The moderating role of age in the relationship between social media use and mental well-being: An analysis of the 2016 General Social Survey

• Published in: Computers in human behavior 2018-08, Vol.85, p.282-290
• Main Authors: Hardy, Bruce W., Castonguay, Jessica
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anxiety; Digital media; Facebook; Facebook depression; Life stages; Mental depression; Mental health; Mental well-being; Social networking sites; Social networks; Twitter
• ISSN: 0747-5632; 1873-7692
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chb.2018.04.005

The relationship between using social networking sites (SNS) and mental health is a thriving area of research producing mixed results. While terms such as “Facebook depression” have gained popularity in the mainstream press, there is not a consensus on the relationship between SNS use and mental health issues such as depression and anxiety. Mixed results from past research hint that age might moderate the SNS/mental health relationship, yet no specific tests of this interaction have been previously reported. In this study, we examine the relationship by analyzing data from the 2016 General Social Survey (GSS). We show that, overall, the number of SNSs one uses is positively related to respondents reporting that they have felt like they were going to have a nervous breakdown. While this relationship is positive for respondents 30 years old and older, it is negative for those who are 18–29 years olds. •The relationship between social media and mental well-being is moderated by age.•For adults over 30, social media use increases anxiety.•For adults aged 18–29, social media use decreases anxiety.