A three-wave panel study on longitudinal relations between problematic social media use and psychological distress during the COVID-19 pandemic.

ABSTRACT:

Background

It still remains unclear whether problematic social media use (PSMU) is a cause or a consequence of psychological distress. The present study aimed to investigate the temporal relationships between PSMU and psychological distress through a three-wave panel study (between April and July 2020, with an interval of 1 month between each period of time).

Methods

3,912 adult Italian participants were surveyed during the COVID-19 pandemic for psychological distress (Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale) and PSMU (Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale). Random-Intercept Cross-Lagged Panel Models were applied to disaggregate between-person from within-person associations as regards PSMU and an individual's distress.

Results

On a between-person level we found that adult

SUBMITTER: Di Blasi M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9287460 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature