Investigating the Impact of Mental Health on Youth's Social Media Habits: A Statistical Exploration
Tags: research, spss, regression, statistics
Published: 2024-02-26 16:15:30

In today's digital times, Social media has become quite a seamless integration into the lives of the youth. It offers its users a platform for connectivity, self-expression and communication. However, given its numerous benefits, it has also come to everyone's attention that social media also comes with its own repercussions. In this article, I will walk you all through intricate relationship between **mental health and social media behavior of the young generation** revealing insights derived from a quantitative research study conducted as part of my coursework for the Statistics for Computing module at university.

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## RESEARCH QUESTIONS AND VARIABLES
In order to better understand the complex relationships between mental health and social media engagement among young adults, our study aimed to answer the following key research question:

> "How do various aspects of mental health, including depression, anxiety, happiness, and creativity, influence social media usage among young individuals?"

To address every aspect of this question, we identified four key **independent variables** that represent different aspects of mental health:

- Depression
- Anxiety
- Happiness
- Creativity

We identified these four key independent variables and examined their associations with _social media engagement_, the **dependent variable**.

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## DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS METHOD
To collect relevant data, we developed a comprehensive 20-question survey using Google Forms and targeted people aged 18 to 25. The survey used Likert scale questions to evaluate participants' perspectives on the relationship between mental health factors and social media usage. With 70 completed responses, we performed thorough statistical analysis using _IBM SPSS Statistics_, including regression analysis to identify correlations between the independent and dependent variables.
Survey Link: [https://forms.gle/wK8uXmxYdaigjxnH7](https://forms.gle/wK8uXmxYdaigjxnH7)

We started by running simple linear regression models for each independent variable separately, then performed a multiple regression model that combined all four variables to determine their collective predictive capacity for social media usage.

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## KEY FINDINGS:
Our analysis revealed several interesting insights:

- Depression came out as the most significant individual prediction, with a <u>strong positive correlation</u> to social media usage. Surprisingly, increased social media engagement was linked to higher depressive symptoms among participants.

- Anxiety also showed a <u>significant positive correlation</u> with social media usage, suggesting that prolonged digital interactions might increase anxiety levels.

- Contrary to popular opinion, happiness had a <u>moderately positive relationship</u> with social media use. Many participants reported that social media platforms increased happiness by promoting connectivity and a sense of belonging.

- Furthermore, creativity showed a modest but statistically <u>significant positive relationship</u> with social media use. Many young people used social media to express themselves creatively and be inspired.

These four mental health factors contributed to a significant portion **(33.8%)** of the variance in social media usage, highlighting the complexities of the interplay of variables at effect.

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## CONCLUSION

Our findings highlight the complex relationship between mental health and social media engagement among young people today. While social media platforms provide outstanding opportunities for connectivity and self-expression, it is critical to recognize and address the potential mental health risks associated with excessive use. By shedding light on these factors, we hope to spark informed debates and initiatives aimed at encouraging healthier online habits and supporting the psychological health of young people in the digital age.

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As we conclude this investigation into the complex relationship between mental health and social media use, I invite you, dear readers, to join the discussion. What are your thoughts on the results presented here? Are there any specific questions or topics you'd like us to delve deeper into?

Your insights and questions are invaluable additions to our ongoing discussion. Please leave your comments, questions, and reflections below. I look forward to engaging with each of you in an engaging discussion of ideas.

**Warm Regards,**
_Sakeena Navavi_