The relationship between social media use, anxiety and burden caused by coronavirus (COVID-19) in Spain

The outbreak of COVID-19 and national restrictions to slow down its spread have significantly changed people’s everyday lives. Many people engage in intensive social media use (SMU) to stay up-to-date about the pandemic. The present study investigated the extent of SMU as source of COVID-19 information, and its relationship with anxiety and the experienced burden caused by the pandemic in Spain. Of the 221 participants, 52.5% reported to frequently use SM as information source. The use of other information sources such as print and online newspaper reports, television reports, and official governmental online sites was not associated with anxiety and burden caused by the current COVID-19 situation. However, SMU was significantly positively linked to both variables. Moreover, anxiety significantly mediated the relationship between SMU and the experienced burden. The findings show the potential negative effect of SMU on individual emotional state and behavior during the pandemic. They emphasize the significance of an accurate and conscious use of SM specifically during extraordinary circumstances such as the COVID-19 outbreak

Relationships Between Addictive Facebook Use, Depressiveness, Insomnia, and Positive Mental Health in an Inpatient Sample: A German Longitudinal Study

Background and aims: Individuals with high level of negative mental health often tend to use the social platform Facebook to escape from daily stress. They are at risk to develop an emotional bond to Facebook linked to a need to stay permanently online. The current work investigated addictive use of Facebook and its conceptual framework in clinical context. Methods: In a longitudinal study design, duration of daily use of Facebook, addictive Facebook use, depressiveness, insomnia, and positive mental health (PMH) were assessed in a sample of 349 inpatients [Mage (SDage) = 50.13 (9.41)] of a psychosomatic rehabilitation clinic in Germany over a period of on average 6 weeks. Results: Regression analyses revealed that duration of daily Facebook use at the first measurement time point (T1) served as significant positive predictor of addictive Facebook use at the second measurement time point (T2). Addictive Facebook use (T1) significantly positively predicted depressiveness and insomnia (T2). Its prediction of PMH (T2) was significantly negative. Mediation analyses showed that PMH (T1) partially mediated the association between addictive Facebook use (T1) and depressiveness (T2), and fully mediated the relationship between addictive Facebook use (T1) and insomnia (T2). Discussion and conclusions: Current longitudinal results indicate that addictive Facebook use might negatively impact the recovery process of inpatients. Thus, it might be relevant to assess and consider addictive Facebook use in the clinical context. Therapeutic interventions are suggested to focus on the enhancement of inpatients’ PMH level, which may buffer the negative effect of problematic Facebook use

Das narzisstische "digitale" Selbst im Web 2.0

Die Plattform Facebook hat über eine Milliarde Mitglieder. Das Ausmaß der sozialen Interaktion und mit dieser einhergehenden Selbstdarstellung auf der Seite variiert interindividuell. Im Rahmen der vorliegenden Arbeit konnte in drei Studien und einem Exkurs nachgewiesen werden, dass diese Differenzen unter anderem auf Unterschieden in der Ausprägung bestimmter Persönlichkeitsmerkmale beruhen. Studie 1 analysierte die Beziehung der Eigenschaften Narzissmus, Selbstkonstrukt, Selbstwert, Extraversion, Offenheit für Erfahrung, Verträglichkeit, Sensation Seeking, Self-Monitoring und Liebesstile untereinander sowie mit der Selbstdarstellung und Interaktion auf Facebook. In der kulturübergreifenden Studie 2 wurden die Ausprägung des Narzissmus sowie das Online-Verhalten zwischen deutschen und russischen Facebook-Nutzern miteinander verglichen. Studie 3 untersuchte die Generation "Millennials" (geboren zwischen 1975 und 2000). Der Exkurs befasst sich mit der Variable "Admiration Seeking"

The “Bubbles”-Study: Validation of ultra-short scales for the assessment of addictive so-cial media use and grandiose narcissism

Intensive engagement in social media use (SMU) can result in the development of addictive tendencies and a decrease of mental health. Enhanced levels of the personality trait narcissism foster addictive SMU. An early identification of persons at risk for the addictive tendencies can contribute to the protection of their mental health. Very brief valid screening instruments implemented in general mental health programs and in therapeutic settings are supportive tools in this regard. In two studies on representative German population samples, we developed and validated four ultra-short scales – the “bubbles” – that consist of only one item per construct/subscale based on the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale (BSMAS; Andreassen, Pallesen, & Griffiths, 2017) and the Narcissistic Personality Inventory (NPI-13; Gentile et al., 2013) for the assessment of addictive SMU (one bubble) and narcissism (one bubble per subscale). The results of Study 1 (N = 700) and Study 2 (N = 770) showed that the bubbles are valid instruments that fit the original instruments on the factor level; the bubbles largely replicated their association pattern with demographic variables, social media-related, personality-related and mental health-related variables. Their shortness prevents fatigue, motivation decrease, and participants’ dropout. Due to their time- and cost-efficiency, the bubbles can be used as brief screening tools in research (e.g., large-scale studies, longitudinal studies) and in praxis (e.g., mental health programs). Future research should validate the bubbles cross-nationally, in children and adolescents, and in clinical contexts

Comparing Facebook Users and Facebook Non-Users: Relationship between Personality Traits and Mental Health Variables - An Exploratory Study.

Over one billion people use Facebook as a platform for social interaction and self-presentation making it one of the most popular online sites. The aim of the present study was to investigate differences in various personality traits and mental health variables between Facebook users and people who do not use this platform. The data of 945 participants (790 Facebook users, 155 Facebook non-users) were collected. Results indicate that Facebook users score significantly higher on narcissism, self-esteem and extraversion than Facebook non-users. Furthermore, they have significantly higher values of social support, life satisfaction and subjective happiness. Facebook non-users have (marginally) significantly higher values of depression symptoms than Facebook users. In both groups, extraversion, self-esteem, happiness, life satisfaction, resilience and social support, on the one hand, and depression, anxiety and stress symptoms, on the other hand, are negatively correlated. Neuroticism is positively associated with depression, anxiety and stress symptoms. However, significant differences exist between Facebook users and Facebook non-users regarding some associations of personality traits and mental health variables. Compared to Facebook non-users, the present results indicate that Facebook users have higher values of certain personality traits and positive variables protecting mental health. These findings are of particular interest considering the high importance of social online-platforms in the daily life of many people

Positive and negative mental health across the lifespan: A cross-cultural comparison

Antecedentes/Objetivo: La salud mental y el bienestar están relacionados con la edad. La salud mental completa incluye síntomas psicopatológicos (salud mental negativa) y bienestar subje- tivo (salud mental positiva). El objetivo es una comparación transcultural de los indicadores de salud mental completa a lo largo de la vida. Método : Hemos probado las tendencias de edad enmedidas de resiliencia, apoyo social y salud mental positiva y negativa, incluyendo depresión, ansiedad y estrés, utilizando datos de muestras nacionales representativas de Alemania, Rusia y Estados Unidos con edades entre 18 y 100 a ̃ nos ( N = 6.303). Resultados : Los efectos de la edad diferían en cada país. Los alemanes mayores experimentaron una salud mental más positiva y menos negativa, mientras que los rusos mayores experimentaron una salud mental menos positiva y más negativa que los jóvenes. En Estados Unidos, la salud mental positiva fue mayor entre los adultos mayores, pero no hubo efectos de la edad para la salud mental negativa. La edad también tuvo efectos lineales y curvilíneos significativos sobre la resiliencia y el apoyo social. Conclusiones: El patrón de salud mental a lo largo de la vida depende claramente de la nación

Facebook Addiction Disorder (FAD) among German students—A longitudinal approach

<div><p>The present study aimed to investigate Facebook Addiction Disorder (FAD) in a German student sample over a period of one year. While mean FAD level did not increase during the investigation period, a significant increase was shown in the number of participants reaching the critical cutoff score. FAD was significantly positively related to the personality trait narcissism and to negative mental health variables (depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms). Furthermore, FAD fully mediated the significant positive relationship between narcissism and stress symptoms, which demonstrates that narcissistic people can be specifically at risk to develop FAD. Present results give a first overview of FAD in Germany. Practical applications for future studies and limitations of present results are discussed.</p></div

What does media use reveal about personality and mental health?

The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between personality traits, mental health variables and media use among German students. The data of 633 participants were collected. Results indicate a positive association between general Internet use, general use of social platforms and Facebook use, on the one hand, and self-esteem, extraversion, narcissism, life satisfaction, social support and resilience, on the other hand. Use of computer games was found to be negatively related to these personality and mental health variables. The use of platforms that focus more on written interaction (Twitter, Tumblr) was assumed to be negatively associated with positive mental health variables and significantly positively with depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms. In contrast, Instagram use, which focuses more on photo-sharing, correlated positively with positive mental health variables. Possible practical implications of the present results for mental health, as well as the limitations of the present work are discussed

Moderated mediation model (outcome: Addictive social media use).

Moderated mediation model (outcome: Addictive social media use).</p

What is the psychological mindset that mediates the relationship between socioeconomic status and symptoms of depression?

Individuals with low socioeconomic status (SES) are disproportionally affected by depressive disorders which are among the main causes for loss in healthy life years in adults worldwide. The main objective of the research presented here was to identify a psychological mindset of individuals with low SES and to investigate whether this mindset mediates the relationship between low SES and symptoms of depression. Towards these goals, a series of four studies was conducted using student, population-based, and convenience samples from Germany and the United States. Study 1 identified a set of ten statements reflecting a psychological mindset associated with low SES using a population-based sample from Germany. Study 2 cross-validated a psychometric scale (S-Scale) that was created based on these statements. Study 3 introduced a longitudinal perspective and showed that the S-Scale mediated the relationship between low SES and symptoms of depression assessed one year later. Study 4 supported unidimensionality and construct validity of a unified version of the S-Scale and confirmed the mediation effect of the S-Scale for SES and depression while controlling for confounding variables (e.g., socially desirable responding). Evidence from four studies supported the reliability and validity of the S-Scale. Controlling for a psychological mindset as measured with this scale, low SES was no longer a predictor of depressive symptoms. The S-Scale can be used in clinical and research settings to assess a psychological mindset that puts individuals at risk for depression