One-shot intervention reduces online engagement with distorted content.

ABSTRACT: Depression is one of the leading causes of disability worldwide. Individuals with depression often experience unrealistic and overly negative thoughts, i.e. cognitive distortions, that cause maladaptive behaviors and feelings. Now that a majority of the US population uses social media platforms, concerns have been raised that they may serve as a vector for the spread of distorted ideas and thinking amid a global mental health epidemic. Here, we study how individuals ( n=838 ) interact with distorted content on social media platforms using a simulated environment similar to Twitter (now X). We find that individuals with higher depression symptoms tend to prefer distorted content more than those with fewer symptoms. However, a simple one-shot intervention can teach individuals to recognize a

SUBMITTER: Hasan E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11914320 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature