Is social network site usage related to depression? A meta-analysis of Facebook-depression relations.
Depression
Facebook
Social networking site
Journal
Journal of affective disorders
ISSN: 1573-2517
Titre abrégé: J Affect Disord
Pays: Netherlands
ID NLM: 7906073
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
01 04 2019
01 04 2019
Historique:
received:
26
09
2018
revised:
13
01
2019
accepted:
19
01
2019
pubmed:
4
2
2019
medline:
16
4
2019
entrez:
4
2
2019
Statut:
ppublish
Résumé
Facebook depression is defined as feeling depressed upon too much exposure to Social networking sites (SNS). Researchers have argued that upward social comparisons made on SNS are the key to the Facebook depression phenomenon. To examine the relations between SNS usage and depression, we conducted 4 separate meta-analyses relating depression to: (1) time spent on SNS, (2) SNS checking frequency, (3) general and (4) upward social comparisons on SNS. We compared the four mean effect sizes in terms of magnitude. Our literature search yielded 33 articles with a sample of 15,881 for time spent on SNS, 12 articles with a sample of 8041 for SNS checking frequency, and 5 articles with a sample of 1715 and 2298 for the general and the upward social comparison analyses, respectively. In both SNS-usage analyses, greater time spent on SNS and frequency of checking SNS were associated with higher levels of depression with a small effect size. Further, higher levels of depression were associated with greater general social comparisons on SNS with a small to medium effect, and greater upward social comparisons on SNS with a medium effect. Both social comparisons on SNS were more strongly related to depression than was time spent on SNS. Limitations include heterogeneity in effect sizes and a small number of samples for social comparison analyses. Our results are consistent with the notion of 'Facebook depression phenomenon' and with the theoretical importance of social comparisons as an explanation.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
Facebook depression is defined as feeling depressed upon too much exposure to Social networking sites (SNS). Researchers have argued that upward social comparisons made on SNS are the key to the Facebook depression phenomenon. To examine the relations between SNS usage and depression, we conducted 4 separate meta-analyses relating depression to: (1) time spent on SNS, (2) SNS checking frequency, (3) general and (4) upward social comparisons on SNS. We compared the four mean effect sizes in terms of magnitude.
METHODS
Our literature search yielded 33 articles with a sample of 15,881 for time spent on SNS, 12 articles with a sample of 8041 for SNS checking frequency, and 5 articles with a sample of 1715 and 2298 for the general and the upward social comparison analyses, respectively.
RESULTS
In both SNS-usage analyses, greater time spent on SNS and frequency of checking SNS were associated with higher levels of depression with a small effect size. Further, higher levels of depression were associated with greater general social comparisons on SNS with a small to medium effect, and greater upward social comparisons on SNS with a medium effect. Both social comparisons on SNS were more strongly related to depression than was time spent on SNS.
LIMITATIONS
Limitations include heterogeneity in effect sizes and a small number of samples for social comparison analyses.
CONCLUSIONS
Our results are consistent with the notion of 'Facebook depression phenomenon' and with the theoretical importance of social comparisons as an explanation.
Identifiants
pubmed: 30711871
pii: S0165-0327(18)32170-0
doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2019.01.026
pii:
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Meta-Analysis
Review
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
65-72Informations de copyright
Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.