Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

The Effects Of Social Media On Mental Health: A Proposed Study, Grant Sean Bossard

Senior Projects Fall 2020

Abstract

There are about 3.8 billion social media users around the world (How Many People…, 2020). How does social media use affect the mental health of its users? Excessive social media use has the potential to increase vulnerability to the development of psychological disorders, specifically increasing psychological distress, decreasing self-esteem, and increasing depressive symptoms. With social media use on the rise among people of all ages, it is important to understand the potential adverse effects so that usage guidelines and interventions can be developed. This is a proposed study to determine what the effects of using Instagram, Facebook, or no …