What’s On My Mind: Using Social Media To Discuss Stressful Situations

Evidence suggests that time spent with social media (SM) is positively associated with depression and negatively associated with well-being and life-satisfaction. However, such studies rarely explore how people are using SM in ways that could potentially alleviate depressive symptoms like discussing stress and seeking social support. This study sought to bridge that gap by investigating the types of stressful and emotional situations people discuss on SM. Open-ended data from n = 1,200 participants (n = 1414 utterances) was analyzed using emergent thematic analysis to reveal 10 topic themes: No Discussion (n = 544, 38.4% of utterances), School/Work (n = 237, 16.8%), Daily Personal Struggles (n = 219, 15.5%), Relational Conflict (n = 122, 8.6%), Large Scale Global Issues (n = 91, 6.4%), Deaths/Illness (n = 78, 5.5%), Humorous Complaints (n = 49, 3.5%), Serious Emotional Struggles (n = 42, 3.0%), Missing People/Places(n = 18, 1.3%), and Vaguebooking (n = 18, 1.3%). Our results show that although many users avoid stressful and emotional discussions (perhaps to engage a “positivity norm” online), there are still many people that talk about a wide variety of stressful topics on SM, perhaps implicitly (or even explicitly) seeking self-affirmations and consolation and other forms of social support. In light of debates surrounding SM use and depression, these themes illuminate the potential for SM to function as spaces of social support seeking, such that future research should consider the potential positive mental health potentials as well as the negative

It’s not all about autism: The emerging landscape of anti-vaccination sentiment on Facebook

Background: Due in part to declining vaccination rates, in 2018 over 20 states reported at least one case of measles, and over 40,000 cases have been confirmed in Europe. Anti-vaccine posts on social media may be facilitating anti-vaccination behaviour. This study aimed to systematically characterize (1) individuals known to publicly post anti-vaccination content on Facebook, (2) the information they convey, and (3) the spread of this content. Methods: Our data set consisted of 197 individuals who posted anti-vaccination comments in response to a message promoting vaccination. We systematically analysed publicly-available content using quantitative coding, descriptive analysis, social network analysis, and an in-depth qualitative assessment. The final codebook consisted of 26 codes; Cohen’s κ ranged 0.71-1.0 after double-coding. Results: The majority (89%) of individuals identified as female. Among 136 individuals who divulged their location, 36 states and 8 other countries were represented. In a 2-mode network of individuals and topics, modularity analysis revealed 4 distinct sub-groups labelled as “trust,” “alternatives,” “safety,” and “conspiracy.” For example, a comment representative of “conspiracy” is that poliovirus does not exist and that pesticides caused clinical symptoms of polio. An example from the “alternatives” sub-group is that eating yogurt cures human papillomavirus. Deeper qualitative analysis of all 197 individuals’ profiles found that these individuals also tended to post material against other health-related practices such as water fluoridation and circumcision. Conclusions: Social media outlets may facilitate anti-vaccination connections and organization by facilitating the diffusion of centuries old arguments and techniques. Arguments against vaccination are diverse but remain consistent within sub-groups of individuals. It would be valuable for health professionals to leverage social networks to deliver more effective, targeted messages to different constituencies

Social Media and Face-to-Face Interactions Among U.S. Young Adults: Associations with Depression

With the proliferation of social media (SM) use, young adults’ interactions with their social networks have substantially shifted from face-to-face (FTF) to SM. While it is well-established that FTF connections provide emotional support and are beneficial to mental health, the research on SM connections is less clear. Therefore, the research presented in this dissertation aimed to address gaps in our understanding of the associations between SM use, perceived emotional support, and depression with three inter-related projects. Data from a cross-sectional, online survey of 2,408 U.S. adults ages 18 to 30 was analyzed. Factor analysis using these data revealed that FTF and SM-based perceived emotional support were two distinct constructs. A fully adjusted multivariable logistic model showed that greater endorsement of SM-based emotional support was associated with significantly greater odds of depression, whereas greater endorsement of FTF emotional support was associated with significantly lower odds of depression. A purposeful random sample of 100 depressed and non-depressed individuals was then selected from this sample. Thematic analysis of participants’ responses to open-ended qualitative items revealed that of the 16 themes found, connection with others and exposure to negativity were the most commonly referenced positive and negative effects of SM, respectively, regardless of depression status. SM was noted as a distraction from real life more often by non-depressed than depressed participants and fear of being judged was mentioned solely by depressed participants. Finally, cluster analysis was used to partition the sample based upon endorsement of high FTF and SM social sharing and perceived emotional support. A four-cluster solution was found. After controlling for related socio-demographic and person characteristics, membership in the clusters characterized by high SM social sharing were associated with depression. These findings suggest that SM-based experiences are not the same as those that occur FTF and that they may be associated with a mental health risk. Because the directionality of effects is not clear, it may be that depressed young adults perceive and experience SM differently than non-depressed young adults. Findings from these projects may help inform future research clarifying the dynamic interplay between SM use, perceived emotional support, and depression

The Association between Social Media Use and Eating Concerns among US Young Adults

Background The etiology of eating concerns is multifactorial, and exposure to media messages is considered to be a contributor. Although traditional media, such as television and magazines, have been examined extensively in relation to eating concerns risk, the influence of social media has received relatively less attention. Objective To examine the association between social media use and eating concerns in a large, nationally representative sample of young adults. Design Cross-sectional survey. Participants/setting Participants were 1,765 young adults aged 19 to 32 years who were randomly selected from a national probability-based online nonvolunteer panel. Outcome measures An eating concerns scale was adapted from two validated measures: the SCOFF Questionnaire and the Eating Disorder Screen for Primary Care. Social media use (including Facebook, Twitter, Google+, YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram, Pinterest, Tumblr, Vine, Snapchat, and Reddit) was assessed using both volume (time per day) and frequency (visits per week). Statistical analyses To examine associations between eating concerns and social media use, ordered logistic regression was used, controlling for all covariates. Results Compared with those in the lowest quartile, participants in the highest quartiles for social media volume and frequency had significantly greater odds of having eating concerns (adjusted odds ratio 2.18, 95% CI 1.50 to 3.17 and adjusted odds ratio 2.55, 95% CI 1.72 to 3.78, respectively). There were significant positive overall linear associations between the social media use variables and eating concerns (P\u3c0.001). Conclusions The results from this study indicate a strong and consistent association between social media use and eating concerns in a nationally representative sample of young adults aged 19 to 32 years. This association was apparent whether social media use was measured as volume or frequency. Further research should assess the temporality of these associations. It would also be useful to examine more closely the influence of specific characteristics of social media use, including content-related and contextual features

Association between LGB sexual orientation and depression mediated by negative social media experiences: National survey study of US young adults

Background: Lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) persons are disproportionately affected by depression and have high social media use rates. Negative social media experiences may modify depressive symptoms among LGB persons. We sought to assess the potential influence of negative social media experiences on the association between LGB orientation and depression. Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the potential influence of negative social media experiences on the association between LGB orientation and depression. Methods: We performed a web-based survey of a national sample of US young adults aged 18-30 years. We assessed the respondents\u27 LGB orientation, negative social media experiences, and depression using the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire. We used generalized structural equation modeling to assess both the direct and indirect effects (via negative social media experiences) of LGB orientation on depression while controlling for relevant demographic and personal characteristics. Results: We found a conditional indirect effect (ab path) of LGB orientation on depressive symptoms via negative social media experience (a: observed coefficient 0.229; P\u3c.001; bias-corrected bootstrapped 95% CI 0.162-0.319, and b: observed coefficient 2.158; P\u3c.001; bias-corrected bootstrapped 95% CI 1.840-2.494). The results show that among LGB respondents, for those who reported negative social media experiences in the past year, a 1 unit increase in these experiences was associated with a 0.494 unit increase in depressive symptomatology. Conclusions: Our results suggest that higher rates of depression among LGB young adults are partially explained by negative social media experiences; these results could help inform future patient/provider conversations about mental health risk and protective factors related to social media use. Reducing these experiences and increasing positive social media experiences among LGB persons may mitigate depressive symptomatology in this population

Sex Differences in Hookah-Related Images Posted on Tumblr: A Content Analysis

Hookah tobacco smoking is prevalent, widespread, and associated with large amounts of toxicants. Hookah tobacco smoking may be viewed differently by males and females. For example, females have been drawn to types of tobacco that are flavored, milder, and marketed as more social and exotic. Individuals often use the growing segment of anonymous social networking sites, such as Tumblr, to learn about potentially dangerous or harmful behaviors. We used a systematic process involving stratification by time of day, day of week, and search term to gather a sample of 140 Tumblr posts related to hookah tobacco smoking. After a structured codebook development process, 2 coders independently assessed all posts in their entirety, and all disagreements were easily adjudicated. When data on poster sex and age were available, we found that 77% of posts were posted by females and 35% were posted by individuals younger than 18. The most prominent features displayed in all posts were references to or images of hookahs themselves, sexuality, socializing, alcohol, hookah smoke, and tricks performed with hookah smoke. Compared with females, males more frequently posted images of hookahs and alcohol-related images or references. This information may help guide future research in this area and the development of targeted interventions to curb this behavior

The association between social media use and sleep disturbance among young adults

Introduction: Many factors contribute to sleep disturbance among young adults. Social media (SM) use is increasing rapidly, and little is known regarding its association with sleep disturbance. Methods: In 2014 we assessed a nationally representative sample of 1788 U.S. young adults ages 19-32. SM volume and frequency were assessed by self-reported minutes per day spent on SM (volume) and visits per week (frequency) using items adapted from the Pew Internet Research Questionnaire. We assessed sleep disturbance using the brief Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS®) sleep disturbance measure. Analyses performed in Pittsburgh utilized chi-square tests and ordered logistic regression using sample weights in order to estimate effects for the total U.S. population. Results: In models that adjusted for all sociodemographic covariates, participants with higher SM use volume and frequency had significantly greater odds of having sleep disturbance. For example, compared with those in the lowest quartile of SM use per day, those in the highest quartile had an AOR of 1.95 (95% CI = 1.37-2.79) for sleep disturbance. Similarly, compared with those in the lowest quartile of SM use frequency per week, those in the highest quartile had an AOR of 2.92 (95% CI = 1.97-4.32) for sleep disturbance. All associations demonstrated a significant linear trend. Discussion: The strong association between SM use and sleep disturbance has important clinical implications for the health and well-being of young adults. Future work should aim to assess directionality and to better understand the influence of contextual factors associated with SM use

Physician-patient communication behaviors in the most popular prime time television shows.

Previous research suggests that television programming may influence viewers’ health-related knowledge, perceptions, and behaviors but has yet to examine patient–provider interactions on the most popular primetime television programs. We aimed to characterize the frequency and nature of patient-centered communication (PCC) behaviors on these programs, as cultivation and social cognitive theories suggest that these depictions may influence viewers’ expectations of real-life health-care experiences. We examined 203 patient–provider interactions across 84 episodes of 22 primetime television programs—both medical and non-medical—that aired during the spring of 2016 and spring of 2017. Each interaction was analyzed for the presence of 21 optimal PCC behaviors. This study found that the most frequently observed PCC behaviors focused on the provider making good eye contact and displaying good manners. However, PCC behaviors related to managing patient uncertainty and self-management were rare. Overall, providers in medical programs were significantly more likely to exhibit certain PCC behaviors, such as asking a patient questions, having good manners, and self-disclosing personal information, compared to providers in non-medical programs. Implications of these findings include the potential for such depictions to influence patient expectations of real-life experiences and health outcomes. Future research is needed to examine these potential influences

Associations between positive and negative social media experiences and sleep disturbance among young adults

Objectives: We sought to examine the association of positive and negative experiences using social media (SM) and sleep disturbance in a national survey of U.S. young adults. Methods: Experiences using SM were assessed with 2 items asking participants about the percentage of time using SM that involved a negative/positive experience that they were personally involved in. Sleep disturbance was assessed using the validated PROMIS 4-item short form. Ordinal logistic regression was used to examine associations between positive and negative SM experiences and high sleep disturbance, while controlling for relevant covariates. Results: Although reporting high levels of negative experiences was significantly associated with greater odds of high sleep disturbance (AOR = 1.49, 95%CI = 1.18-1.89), reporting high levels of positive experiences was not associated with sleep disturbance. Conclusions: These findings suggest that more robust examinations of negative SM experiences—especially as they relate to sleep disturbance—may be warranted