Study Notes on Social Media and Anxiety Among University Students

Title: Exploring the Impact of Social Media on Anxiety Among University Students in the United Kingdom: Qualitative Study
Authors: Ailin Anto, Rafey Omar Asif, Arunima Basu, Dylan Kanapathipillai, Haadi Salam, Rania Selim, Jahed Zaman, Andreas Benedikt Eisingerich
Affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London; Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, Kings College London; Imperial College Business School, Imperial College London
Corresponding Author: Rania Selim, Contact Information provided

Social media platforms have rapidly evolved, leading to significant implications for mental health, specifically anxiety.
Concerns have been raised by stakeholders regarding social media's impact on mental well-being, particularly among university students, a demographic highly engaged with social media.
Existing literature predominantly focuses on adolescents or generalized mental health symptoms, leaving a gap in qualitative data specifically addressing university students' anxiety.

Conduct a systematic literature review and qualitative study to explore the association between social media and anxiety in university students.

29 semistructured interviews were conducted:
- 19 male (65.5%) and 10 female (34.5%) participants; mean age of 21.5.
- Participants were undergraduates from 6 UK universities, mainly studying in London (89.7%).
- Recruitment was conducted via purposive sampling techniques; data collection continued until saturation was reached.

Thematic analysis revealed 8 second-order themes:
- Factors decreasing anxiety: positive experiences, social connectivity, and escapism.
- Factors increasing anxiety: stress, comparison, fear of missing out (FOMO), negative experiences, and procrastination.

Social media significantly affects anxiety levels among students, with both positive and negative impacts highlighted, emphasizing the need for education and awareness among students and professionals regarding social media's role in mental health.

social media, anxiety, university student, qualitative, mental health, thematic analysis, FOMO, procrastination.

The increase in social media has raised concerns regarding mental health, especially anxiety, which is prevalent among adults today, with anxiety disorders being the most common form of mental illness.
Social media is defined as a collection of internet-based applications that allow the creation and exchange of user-generated content.
As of now, there are approximately 4.2 billion active social media users worldwide, with a projected 16.7% increase in the next five years.

University students (76% use social media) may experience issues such as poor sleep and sedentary behavior, potentially leading to increased anxiety symptoms.
With a higher anxiety prevalence (11.2%) among university students when compared to the general population, understanding the impact of social media on this demographic is crucial.

Protocol registered with Prospero (CRD42022304959) and followed PRISMA guidelines.

Searches conducted across OVID, MEDLINE, Embase, and PsychINFO to find relevant literature since database inception until December 13, 2021.
23 studies selected from an initial 1110 following various screening criteria.

The relationship between social media use and anxiety is multifaceted; frequency of use is one factor, but the nature of engagement (i.e., types of content viewed) is also critical.
Positive correlations found between increased use of platforms like Facebook and higher anxiety levels in some reports.
Viewing specific image types (e.g., thin-ideal images) heightened student anxiety, consistent with social comparison theory where self-worth is gauged against others.

Stress, envy, and psychological capital were identified as mediators affecting this relationship; negative emotional states also played a role.
Social media abstinence noted as beneficial for anxiety management.

Semistructured interviews focused on participants’ social media usage, perceptions, and overall impact on anxiety.

Ensured through member checking, detailed demographic information, and methodological auditing.

Decrease Anxiety:
- Social Connections
- Importance of maintaining long-distance relationships and community support.
- Positive Experiences
- Content consumption that promotes happiness, such as activism or spirituality.
- Escapism
- Using social media for distraction from real-world stressors.
Increase Anxiety:
- Comparison
- Internal comparisons leading to feelings of inadequacy based on lifestyle and appearance.
- FOMO
- Anxiety from not being part of ongoing social narratives or activities.
- Procrastination
- Reduced productivity leading to anxiety.
- Stress and Negative Experiences
- Overwhelmed by notifications and cyberbullying.

Insights obtained show that social media's impact can be both supportive and detrimental.
Understanding the role of social media in anxiety can help university counselors and health professionals provide better support to students.

The study contributes to the limited literature on qualitative insights into the social media-anxiety relationship among university students.
Recommendations for future research include expanding demographics, exploring other mental health symptoms, and examining specific social media platforms' varying impacts.

Full list provided to support claims made throughout the study and findings discussed.