Examination of the temporal sequence between social media use and well-being in a representative sample of adults.

ABSTRACT: Given insufficient prospective evidence for relationships between social media use and well-being among adults, the present study examined the temporal sequence between social media use and psychological distress and life satisfaction, and explored age and gender differences. A representative sample of adults (N = 7331; 62.4% women; M_age = 51.94; SD = 13.48; 15-94 years) were surveyed annually across four waves. Cross-lagged panel models demonstrated bidirectional relationships between social media use and well-being. Higher psychological distress and lower life satisfaction predicted higher social media use more strongly than the reverse direction, with effects particularly pronounced for the impact of psychological distress. Although the patterns of findings were relatively co

SUBMITTER: Jarman HK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10366027 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature