PDF(Pubmed)
Abstract：
Cross-sectional studies have found a relationship between social media use and depression and anxiety in young people. However, few longitudinal studies using representative data and mediation analysis have been conducted to understand the causal pathways of this relationship.
This study aims to examine the longitudinal relationship between social media use and young people\'s mental health and the role of self-esteem and social connectedness as potential mediators.
The sample included 3228 participants who were 10- to 15-year-olds from Understanding Society (2009-2019), a UK longitudinal household survey. The number of hours spent on social media was measured on a 5-point scale from \"none\" to \"7 or more hours\" at the ages of 12-13 years. Self-esteem and social connectedness (number of friends and happiness with friendships) were measured at the ages of 13-14 years. Mental health problems measured by the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire were assessed at the ages of 14-15 years. Covariates included demographic and household variables. Unadjusted and adjusted multilevel linear regression models were used to estimate the association between social media use and mental health. We used path analysis with structural equation modeling to investigate the mediation pathways.
In adjusted analysis, there was a nonsignificant linear trend showing that more time spent on social media was related to poorer mental health 2 years later (n=2603, β=.21, 95% CI −0.43 to 0.84; P=.52). In an unadjusted path analysis, 68% of the effect of social media use on mental health was mediated by self-esteem (indirect effect, n=2569, β=.70, 95% CI 0.15-1.30; P=.02). This effect was attenuated in the adjusted analysis, and it was found that self-esteem was no longer a significant mediator (indirect effect, n=2316, β=.24, 95% CI −0.12 to 0.66; P=.22). We did not find evidence that the association between social media and mental health was mediated by social connectedness. Similar results were found in imputed data.
There was little evidence to suggest that more time spent on social media was associated with later mental health problems in UK adolescents. This study shows the importance of longitudinal studies to examine this relationship and suggests that prevention strategies and interventions to improve mental health associated with social media use could consider the role of factors like self-esteem.
This study aims to examine the longitudinal relationship between social media use and young people\'s mental health and the role of self-esteem and social connectedness as potential mediators.
The sample included 3228 participants who were 10- to 15-year-olds from Understanding Society (2009-2019), a UK longitudinal household survey. The number of hours spent on social media was measured on a 5-point scale from \"none\" to \"7 or more hours\" at the ages of 12-13 years. Self-esteem and social connectedness (number of friends and happiness with friendships) were measured at the ages of 13-14 years. Mental health problems measured by the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire were assessed at the ages of 14-15 years. Covariates included demographic and household variables. Unadjusted and adjusted multilevel linear regression models were used to estimate the association between social media use and mental health. We used path analysis with structural equation modeling to investigate the mediation pathways.
In adjusted analysis, there was a nonsignificant linear trend showing that more time spent on social media was related to poorer mental health 2 years later (n=2603, β=.21, 95% CI −0.43 to 0.84; P=.52). In an unadjusted path analysis, 68% of the effect of social media use on mental health was mediated by self-esteem (indirect effect, n=2569, β=.70, 95% CI 0.15-1.30; P=.02). This effect was attenuated in the adjusted analysis, and it was found that self-esteem was no longer a significant mediator (indirect effect, n=2316, β=.24, 95% CI −0.12 to 0.66; P=.22). We did not find evidence that the association between social media and mental health was mediated by social connectedness. Similar results were found in imputed data.
There was little evidence to suggest that more time spent on social media was associated with later mental health problems in UK adolescents. This study shows the importance of longitudinal studies to examine this relationship and suggests that prevention strategies and interventions to improve mental health associated with social media use could consider the role of factors like self-esteem.
摘要：
背景：横断面研究发现，社交媒体的使用与年轻人的抑郁和焦虑之间存在关系。然而,很少有使用代表性数据和中介分析的纵向研究来了解这种关系的因果途径.
目的：本研究旨在探讨社交媒体使用与年轻人心理健康之间的纵向关系，以及自尊和社交联系作为潜在中介者的作用。
方法：样本包括3228名来自理解社会（2009-2019）的10至15岁参与者，英国纵向家庭调查。在社交媒体上花费的小时数是以5分制测量的，从“无”到“7小时或更长时间”，年龄在12-13岁之间。自尊和社交联系（朋友的数量和友谊的幸福感）是在13-14岁之间测量的。通过“优势和困难问卷”测量的心理健康问题在14-15岁之间进行了评估。协变量包括人口统计学和家庭变量。使用未调整和调整的多级线性回归模型来估计社交媒体使用与心理健康之间的关联。我们使用路径分析和结构方程模型来研究中介途径。
结果：在调整后的分析中，有一个不显著的线性趋势表明，在社交媒体上花费更多的时间与2年后较差的心理健康有关（n=2603，β=.21，95％CI0.43至0.84；P=.52）。在未调整的路径分析中，68%的社交媒体使用对心理健康的影响是由自尊介导的(间接效应，n=2569，β=.70，95%CI0.15-1.30；P=.02）。这种效应在调整后的分析中减弱，发现自尊不再是一个显著的中介(间接效应，n=2316，β=.24，95%CI0.12至0.66；P=.22）。我们没有发现证据表明社交媒体与心理健康之间的关联是由社交联系介导的。在估算数据中发现了类似的结果。
结论：几乎没有证据表明，在社交媒体上花费更多的时间与英国青少年后来的心理健康问题有关。这项研究表明了纵向研究检查这种关系的重要性，并建议预防策略和干预措施来改善与社交媒体使用相关的心理健康可以考虑自尊等因素的作用。
目的：本研究旨在探讨社交媒体使用与年轻人心理健康之间的纵向关系，以及自尊和社交联系作为潜在中介者的作用。
方法：样本包括3228名来自理解社会（2009-2019）的10至15岁参与者，英国纵向家庭调查。在社交媒体上花费的小时数是以5分制测量的，从“无”到“7小时或更长时间”，年龄在12-13岁之间。自尊和社交联系（朋友的数量和友谊的幸福感）是在13-14岁之间测量的。通过“优势和困难问卷”测量的心理健康问题在14-15岁之间进行了评估。协变量包括人口统计学和家庭变量。使用未调整和调整的多级线性回归模型来估计社交媒体使用与心理健康之间的关联。我们使用路径分析和结构方程模型来研究中介途径。
结果：在调整后的分析中，有一个不显著的线性趋势表明，在社交媒体上花费更多的时间与2年后较差的心理健康有关（n=2603，β=.21，95％CI0.43至0.84；P=.52）。在未调整的路径分析中，68%的社交媒体使用对心理健康的影响是由自尊介导的(间接效应，n=2569，β=.70，95%CI0.15-1.30；P=.02）。这种效应在调整后的分析中减弱，发现自尊不再是一个显著的中介(间接效应，n=2316，β=.24，95%CI0.12至0.66；P=.22）。我们没有发现证据表明社交媒体与心理健康之间的关联是由社交联系介导的。在估算数据中发现了类似的结果。
结论：几乎没有证据表明，在社交媒体上花费更多的时间与英国青少年后来的心理健康问题有关。这项研究表明了纵向研究检查这种关系的重要性，并建议预防策略和干预措施来改善与社交媒体使用相关的心理健康可以考虑自尊等因素的作用。
