Experimental longitudinal evidence for causal role of social media use and physical activity in COVID-19 burden and mental health.

ABSTRACT:

Aim

The COVID-19 outbreak has severely impacted people's mental health. The present experimental study investigated how to reduce this negative effect by a combination of two interventions.

Subject and methods

Participants (N _total = 642) were users of social media in Germany. For two weeks, the social media group (N = 162) reduced its social media use (SMU) by 30 minutes daily, the physical activity group (N = 161) increased its physical activity by 30 minutes daily, the combination group (N = 159) followed both instructions, and the control group (N = 160) did not get specific instructions. Online surveys assessed variables of SMU, physical activity, mental health, COVID-19 burden, and lifestyle at six measurement time points u

SUBMITTER: Brailovskaia J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9437404 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature