The Indirect Effects of Disordered Social Media Use on Stress and Depression via Fear of COVID-19

Abstract

The 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is a global threat that has negative impacts on individuals’ physical and mental health. Here, we explore if disordered social media use promotes fear of COVID-19, which in turn increases stress and depression in users. The study also explores several risk and protective factors that may affect the relationship between fear of COVID-19 and stress and depression. There were 174 participants that completed an online survey that measured disordered social media use, fear of COVID-19, perceived stress, and depression symptomatology. We found that disordered social media use predicts perceived stress indirectly through fear of COVID-19. Disordered social media use had a direct relationship with depression scores and this relationship is mediated by fear of COVID-19. We also found that the positive relationship between fear of COVID-19 and perceived stress is stronger for older people than younger people. The psychological impact of COVID-19 may be exacerbated by content promoting the fear of COVID-19 that users will be exposed to on social media.

Adolescent coping and social media use moderated anxiety change during the COVID‐19 pandemic

“…SMU was positively correlated with avoidant coping at both T1 and T6, suggesting that adolescents may use social media as an avenue to avoid unpleasant thoughts or feeling related to stress of the pandemic. This is consistent with prior work showing that adolescents use social media to disengage from unpleasant thoughts and emotions (McNicol & Thorsteinsson, 2017; Stockdale & Coyne, 2020; Tillman, 2020). SMU by itself also moderated anxiety change, although follow‐up tests revealed only a marginal effect of reduced SMU predicting decreasing anxiety.…”

“…Further, adolescents may use SM as an avenue to deploy avoidant coping by self‐distracting from negative emotions (McNicol & Thorsteinsson, 2017; Stockdale & Coyne, 2020). Tillman (2020) found that putatively maladaptive SMU, conceptualized as compulsive behaviors comparable to behavioral addictions (Van den Eijnden et al, 2016) (e.g., SMU as escapism), predicted elevated stress. Indeed, avoidant coping has been implicated as a potential mechanism underlying the association between elevated psychological distress and internet addiction (Cheng et al, 2015; McNicol & Thorsteinsson, 2017).…”

Social Media Excessive Use and COVID-19 Related Stress in Young Adults

“…The current study confirms that COVID-19 related stress can be significantly predicted by excessive usage of social media. In terms of risk and protective factors, it was discovered that the link between COVID-19 fear and stress is stronger in older persons than it is in younger people (Tillman et al, 2019). Adolescents can utilize social media as a positive coping tool to deal with nervous feelings during the COVID-19 quarantine (Cauberghe et al, 2021); and stress is predicted indirectly by disordered social media use due to a fear of COVID-19.…”

Parental internet activity and communication through the new media - literature review

“…From a psychological perspective, being active online has a both negative and positive impact on well-being, mental health and interpersonal relationships. Tillman et al (2020) found that virtual communication and frequent online communication with friends were positively associated with severe depressive tendencies during the pandemic. In contrast, Bessiere et al (2010) report a significant correlation between the use of the Internet for communication purposes, especially when it concerns family and friends, and a reduction in the severity of symptoms of depression.…”