåne
- Anders Håkansson · correspondingLund University; Region Skåne
Abstract
Background
Social media is an important and growing part of the lives of the vast majority of the global population, especially in the young. Although still a young and scarce subject, research has revealed that social media has addictive potential. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to explore the associations between problematic use of social media and mental distress, problematic gaming and gambling, within the Swedish general population.
Methods
Data from 2,118 respondents was collected through self-report questions on demographics and validated scales measuring addiction-like experiences of social media, problem gaming, problem gambling, and mental distress. Associations were analyzed in unadjusted analyses and-for variables not exceedingly inter-correlated-in adjusted logistic regression analyses.
Results
In adjusted analyses, problematic use of social media demonstrated a relationship with younger age, time using instant messaging services, and mental distress, but not with education level, occupational status, or with treatment needs for alcohol or drug problems. Behavioral addictions (internet, gaming and gambling) were substantially inter-correlated, and all were associated with problematic use of social media in unadjusted analyses.
Conclusions
Social media use is associated with other addictive behaviors and mental distress. While factors of causality remain to be studied, these insights can motivate healthcare professionals to assess social media habits, for example in individuals suffering from issues concerning gambling, gaming or mental health.
Abstract via Europe PMC. Copyright remains with the authors or publisher (CC BY).
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