A research study featured in the journal Behaviour & Information Technology titled- 'Social media use, loneliness and psychological distress in emerging adults', has revealed that people who use social media passively (only consuming content created by others) are more likely to feel lonely and experience psychological distress than people who use social media in a more active way (sharing their own content and interacting with others).
The study involved a group of researchers who conducted a survey of 288 individuals aged 18 to 34 in order to explore the relationship between different social media usage patterns and feelings of loneliness and psychological distress.
The study examined three types of social media use:
• Passive use: This category included individuals who solely consumed content created by other users.
• Active non-social use: This category included individuals who posted their own content but did not engage with other users.
• Active social use: This category included individuals who posted their own content and interacted with other users.
The researchers discovered that spending more time engaging in passive social media use was associated with heightened levels of anxiety, depression, and stress. However, the study also revealed that creating and sharing content on social media, without directly interacting with others, had a positive impact on reducing stress. “It was found that increased passive SMU (Social Media Use) was associated with higher anxiety, depression and stress symptoms; loneliness was associated with both SMU and psychological distress, while increased active non-social media use was associated with decreased stress. However, loneliness showed significant mediation effects only on the relation between passive SMU and psychological distress. Limitations, future research directions and suggestions for practice are discussed,” reveals the report.
Concluding the study, the researchers further suggest that social media users should consider their reasons for engaging with social media and be aware that passive use can lead to feelings of loneliness, depression, and even stress. On the other hand, creating and sharing social media content without direct interaction with others (like social media creators and influencers), may have a positive impact on reducing stress.