BHUBANESWAR : Contrary to the popular belief that using social media has negative consequences on mental health, a recent study conducted on students in Bhubaneswar found high social media users had better psychological well-being than low users.
The study conducted by two psychologists and an associate professor of community medicine also found that though gender has no significant effect on perceived social support, the psychological well-being scores of boys were higher than girls.
As psychological well-being encapsulates positive dimensions, encompassing an individual’s sense of personal growth and connection with purpose and meaning in life, the research indicates that social media yields consequential outcomes, contributing to elevated levels of well-being and life satisfaction.
The engagement of teenagers and adolescents with social networking sites serves as a facilitator in fortifying existing friendships and cultivating new connections through online platforms, which in turn alleviates their social isolation and loneliness, thereby fostering a visible improvement in their mental health, the study claimed.
The researchers studied adolescents, mainly students, who are using online platforms like Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, Tinder, Snapchat and many other forums of networking by making their profiles attractive. Associate professor of community medicine at IMS and Sum Hospital Dr Sai Chandan Das said be it peer pressure or family expectations, teenagers nowadays face various emotional as well as psychological turmoil that lead to depression, anxiety and stress and sometimes, suicide.
