GALGOTIAS

UNIVERSITY

MOHD AFZAL HASAN 23GSOB2010570

KRISHNA YADAV 23GSOB2010528
KRITI KATIYAR 23GSOB2010568
KRITIKA SINGH 23GSOB2010575
MAYANK KUMAR 23GSOB2010489

PROJECT REPORT
“EVALUATING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SOCIAL
MEDIA USAGE AND MENTAL HEALTH OUTCOME”
SUBMITTED TO
DR. ANSHUL SRIVASTAV

Acknowledgments
 Thank you to my advisor, Dr. Anshul Srivastava , who has
been the best guide throughout this journey. Dr. Anshul
Srivastava provided me with advice, feedback, and honesty at all
times.

With Dr. Anshul Srivastava encouragement, she was the best

person to have in my corner, I could not have made a more
perfect choice in my advisor.

Thank you to my family for being all of the support and

encouragement I could ever need. My mom has always pushed
me to go beyond expectations, and she was always there when I
needed a reminder of what I am capable of. My dad was always
there to offer words of encouragement, and to set me back on
the right path when things got hard. My siblings, for whom I do
this for, have been my driving force; they will go on to not only
do, but achieve more than I have.

Thank you to my partner for never letting me fall into the

hold of my own self-doubt and for being there to hear my
practice presentations, frustrations, and celebrate my triumphs.
 Certificate
This is to certify that the project titled “EVALUATING
THE
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SOCIAL MEDIA USAGE AND
MENTAL HEALTH OUTCOME” is an academic work done by
“Mohd Afzal Hasan,Krishna,Kirti,Kritika,Mayank” submitted in
the partial fulfillment of the requirement for the award of the
MBA SEC.5 from “GALGOTIAS UNIVERSITY” under my guidance
and direction.

To the best of my knowledge and belief the data and

information presented by her in the project has not been
submitted earlier elsewhere.
 Table of Content
ABSTRACT
MEDIA AND ITS EFFECTS
INTRODUCTION
MENTAL HEALTH
SOCIAL MEDIA
FACEBOOK
METHODOLOGY
RESULTS
DISCUSSION
LIMITATION
CONCLUSION
 Abstract
Based on the amount of published research projects, interest
continues to grow regarding the impact social media has on mental
health. Yet with this increasing interest, research on the relationship
between social media and mental health has not been fully explored
across multiple age populations. Social media’s impact on mental
health has been primarily examined among young adults, typically
between the ages of 18-23; however, it has not been widely studied
among age groups beyond the emerging adult. To identify how social
media impacts the mental health of individuals on a broader age range,
the current study considered two age cohorts, the Millennial
Generation (born between 1981-1995) and Generation Z (born
between 1996-2012), and compared differences and similarities
between these age groups. Specific social media platform use and
mental health conditions were measured with an overall goal of a more
comprehensive view of social media type (Facebook, Instagram, and
Twitter) and use on self-reported levels of depression, anxiety, stress,
and self-esteem. The preliminary findings indicate that individuals who
are categorized as part of Generation Z report a more negative impact
on mental health as influenced by the use of any of the three
prominent forms of social media considered.

Media and It’s Side Effects

Social media, in various formats, has experienced an increasing
number of users (Clemmitt, 2013). However, with an increase in
popularity and usage, social media has been found to negatively affect
user mental health (McLean Hospital, 2020). Social media is commonly
defined as a collective term for websites and applications that focus on
communication, interaction, content-sharing, and collaboration (Rouse,
2020). Since social media is a collective term, it entails a variety of
forums, specifically social networking. Social networking uses websites
and applications to interact and maintain connections with between
individuals (Rouse, 2020). Various platforms have been created to
accommodate the differing social media purposes, such as Facebook,
Instagram, and Twitter. These three platforms were of interest for the
current study because of the number of world-wide users (monthly 7.6
billion Facebook users and 1 billion Instagram users, and 31 million
daily Twitter users) (Walton,
2022).
With an increase in social media use, prior research has sought
to identify if social media has impact on users. Results suggest social
media use tends to have an impact on the mental health of users
(Robinson & Smith, 2020). Past research findings indicate a common
people group with these investigations which include examining
individuals ranging between the ages
18-23. This may be because younger adults make up most social media
users (Clemmitt, 2013). However, the impact for social media use with
individuals beyond this age range is less wellknown with limited
generalizable conclusions to other age groups. Since social media has
continued to grow in patron use, it is crucial to identify potential
effects and long-term repercussions. This study aims to specifically
examine two generations, the Millennial generation (born between

1981-1995) and Generation Z (born between 1996-2012), which have

experienced social media in different ways and compare the
experiences of each age cohort. This study also intends to fill gaps left
by past research for social media impact on cohort mental health.

Introduction
Social media can serve multiple purposes, for example providing
a need in several areas such as communication, entertainment, and/or
occupation (Clemmitt, 2013). However, with the increase in social
media use, individuals have been impacted in various ways, including
financial, behavioral, and personal mental health (Lenhart, 2018).
Further research on the impact of social media use on an individual’s
overall mental health is only going to become more relevant due
amount of use and the number of areas social media can have
influence on an individual’s life (Clemmitt, 2013).
With increasing amounts of research being conducted for social
media impact on personal mental health, there have been several
identified limitations when it comes to the populations studied. It is
more common to look at younger populations, Generation Z, regarding
this topic (Cipolletta, Malighetti, Cenedese, & Spoto, 2020; Frison &
Eggermont, 2017; Hanna, Ward, Seabrook, Jerald, Reed, Giaccardi, &
Lippman, 2017; Primack, Shensa, et al., 2017). There have not been
studies specifically that have considered age cohort comparisons for
social media impact, which laid the foundation for the current study.
The current study aimed to look at the broad impact of social
media and to compare reported levels of depression, anxiety, stress,
and self-esteem on the Millennial generation, which are individuals
born between the years of 1981 and 1995, and Generation Z, which are
individuals born between the years of 1996 and 2012. Based on prior
literature, it is believed that Generation Z will report more negative
mental health scores because they grew up in the prime
of social media and the internet (Golbeck, 2017); however, this may
also be the case with Millennials that were born toward the end of the
generation. This study targeted four areas of mental health:
depression, anxiety, stress, and self-esteem, which will be the focus of
the current study.
LITREATURE REVIEW
One of the primary features of social media is chatting. As a social
network, chats are a powerful method of communication among social
media users. They may take the form of group or private chats.
According to , young people with psychological issues tend to worsen
their conditions by participating in social media chatrooms. Private
chats are not exempted, found that constant chatting with other
people without feeling their physical presence is one reason for the
increase in mental health issues among social media users. The
outcome is more loneliness, a common factor in psychological
deterioration. While chatting may not directly cause depression and
other mental health problems, it can exacerbate an individual’s
symptoms if one engages in long chats . The studies further caution
that young people must be careful when chatting with their peers on
social media.

Browsing posts and advertisements are equally part of social media.

Social media posts often portray falsehoods by allowing one to elevate
their good qualities and suppress their negative ones . Young people
may not understand this fact, and they are likely to think that
something is wrong with themselves because they do not look as good
as the posts made by their friends. The authors of found that social
media influencers significantly contribute to the poor mental health of
social media users. Advertisements power most social networking
platforms, and users have had to embrace the presence of ads
alongside their digital social lives. Because of their wide viewership, ads
shape the psychology and opinions of young people on these platforms
. An advertisement portraying a muscular individual may depress a
social media user who does not have similar body features. Similarly,
ads with tall girls may negatively impact young girls psychologically
because of social projection.
Sharing media, playing games on digital social networks, and
interacting on video conferencing channels may negatively impact an
individual’s mental health. In some cases, found that the sharing of
media and interactions on social media prompts users to think less of
themselves. Some users may not have good enough videos because
their equipment, such as cameras, is not as good as their friends’
devices. Moreover, watching videos on social media can be an
addictive habit if left unchecked. The authors of argue that the active
watching of and commenting on YouTube videos makes the platform
overly addictive compared to people who passively watch videos
without associated interactions. The authors advise that people’s
interactions on video-based social media platforms should be minimal.
Regarding games, argues that high involvement in social media games
can result in addiction. Such a condition may make an individual overly
dependent on these games, which distorts their m An individual’s
following and the intensity with which people react to their posts can
impact their mental health. For example, ref. [22] reports that users
who update more frequently on their social media pages tend to
receive more feedback in the form of likes and comments. This
feedback is important, as it enhances the self-esteem of post authors.
Moreover, ref. [23] observes that people receiving negative feedback
from their social media posts are more susceptible to emotional
distress The study affirms that technologies aiding young people in
comparing social statuses present a risk to their mental wellbeing.
Some turn to social media to increase followers and gain a sense of
gratification to compensate for their emotional and psychological
challenges [24]. This leads them further down the path of a graver
depression.

Mental Health
Depression is a mental health disorder characterized by
persistently depressed mood or loss of interest in activities, causing
significant impairment in life (Mayo Clinic, 2018). Depression is a
condition that can occur once, or through multiple episodes. During
depressive periods various symptoms occur. The symptoms of
depression include tiredness, loss of interest, angry outbursts, reduced
appetite, and in some cases, suicidal thoughts (Mayo Clinic, 2018).
Depression is a condition that can affect individuals in different ways,
the effects ranging from mild to severe.
Anxiety disorder is a mental health disorder characterized by
feelings of worry, anxiety, or fear that are strong enough to interfere
with one’s daily activities (Mayo Clinic, 2018). Experiencing anxiety is
considered a normal part of life; however, individuals with anxiety
disorder frequently have episodes that severely impact one’s daily
activities, making it difficult to function. The symptoms of anxiety
disorder include increased heart rate, hyperventilation, sense of
impending danger, difficulty controlling worry, and even having the
urge to end things that cause anxiety (Mayo Clinic, 2018). Anxiety
episodes can peak within minutes and can be extremely difficult to
control.

Stress is a feeling of emotional or physical tension; it can come from

any event or thought that makes you feel frustrated, angry, or nervous
(Medline Plus, 2020). It is not uncommon to experience stress in one’s
daily life, yet it is essential to recognize that stress can impact more
than just emotions or mood, it can take a physical toll. Stress
symptoms include headaches, forgetfulness, tiredness, lack of energy,
and can even lead to the use of alcohol or drugs (Medline
Plus, 2020). Although it is common to experience stress in one’s
everyday life, mild or situational stress tends to be temporary. In
contrast, chronic stress persists over extended periods of time.
 Psychological well-being breaks down into one subsection: self-
esteem. Self-esteem is the positive or negative feelings individuals
have about themselves (Tafarodi & Swann, 1995).
Various social and personal influences impact self-esteem, whether
positive or negative (1995). Emotional moods, personal ideas of
oneself, and perceptions of social relationships reflect on self-esteem
and determine whether it is high or low, positive or negative.
Essentially, self-esteem fluctuates throughout daily activities based on
performance or events that can occur in one’s social life.
Social Media
Social media is an ever-changing, growing phenomenon since its
inception (Clemmitt, 2013). Social media is software designed primarily
to facilitate social interaction. Social media developers have sought to
draw more individuals online through various media formats
(Clemmitt, 2013). Essentially, social media is one of the most
captivating and accessible ways to keep in touch and communicate
with other individuals. “In July 2012, the number of individuals using
social media had risen 5 percent, to about 172 million people,” and it
can be assumed that those numbers have only continued to rise
(Clemmitt, 2013, p. 3). However, with the increased use of social
media, the mental health of participating individuals has seen an
increase in research interest (Clemmitt, 2013).

In 2018, a study focused on finding the relationship between

social media use and depression and anxiety (Shensa, Sidani, Dew,
Escobar-Viera, & Primack 2018). After conducting a cluster analysis,
these authors concluded individuals that use social media report higher
levels of both depression and anxiety. Higher levels of depression and
anxiety were not common for those with limited social media use.
There was an earlier study conducted out of this lab among young
adults in the United States looking to identify an association between
the number of social media platforms used with depression and
anxiety (Primack Shensa, EscobarViera, Barrett, Sidani, Colditz, &
James, 2017). The researchers concluded participants who used seven
or more social media platforms reported elevated levels of depression
and anxiety. In a study by Lin, Sidani, Shensa, Radovic, Miller, Colditz,
Hoffman, Giles, & Primack (2016) also focused on young adults and the
association between depression and social media use, participants who
used social media frequently showed more symptoms of depression as
opposed to those who reported limited social media use. A separate
study, focusing on young adults and a social media use connection to
depression, reported similar findings but reached a slightly different
conclusion (Shensa et al., 2017). Social media was said to be associated
with depressive symptoms among individuals; however, the identified
association was based on how social media was used instead of how
long it was used.
Other authors have suggested specific reasons as to why social
media is associated with depression and anxiety. Considering age
and its connection with social media and the impact on self-esteem,
studies by Andreassen, Pallesen, and Griffiths (2017), and Hardy and
Castonguay (2018) are particularly relevant. The study by
Andreassen et al. focused on the relationship between addictive
social media use, narcissism, and self-esteem. Findings were broken
down by gender and age. Regarding both factors, it was reported
women had higher scores of addictive social media use than men,
but it was also more common among young adults than it was with
older adults, ages 61-88 (Andreassen et al., 2017). Addictive social
media use was positively linked to narcissism but negatively linked
to self-esteem among younger adults, age 16-30 (Andreassen et al.,
2017).
In 2018, there was an analysis of the 2016 General Social
Survey, specifically looking at the role of age in the relationship
 between social media and well-being (young versus middle/older
adults). Hardy and Castonguay (2018) concluded there was a strong
relationship between social media use and anxiety; however, this
relationship depended on the age of individuals; as it appeared in
middle/older adults (ages 46-60), but not in young adults.
An analysis published in 2017 took a different approach when
looking at the connection between social media and well-being. The
authors state that social media can have either a negative or
positive impact depending on the way that it is used (Clark, Algoe, &
Green, 2017). Positive associations between well-being and social
media use are commonly linked to increased connection, whereas
negative associations are frequently linked to behaviors that do not
meet users’ needs for acceptance (Clark et al., 2017). In a recent
study published in 2020, researchers specifically looked to compare
student health, well-being, and social media use (Wright Schaeffer,
Mullins, Evans, & Cast, 2020). In order to look at this comparison,
Wright and colleagues looked at the different impact social
networking sites have. The study was surveybased with a total of
630 undergraduate participants. It was concluded that increased
time spent daily on certain social networking sites were generally
associated with more negative outcomes (Wright et al.). It was also
reported that video-based and professional platforms were related
to an increase in well-being, while image-based and text-based
platforms were not.
Facebook
Facebook is one of the three social media platforms the current
study included in data collection. This platform was established in
February of 2004 by founder Mark Zuckerberg. Facebook was one of
the first platforms in the ongoing era of social media. Many individuals
today use it, including individuals from both the Millennial generation
and Generation Z. Since Facebook is one of the first platforms to gain
popularity, there has been research on its impact on depression,
anxiety, and psychological well-being (Brailovskaia, Schillack, &
Margraf, 2020; Hanna et al., 2017; Steinfield, Ellison, & Lampe, 2008).
In 2020 there was a study specifically focusing on young adults
in Germany. The study aimed to identify the relationship between
reasons for social media use, daily stress, depression, and anxiety. The
study concluded social interaction, self-presentation, information
seeking, relaxation, entertainment, as well as others were the reasons
for using social media (Brailovskaia et al., 2020). However, the results
were inconclusive in determining the relationship between social
media use, depression, anxiety, and daily stress. Another study focused
on finding the relationship between reasoning for the use of social
media and psychological well-being among young adults. The study
explicitly focused on self-objectification and social comparison in terms
of the reasoning individuals have to use social media. It was concluded
that social comparison and self-objectification mediate the relationship
between Facebook use and psychological wellbeing (Hanna et al.,
2017). Social comparison and self-objectification tend to be the
primary reasons as to why social media use occurs among young
adults.

A study in 2016, targeted the relationship between self-esteem, social

comparison, and Facebook use (Cramer, Song, & Dent). The study
utilized a survey-based methodology that focused on 267
undergraduate students in ages ranging from 18 to 51. The authors
found selfesteem did not necessarily have a connection to social
comparison in Facebook use, however, individuals with lower self-
esteem indicated a perceived increase in Facebook use that was not
actually indicated (Cramer et al., 2016). Another study published in
published in that same year, looked at a theory that suggested that
well-being is negatively impacted by Facebook use (Tromholt, 2016). In
order to find the true relationship between well-being and Facebook
use,
Tromholt conducted a week-long study with 1,095 participants with an
average age of 34 years.
Participants took an initial questionnaire before being assigned to one
of two groups: don’t use Facebook for a week or continue to use
Facebook regularly. The study was able to provide causal evidence that
quitting Facebook leads to an increase in both cognitive and affective
wellbeing (Trombolt, 2016). Taking a break from the platform allowed
users to report a greater overall satisfaction in their lives.
However, one study, stood out because researchers had reached a
different conclusion in terms of the relationship between social
media and psychological well-being (Steinfield, Ellison, & Lampe,
2008). A longitudinal analysis was conducted to find the relationship
between social capital, self-esteem, and social networking. The
research was conducted among university students incorporating an
interview process. The findings conclude that Facebook is a
beneficial way for students to maintain relationships and individuals
with low self-esteem have more opportunities to engage with
others. This study contributed by reporting different findings than
prior research while wideneding the knowledge that social media
has on mental health. Steinfield and colleagues aided in proving that
social media may be serving the purpose it was meant to, helping
individuals communicate. Instagram
Instagram is the second social media platform this study
intends to include in the data collected. It was established in
October 2010 by founder Mark Zuckerberg. Mark Zuckerberg
established Instagram as a branch of Facebook. It is a social platform
used to share photos of individuals’ lives. Like Facebook, it is
prevalent, primarily because of its simplicity. Since Instagram is still
one of the newer social media platforms, there is limited research
regarding its impact on the relationship between Instagram use and
mental health.
In 2016, a study was conducted specifically focusing on the
connection between Instagram use, loneliness, and social
comparison. Many previous studies have looked at the connection
between social media use and loneliness before, but the results
have been inconclusive, so this study specifically into Instagram as
the only social media platform (Yang, 2016). The study was survey-
based and focused on 208 undergraduate participants between the
ages of 18 and 25. It was concluded that browsing on Instagram was
related to lower levels of loneliness, but broadcasting, which is what
influencers engage in, was related to higher levels of loneliness
(Yang, 2016). It was also found that users that engaged in upward
social comparison reported higher levels of loneliness. Another
study published in 2016 also focused on the relationship between
social media use and loneliness, while considering specific
platforms: Instagram and Twitter. Researchers hypothesized that
picture-based platforms create more of a social presence, allowing
them to better combat loneliness compared to text-based platforms
(Pittman & Reich, 2016). The study utilized a mixed-method survey
design focusing on 253 undergraduate participants. It was
concluded that using more image-based platforms, like Instagram, is
associated with lower levels of loneliness.
In 2017 there was a study conducted that specifically focused
on the types of Instagram use and its relationship with depressed
moods among adolescents (Frison & Eggermont). This longitudinal
study was conducted to fill gaps that had not yet been addressed in
previous research. The study consisted of self-report surveys after
each use of Instagram. Participants were instructed to use
Instagram twice a day and to fill out the survey after each use. The
findings from this study suggest individuals that used Instagram the
 first time in the day were more depressed than when they used it
the second time.
A recently conducted study focused on the possible benefits of
Instagram use on psychological well-being among adolescents. The
study utilized an interview basis among adolescents to identify
possible connections between the use of the platform and well-
being (Cipolletta, Malighetti, Cenedese, & Spoto, 2020) . It was
found after adolescents had received likes on posted photos, there
was an increase in personal self-acceptance. In the case of receiving
likes and increased psychological well-being, self-esteem and self-
image tend to increase with more social recognition. However,
according to these authors, as quickly as self-acceptance can
increase, it can also decrease when posts on Instagram lack the
amount of desired ‘likes.’ Twitter
Twitter is the third social media platform this study intends to
consider. Twitter was established in March 2006 by founder Jack
Dorsey (Hayes, 2014). Twitter is a social platform that combines
characteristics of both Instagram and Facebook. Although Twitter
was launched before Instagram, it does not have the same
popularity among both the Millennial generation and Generation Z
(2014). It is more commonly used by individuals between the ages of
18 and 23 and is starting to gain more popularity across the age
span. Due to this, there has been limited research conducted on the
relationship between social media and user mental health.
A study published in 2015 looked to find the differences in personality
among users that use book Twitter and Facebook and users that only
use Facebook. Petrocchi and researchers (2015) hypothesized that
Facebook only users would positively correlate with feelings of
loneliness, whereas users of both platforms would have no significant
correlation with loneliness.
The study was survey-based and focused in 214 undergraduate
students between the ages of 18 and 23 years old. The conclusion was
supported by the hypothesis, for Facebook only users, who reported
more hours of usage on the one platform for higher levels of loneliness
than users of both Twitter and Facebook.
In 2016 a study was conducted with the intention to identify a
relationship between life satisfaction, happiness, and Twitter use. The
study specifically aimed to see if life satisfaction could be interrupted
by outlying societal factors, like politics, disasters, etc. (Yang &
Srinivasan, 2016). The study utilized a surveillance methodology where
researchers observed tweets that were posted. It was found that
expressions of life satisfaction were immune to current events
(political, disasters, etc.) and showed few random fluctuations.
A study conducted in 2018 by Brailovskaia and Margraf looking at
German students and the impact social media has on mental health,
the researchers used survey methodology. The findings led the authors
to conclude Twitter is associated with depression, anxiety, and stress.
The researchers state findings may be due to the nature of the
platform. Twitter is not considered as interactive as other social media
platforms, making it more difficult for individuals to improve mental
health status (Brailovskaia & Margraf, 2018).
However, a separate study reached the opposite conclusion. A
longitudinal study focused on the relationship between Twitter and
depression. It was found that individuals who indicated low in-
person social support and used Twitter had reduced symptoms of
depression (Cole, Nick, Varga, Smith, Zelkowitz, Ford, & Lédeczi,
2018). Twitter is a platform that many individuals use to relate to
others. Because the platform is used in this manner, many
individuals find support online rather than in person. These findings
suggest that individuals that conveyed positive sentiment through
 the platform also showed reduced symptoms of depression (Cole et
al., 2018).

Conclusion
When it comes to the relationship between social media and
mental health, it has been more common to conclude social media
negatively impacts mental health. However, there are studies that
suggest exceptions to these conclusions for a negative impact .
There is a range of findings on the relationship between social media
and mental health. Impacts on mental health differ based on the
reasons as to why it is used and even how individuals are using it .
There simply is not enough research on the topic to know what impact
social media has on user mental health.
Looking at studies that have already been conducted, there has
been a variety of reported limitations. Most studies reported problems
with participants enacting social desirability when filling out surveys,
which limited the findings of the studies because participants could
have altered responses based on perceived notions of desirability. It is
also common for studies to be conducted with only young adults,
specifically from Generation Z, and no individuals from the Millennial
generation. This limits findings because they become less generalizable
to the entire population. It was recommended that future studies focus
on multiple age groups to make conclusions more generalizable.
Due to the recommendations, this study investigated the impact
of social media on mental health across two age groups, comparing the
Millennial generation and Generation Z. This study fills the gaps of
knowledge to existing research with specific regard to the ages
considered and cohort differences on the impact social media has on
personal mental health.
 Methodology
In order to gather the necessary data, this study utilized a self-
report survey method. The survey collected quantitative data and
was constructed to specifically target the amount of time individuals
spend using social media, which social media platforms used, and to
identify any issues of mental health, including self-reported mental
health issues and prior mental health treatment that occur due to
social media use.
Participants
The survey was given to individuals born within the years 1996-
2012 (Z Generation) and 1981-1995 (Millennials). The study gathered a
total of 126 participants; 100 of which identified as part of Generation
Z and 26 of which identified as part of the Millennial Generation. With
the ability to gather 126 participants, this study contains a power score
of 0.96.
Data Collection Procedures
After an IRB was submitted and approved, a consent form
(Appendix A) was provided to participants before data collection
began. Data was collected by utilizing two sources. First, in order to
target the younger age pool (Z Generation participants) and in hopes of
obtaining Millennial respondents as well, the survey was provided to
students taking Principles of Psychology courses. Students completed
the survey as part of a course requirement. A second way used to
obtain Millennials; the survey was presented on the social media
platform,
Facebook, and was also distributed to alumni of the University of
Northern Colorado Honors Program through their newsletter. Qualtrics
was used to collect data on the one specific social media platform (i.e.,
Facebook, Instagram, Twitter) as a way to reach individuals from both
age groups.
Instrumentation
Various surveys were utilized to collect data. A demographic
survey was used to gather background information from participants
on gender, age, birth year, race, highest education level completed,
marital status, number of days per week social media is used and the
average number of hours per week the three social media platform(s)
are used.
The Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale (BSMAS) was used to
measure the amount of time and frequency on Facebook, Twitter,
and Instagram. The BSMAS is a six-item self-report scale on a 5-
point Likert scale and was adapted from the Bergen Facebook
Addiction Scale (Golbeck, 2017). The BSMAS is widely accepted and
has a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.88 (Duradoni, Innocenti, & Guazzini,
2020).
Levels of anxiety were measured using The Generalized Anxiety
Disorder 7-item Scale (GAD-7). The scale asks participants to rate
the severity of symptoms from four options including “not at all,”
and “nearly every day” (Child Outcomes Research Consortium, n.d.).
The widely accepted GAD-7 Scale has been validated to assess the
general population (CORC, n.d.).
The GAD-7 scale has been shown to be reliable with a Cronbach’s alpha
of 0.88 (Johnson, Ulvenes, Oktedalen, & Hoffart, 2019). Johnson et al.
(2019) reports the scale to have high validity through consistent
findings.
The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) was used to measure
depression. Created by

Aaron T. Beck, the Beck Depression Inventory is a 21-item self-

reporting questionnaire (Beck, Ward, Mendelson, Mock, & Erbaugh,
1961; Jackson-Koku, 2016). The inventory runs on a 4point scale from 0
to 3, and has become widely accepted (Jackson-Koku, 2016). The BDI
was found to yield a reliability with a reported Cronbach’s alpha of 0.86
(Beck et al., 1961).
The Rosenberg Self Esteem Scale (RSES) was used to measure
self-esteem. Created in
1965 by Dr. Morris Rosenberg, the RSES is the most commonly used
measure of self-esteem in psychology research (Jordan, 2020). The
RSES is a 10-item self-report measure using a 4-point
Likert scale ranging from “strongly agree,” to “strongly disagree”
(Jordan, 2020). The RSES indicates excellent internal consistency with a
Cronbach’s alpha of 0.92 and high validity because the scale correlates
with other measures of self-esteem (Rosenburg, 1979).
Data Analysis Procedures
An analysis was conducted through the utilization of an
independent T-test using the IBM SPSS software. In order to do this, all
of the possible answers to the survey had to be converted into a Likert
scale. Multiple T-tests were ran for each scale that comprised the
survey, comparing the data from both generations and was analyzed
on a basis of a 0.05 significance. The current study sought to fill the
gaps in previous research with regard to the ages considered and
cohort differences and similarities on the impact social media has on
personal mental health. The two research questions for this study are:
(1) What are the implications of social media on the mental health of

individuals (i.e., depression, anxiety, stress, and self-esteem) born

between the years of 1981-1995

(Millennial/Generation Y) and 1996-2012 (Generation Z)?

 H1: Participants who are part of the Millennial generation and
those part of Generation Z will report differing levels of
depression.
H2: Participants who are part of the Millennial generation and
those part of Generation Z will report differing levels of
anxiety.
H3: Participants who are part of the Millennial generation and
those part of Generation Z will report differing levels of stress.
H4: Participants who are part of the Millennial generation and
those part of Generation Z will report differing levels of self-
esteem.
(2) What is the impact with the three social media types: Facebook,

Twitter, and Instagram for reported levels of depression, anxiety,

stress, and psychological well-being in Generation Z and Millennial

participants?

H5: Participants who are part of the Millennial generation

(1981-1995) and those part of Generation Z (1996-2012) will
display differing levels of depression, anxiety, stress, and self-
esteem based on the type of social media used (Facebook,
Twitter, or Instagram). H6: Participants who are part of the
Millennial generation and those part of Generation Z will
report differing levels of social media usage.
These questions and hypotheses were used to not only guide the
data collection process, but the data analysis process as well.

Results
Demographics
 As previously mentioned, this study included a total of 126
participants. Of these participants, 100 were identified to be part of
Generation Z and 26 to be part of the Millennial Generation. Majority
of participants identified as single (n=100), female (n=104), white
(n=53), and reported a High School Diploma (n=95) as their highest
level of education (see Table 1).

Table 1. Demographics

Participants had reported an average of 2.5 hours spent engaging in

social media per day.
The usage of the Facebook and Instagram social media platforms were
higher the usage of the
Twitter platform (see Table 2).
 Table 2. Social Media Platform Usage

Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale

The Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale was utilized in this survey
to measure the level of addiction, feelings, and thoughts towards the
usage of social media. This scale was also used to measure the stress
that can come with the use of social media. In this study, the scale had
a Cronbach Alpha of 0.840.
Of the six questions in the scale, only 4 questions were found
to show a significant different between participants in the two
cohorts. Participants of Generation Z reported higher levels of
addiction regarding: feeling an urge to use social media more and
more, using social media to forget about personal problems, trying
to cut down on the use of social media without success, and
becoming resltess/troubled when being prohibited from using social
media (see Table 3).
Table 3. Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale

Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7 – Item Scale

The GAD 7 – Item Scale was used to measure the level of anxiety
participants through the behaviors in which anxiety may present itself.
In this study, the scale had a Cronbach Alpha of
0.943. All questions in the scale were found to have a significant

difference between the cohorts. Participants in Generation Z displayed

higher levels of: feeling nervous, anxious or on edge, not being able to

stop or control worrying, worrying too much about different things,

trouble relaxing, being so restless that it is hard to sit still, becoming

easily annoyed or irritable, and feeling afraid, as if something awful

might happen (see Table 4).

Table 4. Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-Item Scale

Beck Depression Inventory

The Beck Depression Inventory was used to measure the level of

depression in participants through the way that depression can present
itself in individuals. In this study, the scale had a Cronbach Alpha of
0.929. In the analysis of this scale, questions 18 and 19 were not
considered because they did not carry significant data, meaning that
participants from both cohorts did not resonate with the question
being asked. Without the consideration of those questions, there was a
significant difference between the the cohorts, displaying that
participants a part of Generation Z reported higher levels of depression
(see Table 5).
 Table 5. Beck Depression Inventory

Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale

 The Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale was utilized to measure the
perception particpants had of themselves, whether it is negatively or
positively. In this study, the scale had a Cronbach Alpha of 0.877. Of
the ten questions in the scale, only half were considered in the
analysis. Since this study looked to find the levels of negative self-
esteem related to the usage of social media, these specific questions
were decidely left out of the analysis. Generation Z participants
reported higher levels of negative aspects of self-esteem like: thinking
they are no good at all, feeling that they don’t have much to be proud
of, feeling useless at times, wishing they could have more respect for
themselves, and being inclined to feel that they are a failure (see Table
6).

Table 6. Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale

 Discussion
After conducting the analysis of all of the data that was collected
in this study, it was essential to take the hypotheses that were made
before data collection. All of the hypotheses made from the first
question were supported. The hypotheses stated participants in the
Millennial Generation and Generation Z would display differing levels
of depression, anxiety, stress, and self-esteem. In every scale that was
tested, participants in Generation Z displayed higher levels depression,
anxiety, stress, and negative perceptions of self-esteem. Five of the six
hypotheses were supported by current study data. Hypothesis 1 was
supported because participants in
Generation Z reported higher levels of depression compared to
particpants in the Millennial Generation. Hypothesis 2 was also
supported because participants in Generation Z reported higher levels
of anxiety compared to participants in the Millennial Generation. The
third hypothesis was supported with participants from Generation Z
reporting higher levels of stress than the Millennial Generation.
Hypothesis 4 was supported with participants identified as Generation
Z reporting higher levels of negative self-esteem as compared to
Millennial participants.
Looking at hypotheses 5 and 6, which stem from the second
research question, only one was supported from data gathered in
this study. Specifically, Hypothesis 5 was not supported by the data
with no correlation found between mental health and the type of
social media used. The hypothesis stated participants who are a part
of the Millennial Generation and Generation Z would report
differing levels of depression, anxiety, stress, and self-esteem based
on the social media used. However, the current data did not find a
correlation between mental health and the type of social media
being used.
 However, Hypothesis 6 was supported because participants
from Generation Z indicated higher levels of social media use
compared to Millennial participants. This hypothesis derived from
the second question stated participants who are a part of the
Millennial Generation and Generation Z would report differing levels
of social media usage. Participants whom identified as part of
Generation Z reported higher levels of social media usage compared
to participants in the Millennial Generation. This was expected
considering the increased use of social media in society as a whole.

Overview
This study looked to further knowledge and identify gaps with
research created when looking at the impact social media has had on
mental health across generations. The findings suggest Generation Z
participants displayed predicted impacts of social media on mental
health. Based on the hypotheses, this study was able to support that
participants in Generation Z report higher levels of depression, anxiety,
stress, and negative perceptions of self-esteem in relation to social
media use compared to participants self-identified as part of the
Millennial Generation.
Limitations
The main limitation in this study was the self-report survey
format. The survey format led to two possible issues: social desirability
and introspective ability. Social desirability is a phenomenon where
individuals who are taking a self-report survey may choose the answer
that is most socially desirable, as opposed to choosing the answer that
is most true. Introspective ability is a phenomenon where individuals
are not truly able to reflect on themselves, which makes it hard for
individuals to accurately answer a self-report survey.
Two other limitations in this study went hand in hand. Not being able
to reach the goal of
100 participants that are part of the Millennial Generation was a
limitation. Without being able to reach this goal of 100 Millennial
participants prohibited the findings from being generalizable to the
larger population. This also lead to resorting to social media to spread
the word about the survey. The survey was shared to the Facebook
social media platforms in hopes of attracting more particpants.
However, the goal was still not reached and this also created the
potential presence of bias in the results.
Although participants from Generation Z were found to show
higher levels of depression, anxiety, stress, and having negative self-
esteem, participants in the Millennial Generation also reported similar
levels. However, from the lack of Millennial participants, there was not
enough data gathered for there to be a significant connection. The
findings in this study are supported by previous research studies
(Brailovskaia et.al., 2020; Cramer et.al., 2016; Frison et.al., 2017), but
the variables of interest should receive further investigation using a
greater number of Millenial participants. Future research should also
consider recent changes in social media ownership (Twitter) along with
potential changes in use and specific perceptions of the various social
media formats.

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SYNOPSIS

Social media refers to the means of interactions among people in which

they create, share, and/or exchange information and ideas in virtual
communities and networks. The Office of Communications and
Marketing manages the
main Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube accounts.
We offer an array of tools, including one-on-one consults with schools,
departments and offices looking to form or maintain an existing social
media presence to discuss social media goals and strategy, as well as
offer insights and ideas. Before creating any social media account, you
must submit the Account Request Form. Be sure to check with your
school’s communications office for any school specific regulations or
branding guidelines.
Key Principles for Social Media Managers:
 Social media is about conversations, community, connecting with
the audience and building relationships. It is not just a broadcast
channel or a sales and marketing tool.
 Authenticity, honesty and open dialogue are key.
 Social media not only allows you to hear what people say about
you, but enables you to respond. Listen first, speak second.
 Be compelling, useful, relevant and engaging. Don’t be afraid to
try new things, but think through your efforts before kicking them
off.
Popular Social Media Tools and Platforms:
 Blogs: A platform for casual dialogue and discussions on a specific
topic or opinion.
 Facebook: The world’s largest social network, with more than
1.55 billion monthly active users (as of the third quarter of 2015).
Users create a personal profile, add other users as friends, and
exchange messages, including status updates. Brands create pages
and Facebook users can “like” brands’ pages.
 Twitter: A social networking/micro-blogging platform that allows
groups and individuals to stay connected through the exchange of
short status messages (140 character limit).
 YouTube/Vimeo: Video hosting and watching websites.
 Flickr: An image and video hosting website and online
community. Photos can be shared on Facebook and Twitter and
other social networking sites.
 Instagram: A free photo and video sharing app that allows users
to apply digital filters, frames and special effects to their photos
and then share them on a variety of social networking sites.
  LinkedIn: A place where groups of professionals with similar
areas of interest can share information and participate in a
conversations.
The term "social" refers to interacting with other people by sharing
information with them and receiving information from them. The
"media" refers to an instrument of communication. Social media
are web-based communication tools that enable people to interact
with each other by both sharing and consuming information. Social
networking is a subcategory of social media. Social media is not
just an activity; it is an investment of valuable time and resources.
Importance of social media is an in-thing among the educational
sector. These are computer-mediated tools that allow people or
companies to create, share, or exchange information, career
interests, ideas, and pictures/videos in virtual communities and
networks. The social networking websites like linkedin, Facebook,
twitter and orkut etc. are continuously distracting students from
their studies. The main focus of student should be education but
unfortunately today's student are emphasizing on such sites which
can be a complete wastage of time. There are several negative
effects of social media which receive criticism, for example
regarding privacy issues, Internet frauds etc.
Social media usage
Back in 2005, when social media was still in its infancy, only about 5
percent of users in the United States were involved in social media. In
2019, that number grew to about 70 percent.
 Pew Research Center surveyed social media usage and popularity
among US adults early in 2019. The survey found that while the
most-used social platforms for adults are YouTube and
Facebook; teens prefer SnapChat and Instagram, while TikTok is
reportedly the fastest growing social network among younger
users.
 Social media use is nearly universal among today’s teens. Pew
Research Center reports 97 percent of 13- to 17-year-olds use at
least one of seven major online platforms.
  The amount of time spent on social sites is astounding.
One report indicates the average teen ages 13 to 18 spends about
nine hours on social media each day; tweens ages 8 to 12 are on for
about six hours a day.
Like most things, using social media has its positives (the good), its
cautionary tales (the bad), and dangers (the ugly) that lurk and impact
the lives of many, but especially teens.
Pros: Why is social media good?
Social media and technology offer us greater convenience and
connectivity:
 staying connected with family and friends worldwide via email,
text, FaceTime, etc.
 quick access to information and research
 banking and bill pay at our fingertips
 online learning, job skills, content discovery (YouTube)
 involvement in civic engagement (fundraising, social awareness,
provides a voice)
 great marketing tools
 opportunities for remote employment
Social media can be a good thing, but if teens ever feel uncomfortable
about something they see or read on social, they should trust their own
feelings and talk to someone – a parent, a teacher, or another trusted
adult. Bullying, threats and cruelty on social media are all signs that the
person doing those things needs help.
Cons: Why is social media bad?
Along with the good comes the bad. With all of its benefits, the nature
of social media presents a range of potential issues.
 Online vs Reality. Social media itself is not the problem. It is the
way people use it in place of actual communication and in-person
socializing. “Friends” on social media may not actually be friends,
and may even be strangers.
 Increased usage. The more time spent on social media can lead to
cyberbullying, social anxiety, depression, and exposure to content
that is not age appropriate.
 Social Media is addicting. When you’re playing a game or
accomplishing a task, you seek to do it as well as you can. Once
you succeed, your brain will give you a dose of dopamine and
other happiness hormones, making you happy. The same
mechanism functions when you post a picture to Instagram or
Facebook. Once you see all the notifications for likes and positive
comments popping up on your screen, you’ll subconsciously
register it as a reward. But that’s not all, social media is full of
mood-modifying experiences.
 Fear of Missing Out. FOMO has become a common theme, and
often leads to continual checking of social media sites. The idea
that you might miss out on something if you’re not online can
affect your mental health.
 Self-image issues. Social media sites provide tools that allow
people to earn others’ approval for their appearance and the
possibility to compare themselves to others. It can be associated
with body image concerns. The “selfieholics” and people who
spend most of their time posting and scrolling are the ones most
vulnerable to this. In fact, most college girls who use Facebook at
least five times a day are likely to link their self-worth to their
looks. That doesn’t mean that the main problem is social media; it
only provides a medium for it, which further elevates the problem.
It also promotes the same sort of behavior to others.
Social Media and Its SignificanceEvery person's daily routine
involves some kind of social media interaction. Anyone, anywhere,
at any time, can connect with you through social media as long as
you have access to the internet.While everyone was confined to
their homes, unable to speak with anybody other than family and
friends, it is critical to communicate with friends and family during
Covid-19 to avoid being isolated. The outbreak resulted in social
media being an essential tool for individuals to make entertaining
videos and engage in social media challenges and activities, which
helped keep people busy during these challenging circumstances.
As a result of the quick rise and extension of digital marketing,
social media has played an essential part in this expansion. It's also
a fantastic resource for finding information on a wide variety of
topics. People may learn a great deal and stay up to date with the
newest news worldwide by utilizing this. But there is always a
drawback to every good that comes with it, no matter how
beneficial. As a consequence, the following are some of the most
significant advantages and disadvantages of social media in today's
fast-paced society.