EXPLORING USAGE PATTERNS INFLUENCES, AND COPING STRATEGIES OF

HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TOWARD SOCIAL MEDIA USAGE ON MENTAL

WELL BEING

Chapter 1

THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND

Introduction

Online Social networks have gained tremendous popularity among people all

around the world, especially teenagers. The use of social media has become a popular

and integral part of everyday communication in teenager life. New developments in the

technological world have made the internet an innovative way for individuals and

families to communicate. People use social network sites such as Facebook, Twitter,

and YouTube to create and sustain relationships with others. These social media

applications let those who use them create personal profiles while connecting with other

users of the sites. Social media also helps teenager people to develop their friendship.

Users can upload photographs, post what they are doing at any given time, and send

personal or public messages to whomever they choose. In this “information age,” social

networking sites seem to be growing in popularity rapidly, especially among teenager. In

particular, college students form a large proportion of users on social media networks.

Many of these young adults use social media networks to communicate with family,

friends, and even strangers.

Social networks play a major role in building, maintaining or even reviving

relationships and improving teenagers learning skills. In this research we focused

mainly on the impact of SNSs on teenager especially in college and school student and
how SNSs change their relationship pattern. In most third world countries use of the

internet has been made even more accessible by mobile phones. Today people are

using the internet mostly to interact on social media, they chat, message, share photos

and stay in touch with friends and relatives worldwide. SNSs such as Friendster, World,

Face book and Myspace allow individuals to present themselves, articulate their social

networks, and establish or maintain connections with others. SNSs allow users to share

ideas, pictures, posts, activities, events, and interests with people in their network. Face

book members can also join virtual groups based on common interests, see what

classes they have in common, and learn each other’s' hobbies, interests, musical

tastes, and romantic relationship status through the profiles (Ellison et al., 2007). Teens

mostly use the Internet for entertainment and for communicating with friends and family.

They have been popular since the year 2002 and have attracted and fascinated tens of

millions of Internet users (Boyd and Ellison, 2007). The nature of relationships will be

examined for the effect of SNSs on the quality and the pattern of the relationship.

Youths use technology to keep in touch with friends, mediate romantic relationships,

organize into social groups, support each other, and develop their own identities (Ito et

al. 2010). The Usages of SNSs brought a lot of change among on interpersonal

relationships teenagers and their family and friends. Social media refers to the means of

interactions among people in which they create the share, exchange and comment

contents among themselves in virtual communities and networks (Shahjahan A.T.M and

Kutub Uddin Chisty, 2014). Social networking tools like Twitter, Facebook, Flickr, and

Blogs have facilitated the creation and exchange of ideas so quickly and widely than the

conventional media.
RESEARCH QUESTIONS:

1. What coping strategies do high school students use when they experience worry,

tension or other unfavorable feelings associated with using social media?

2. What is the significant relationship between social media addiction among the

participants?

3. How do high school students describe their motivations for using social media?

4. Why do high school student occasionally use social media to participate in

dangerous activities like spreading harmful content or cyber bullying?

5. Why do students in high school spend so much time on social media?

Significance of the Study

The study is significant because it provides new knowledge and seeks more

information about usage patterns influences, and coping strategies of high school

students toward social media usage on mental well-being. In addition, this study will be

beneficial to the following:

To the Students. The students would be aware of the possible effects of social media

to their mental health and so that they may take necessary steps to know what solution

they should do to improve their mental health.

To the Parents. This study will benefit the parents so that they will guide and monitor

their children usage of social media platforms for them not to have conflicts in managing

their mental health.

To the LNHS Administration. This study will serve as a guide in their academic

planning. This could help them in making plans that will fit to the student support

learning needs to achieve better quality of education through this pandemic, thus

producing more competent graduates who are responsive to the needs of the society.

To the Future Researchers. The study will benefit the future researchers in a way that

this study will serve as their basis or guide for their future research. It will also serve an

inspiration for them to expound their knowledge in conducting a study better than this.

To the curriculum Makers. This study will serve as a guiding tool in the creation and

development of the school curriculum that will correspond to the educational needs of

the high school students.

DEFINITION OF TERMS

Social Media- is described as the collection of online communication channels

dedicated to community base input, interaction, content sharing and collaboration.

Some of the commonly known communication websites are Facebook, Twitter,

Instagram, and Pinterest.

Coping strategies- are behavioral and cognitive tactics used to manage crises,

conditions, and demands that are appraised as distressing.

Mental health- includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects

how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to

others, and make healthy choices.

Chapter 2

REVIEW OF THE RELATED LITERATURE

Social Media in a Broad View

Caleb T. Carr (2015) discourse on the intricate nature of social media and its

impact on communicative processes. Despite widespread usage, the absence of a

universally accepted definition within communication studies hampers comprehensive

theorizing on social media's functionalities and effects. Drawing from diverse disciplines

such as public relations, information technology, and management scholarship, this

work endeavors to formulate a precise yet adaptable definition of social media, poised

to withstand the technological evolution anticipated by 2035. Additionally, it explores

emerging trends in social media features, usage patterns, and user demographics,

highlighting the imperative for future theoretical frameworks to remain attuned to these

developments. The article also identifies and prioritizes challenges that may challenge

existing communication theories in navigating the dynamic landscape of social media.

Crucially, it examines how social media platforms can uniquely isolate communicative

principles, offering insights into human-human and human-computer interactions.

Ultimately, this paper aims to provide a foundational framework to guide and catalyze

future communication scholarship in the realm of social media and beyond.

 Fardouly (2016) reviews the literature on the relationship between social media

usage, particularly on platforms like Facebook, and body image concerns among young

adults. The literature reveals a significant correlation between social media engagement

and body image dissatisfaction among this demographic. Facebook's prominence as a

platform for social interaction and self-presentation highlights the influence of social

media on shaping perceptions of body image. Studies consistently highlight the

tendency for young adults to engage in social comparison processes, comparing their

appearance to idealized representations by peers or media influencers. The

mechanisms underlying this correlation include upward social comparison and exposure

to idealized images, leading to feelings of inadequacy and dissatisfaction with one's

body. The literature also highlights the tendency for frequent social media users to

internalize societal beauty standards, leading to heightened body surveillance and

negative affect on their physical appearance. Fardouly acknowledges the need for

longitudinal investigations to understand the directionality and potential long-term

effects of this relationship.

Usage Patterns of high school students on social media

Tezci et al. (2017) Social media has become an indispensable component of

modern society, driven by the pervasive influence of computer and internet

technologies. Underscore the escalating usage levels of social media platforms,

attributing this trend to the opportunities they afford for both economic advancement

and social engagement. The study emphasizes the multifaceted nature of social media,

recognizing its dual role in fostering participation in societal life while also presenting
avenues for undemocratic practices. Contend that understanding users' habits is crucial

for gauging the economic, social, and cultural impacts of social media. With a focus on

high school students, the research delves into the usage patterns and motivations

driving social media engagement among this demographic. Utilizing the "Frequency of

Social Media Instruments Usage Scale" and the "Reasons of Social Media Usage

Scale," the study collects data from 853 students, offering insights into their preferences

and behaviors concerning social media.

Burak Acar (2019) underscores the significance of social media as a conduit for

this interaction, defining it as a platform through which individuals engage with one

another using new media technologies. Acar emphasizes that individuals who immerse

themselves in social media platforms often construct a distinct online life separate from

their daily realities. High school students, in particular, emerge as a highly influenced

demographic by the pervasive influence of social media.

Hatice Yildiz Durak (2019) the study, which involved 155 ninth-grade students,

found that social media usage status, purposes, and new media literacy were the most

significant factors influencing problematic internet use. The study emphasizes the

importance of understanding how students engage with social media platforms and the

motivations driving their interactions. It also highlights the role of digital literacy skills in

navigating online environments effectively. The study suggests that enhancing students'

new media literacy may serve as a protective factor against problematic internet use,

highlighting the potential role of education in promoting responsible online behaviors.

Yanka Georgieva Aleksandrova's 2019 study examines the use of social media in

higher education, focusing on students' engagement with platforms. The research uses
association analysis and hypothesis testing to identify trends and explore the

relationship between students' academic specialties and their engagement with social

media. Results show Facebook groups are preferred for peer communication and

sharing educational content, while wikis and LMSs are used for content creation and

supplementary learning. The study highlights the proactive role of students in driving

social media adoption in education.

Influences on social media usage among high school students

Dr. Cherry Nuñez-Rola's 2019 study explores the impact of social media on

teenagers, focusing on themes, language, and behavioral impacts. The research

reveals that social media content portrays human vulnerabilities and weaknesses,

shaping adolescents' perceptions and behaviors. Internet slang influences

communication patterns and affects internet addiction, sleeping patterns, language

acquisition, academic performance, task execution, and the desire for immediacy.

Nuñez-Rola recommends guidelines for selecting appropriate social media content for

classroom teaching, holistic assessments to evaluate social media's effectiveness, and

interventions to regulate social media usage among teenagers.

Oguguo, Basil C. (2020) examined the impact of social media usage on the

academic achievement of high school students. The research involved 150 students,

both male and female, from five schools. The study found that students frequently use

social media for various purposes, such as making friends, research, accessing

educational materials, and staying updated. They spend an average of 2 to 4 hours

daily on social media. Despite the prevalence of social media usage, the study found no

significant influence on students' academic achievements. However, gender was found

to be a significant factor influencing students' performance, suggesting differences in

learning approaches or responses to educational stimuli. The study emphasizes the

need for effective guidance and information on potential risks associated with excessive

or inappropriate social media usage.

Mohammad Dalvi-Esfahani (2020) explores the relationship between empathy

and social media addiction (SMA) among high school students. The research focuses

on Empathic Concern (EC) and Perspective Taking (PT) and examines how individual

differences in personality traits moderate these relationships. The study involved 592

students aged 15-18 years, with a near-equal gender distribution. Data was collected

through questionnaires and analyzed using partial least squares structural equation

modeling (PLS-SEM). The findings showed that both EC and PT significantly and

negatively predict SMA among high school students. Extraversion negatively moderated

these relationships, suggesting that individuals with higher levels of Extraversion may

be less prone to social media addiction due to their greater social engagement and

assertiveness. The study also found differences across socioeconomic status, with

behaviors associated with SMA more prevalent among students from high-income

schools compared to those from low-income schools. However, no significant

differences were observed across genders, indicating a universal susceptibility to social

media addiction among adolescents.

 Leandra Parris, PhD, conducted a study on students' perceptions of peer

aggression and its connection to social media rumination and distress. The study aimed

to understand the negative effects of social media usage on adolescents' mental health

and interpersonal relationships. Parris et al. (2020) highlighted that social media can

increase vulnerability to peer victimization and exacerbate psychosocial difficulties. The

pervasive nature of social media platforms creates opportunities for cyberbullying and

other online aggression, exacerbating adolescents' distress and social challenges.

Sharma and Kumar (2020) discuss the growing influence of social media

platforms on mental health, highlighting their role as leisure activities. The review

explores the relationship between social media usage and mental well-being, analyzing

existing research to understand the dynamics and effects of social media on mental

health outcomes. This understanding is crucial for developing strategies to promote

digital well-being in an increasingly connected world.

Impact on Mental Well-being

Okoro (2024) presents a systematic review of the evolution of mental health

advocacy in the context of technological advancements. The review examines the

integration of various technological tools, such as social media platforms, mobile

applications, VR, and AI, in advancing advocacy efforts. Key factors influencing the

effectiveness of these interventions include accessibility, user engagement, privacy

concerns, cultural sensitivity, integration with traditional approaches, and the importance

of collaborative partnerships. Ethical considerations are highlighted, with a focus on

privacy protection, inclusivity, quality assurance, stigma reduction, and user autonomy.

The review emphasizes the need to balance innovation with ethical practice for

responsible technology deployment in mental health advocacy. Future directions for

technological interventions include personalized AI interventions, gamification

strategies, VR and AR applications, integration with telehealth services, and community-

centric platforms. These innovations can enhance accessibility, engagement, and

support for individuals experiencing mental health challenges.

Ibdalsyah's (2023) study explores the relationship between social media usage

and the mental health and spiritual intelligence of university students, particularly within

the Islamic educational framework. The increasing prevalence of social media has

raised concerns about its potential impact on mental well-being, with research

suggesting excessive use may lead to negative outcomes such as increased stress,

anxiety, depression, and decreased self-esteem. The study also examines the unique

context of Islamic education, where religious teachings and values significantly

influence students' beliefs, behaviors, and attitudes towards social media. The study

suggests that understanding the dual influence of social media within the Islamic

educational framework is crucial for addressing the mental health needs of university

students.

Sherman and Eden (2024) conducted a study to explore the relationship

between bedtime social media use (SMU) and sleep experiences among adolescents

and young adults. They found conflicting results on the association between SMU and

sleep disturbance, leading them to conduct a study. The study involved 186 participants

from undergraduate psychology courses and used self-report measures to assess

various factors, including regular sleep and social media behaviors, state arousal after

bedtime SMU, sleep disturbance, sleep-related impairment, and symptom severity of

depression and anxiety.

Angela Y. Lee (2024) introduces the concept of "social media mindsets" to

understand the relationship between social media usage and psychological well-being.

Traditional research focuses on quantifiable metrics like frequency or time spent on

social media platforms. Lee suggests that understanding individuals' attitudes, beliefs,

and intentions towards social media usage can provide deeper insights into its effects

on psychological well-being. Different social media mindsets, such as comparison-

oriented, connection-oriented, or entertainment-oriented, may lead to distinct

psychological outcomes. Comparison-oriented individuals may experience increased

feelings of inadequacy or low self-esteem due to constant comparison, while

connection-oriented individuals may derive feelings of belongingness and social

support.

Thapliyal (2024) explores the impact of social media on health communication,

highlighting its transformative nature and its role in promoting public health and well-

being globally. Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter have

become powerful tools for distributing health-related information and facilitating

community engagement. These platforms' accessibility and immediacy amplify the

reach and impact of health communication efforts, enabling the dissemination of

preventive measures, health education, and crisis communication in real-time.

Successful health communication via social media requires adaptability and audience-

centric content creation. Thapliyal emphasizes tailoring messaging to diverse

demographics and leveraging multimedia formats for enhanced accessibility and

engagement. Strategic collaboration with influencers is also a valuable tactic for

amplifying health messages and fostering community participation.

James B. Kirkbride (2024) highlights the impact of social determinants on mental

health outcomes, emphasizing the need for social justice. This literature review provides

a roadmap for addressing these factors, drawing on high-quality evidence to elucidate

the causal links between social circumstances and mental health outcomes. The review

highlights the pervasive nature of these determinants across the life course and their

commonality across major mental disorders. While focusing primarily on evidence from

the Global North, the review acknowledges similar and unique social determinants in

other global contexts, emphasizing the need for equitable attention to these issues

worldwide.

Regina van den Eijnden's (2018) study explores the classification of compulsive

gaming and social media use as behavioral addictions and the DSM-5 criteria for

distinguishing between highly engaged and disordered users. The research examines

existing research on behavioral addictions, particularly in relation to gaming and social

media usage. The study argues that excessive gaming and social media use can lead

to negative consequences, such as decreased academic performance, impaired social

relationships, and compromised mental health.

Doo-Hun Choi's (2019) study explores the relationship between social media use

and attitudes towards suicide, focusing on the mediating pathways. The study, based on

South Korean online panel survey data, reveals the complex interplay between social

media use, psychological well-being, social support, social isolation, and attitudes
towards suicide. The literature on social media and mental health has grown

significantly, with mixed results on its impact on mental health outcomes. While some

research suggests social media can positively influence psychological well-being by

providing social connection and support, excessive use has been linked to negative

outcomes like increased social isolation and loneliness.

Sharath Chandra Guntuku's (2019) study explores the expression of

psychological stress on social media, highlighting the importance of understanding its

manifestation in online communication. The research provides valuable insights into

stress detection and measurement, highlighting the potential of social media platforms

like Facebook and Twitter to enhance our understanding of stress's impact on health

outcomes and socioeconomic status. The study suggests that further research in this

area could lead to the use of social media as a novel tool for monitoring and addressing

mental health challenges at individual and community levels.

Chloe Berryman's 2018 study examined the impact of social media use on

mental health, despite the growing concern of its potential negative effects on mental

health. The study assessed various mental health outcomes, including general

symptoms, suicidal ideation, loneliness, social anxiety, and decreased empathy. Despite

these concerns, Berryman's study found that social media use itself was not predictive

of impaired mental health functioning among the participants.

Munmun De Choudhury's 2013 study highlights the need for innovative

approaches to understanding and addressing mental health issues, particularly

depression. She highlights the potential of leveraging social media postings as a lens

for understanding mental illness at individual and population levels. Social media data
provides unique insights into individuals' behaviors, emotions, and social interactions,

offering finer-grained measurements over time and expanding sample sizes compared

to traditional survey techniques. By analyzing users' digital footprints, researchers can

uncover valuable indicators of mental health status, enabling early detection and

intervention. De Choudhury envisions the development of tools for identifying the onset

of depressive disorders in individuals, which could be utilized by healthcare agencies to

enhance early intervention efforts and support individuals in managing their mental

health proactively.

Bibo Hao's 2013 study explores the impact of social media on mental health

assessment using computational cyber-psychology. The research uses social media

data and mental health data from Sina Weibo, a Chinese microblogging service

provider. The study extracts linguistic and behavioral features from users' social media

activity and applies machine learning algorithms to identify mental health statuses. The

classification model achieves an accuracy of 72%, indicating the efficacy of using social

media data to distinguish between different mental health statuses based on linguistic

and behavioral cues. The continuous predicting model also correlates with

questionnaire-based scores, indicating its potential for predicting mental health

outcomes. The study highlights the potential of computational cyber-psychology to

revolutionize mental health assessment by leveraging the vast amount of data

generated on social media platforms.

Maartje Boer's 2021 review explores the relationship between adolescents' social

media use and its potential impacts on their mental health. Boer synthesizes empirical

studies on depression, anxiety, self-esteem, and body image issues in relation to

adolescents' social media activities. The review emphasizes the importance of

considering diverse psychological factors in this relationship, as social media has

become a ubiquitous part of adolescents' lives.

Coping Strategies in Response to social media Usage

Tran's 2023 study explores stress coping theory in the context of social media

overload, focusing on the impact of users' networking and profile control abilities on

managing their social media engagement. The research uses an exploratory factor

analysis to identify five practices used by users to regulate their social media usage:

continuous usage, reduced usage, setting adjustment, support seeking, and information

avoidance. The study reveals that social media overload can lead to emotional

exhaustion and disturbance handling, with networking ability attenuating the negative

impact of social media overload on emotional exhaustion, while profile control ability

exacerbates this relationship. The study also highlights the predictive power of

emotional exhaustion and disturbance handling in shaping users' social media

management practices, underscoring the complex interplay between individual

perceptions, coping strategies, and usage behaviors in the context of social media

overload. Overall, Tran's research underscores the importance of understanding and

addressing social media overload effectively.

Shunzhi Lin's 2021 study examines social media overload as a significant

techno-stressor, influencing users' intention to discontinue usage. The research

examines how users engage in adaptive and maladaptive coping strategies in response
to overload, and how these strategies influence their discontinuous usage intention.

Data from 502 Chinese WeChat users was collected through an online survey. The

study found that adaptive coping strategies can trigger all three forms of overload, but

maladaptive coping is predominantly associated with communication overload. The

study found that adaptive coping strategies have a significant negative effect on

discontinuous usage intention, suggesting that users who effectively manage overload

through adaptive coping are less likely to discontinue their social media usage.

Conversely, maladaptive coping strategies are positively related to discontinuous usage

intention, suggesting that users resorting to ineffective coping mechanisms may be

more inclined to discontinue their usage. The study also highlights the moderating role

of psychological states, such as fatigue and flow experience, in shaping the relationship

between coping strategies and discontinuous usage intention.

Yukthamarani Permarupan's study (2023) explores the impact of social media on

high school students, focusing on the negative effects of addiction and anxiety. The

research identifies issues like cyberbullying, sexual solicitation, and exposure to explicit

content that contribute to anxiety among teenagers. The study uses a quantitative

research method with convenience sampling, collecting data from 395 respondents

across five high schools in Kota Bharu, Kelantan, Malaysia. The analysis, conducted

using SPSS version 24, shows that students from cluster schools perceive social media

anxiety as influencing their coping behaviors, while non-cluster students report that their

coping behaviors remain unaffected. The study recommends promoting activities that

alleviate stressors and foster healthier coping mechanisms among students, aiming to

help students, parents, and schools address social media-induced anxiety.

 Matthew Barnidge's study (2022) explores selective avoidance on social media

platforms, where users intentionally avoid content from specific individuals within their

networks. The study fills a gap in the literature by examining the dynamics of selective

exposure and avoidance within personal networks. Drawing on theory related to

egocentric or personal publics, Barnidge aims to provide a comprehensive

understanding of this phenomenon. Data from three surveys conducted among adults in

the United States, each conducted just before a major national election, is used to test

predictions. The study evaluates the impact of social network characteristics on

selective avoidance behavior and its implications for information flows, particularly in the

context of political communication. The findings contribute to scholarly discourse on the

role of media technology in shaping political communication and shed light on how

individuals curate their online information environments.

Annika Andersson's 2013 study explores the impact of social media on

education, focusing on three Swedish schools. The research, which involved interviews

and surveys, found that both students and teachers perceive social media usage as

distracting to the learning process. The study emphasized concerns about decreased

social interaction, disproportionate impact on weaker students, and teachers' lack of

effective strategies for addressing distractions. It also highlighted the responsibility for

managing social media usage often delegated to students, exacerbating the challenge

of maintaining focus. The study also identified structural factors contributing to the

distractive use of social media in education, such as education policies requiring higher

individual work and responsibility. The study suggests that collaborative efforts between
teachers and school leaders are needed to reclaim students' attention and develop

coping strategies.

Interaction between Social Media Usage and Mental Well-being

Bruce W. Hardy's (2018) study explores the relationship between social

networking sites (SNS) and mental health, a topic with varied findings and ongoing

investigation. Despite the popularization of terms like "Facebook depression," which

suggest a negative correlation, Hardy emphasizes the lack of consensus in the

literature. The existing body of research presents a nuanced picture of the SNS/mental

health relationship, with mixed results and varied interpretations. Some studies suggest

a detrimental impact of excessive SNS use on mental health outcomes, while others

propose a more complex interaction, where factors like age may moderate the

relationship. Hardy's focus on age as a potential moderator in the SNS/mental health

nexus is of particular interest. By analyzing data from the 2016 General Social Survey,

Hardy found that while the overall relationship between the number of SNSs used and

reports of feeling like one is going to have a nervous breakdown is positive, age serves

as a differentiating factor. Respondents aged 30 and above exhibit a positive correlation

between SNS usage and the reported feeling of impending nervous breakdown, while

respondents aged 18-29 demonstrate a negative correlation.

Saima Majeed (2022) explores the link between social media usage and mental

well-being, highlighting a lack of research on this phenomenon. Despite the rapid

growth in social media usage over the past decade and a half, Majeed identifies a gap
in literature on its impact on mental health outcomes and overall well-being. She calls

for empirical research to explore the complex relationship between social media use

and mental well-being dimensions such as psychological distress, depression, anxiety,

and self-esteem. She advocates for a nuanced understanding of the relationship,

considering factors like social comparison, cyberbullying, online social support, and

digital self-presentation. Majeed also emphasizes the need for interdisciplinary

perspectives in studying the social media/mental health nexus, integrating insights from

psychology, sociology, communication studies, and public health to better understand

the dynamics at play and inform the development of targeted interventions and policy

recommendations to promote positive mental health in the digital age.

Mesfin A. Bekalu (2019) critiques the current methods used to study the link

between social media use and health outcomes, highlighting a gap in the literature. He

argues that the traditional approach, which quantifies social media use based on

frequency and duration, often overlooks users' emotional connections to the platforms.

Bekalu argues that understanding users' emotional connections is crucial for assessing

the health implications of social media use.

Stevie Chancellor (2020) explores the use of social media data to predict mental

health outcomes and model mental well-being. This interdisciplinary research has the

potential to improve monitoring, diagnostics, and intervention design for various mental

health conditions. However, Chancellor highlights the lack of a standardized process for

evaluating research validity. He conducts a systematic literature review of 75 studies

published between 2013 and 2018, focusing on study design, methods, and research

approaches used in predicting mental health status using social media data. The review
outlines various aspects of the research process, including data annotation, data

collection and quality management, pre-processing and feature selection techniques,

and model selection and verification strategies. Chancellor also highlights trends related

to construct validity and a lack of reflection in methods used to operationalize and

identify mental health status. To address these challenges, Chancellor advocates for

standardized reporting standards and fosters collaboration among researchers from

diverse disciplines to promote interdisciplinary approaches and methodological rigor.

Akkapon Wongkoblap (2017) highlights the growing importance of mental illness

as a global public health challenge, highlighting the role of social network platforms as

valuable repositories of data for investigating mental health issues. These platforms

capture users' emotions, feelings, and thoughts, providing researchers with rich and

diverse datasets for studying mental health phenomena on a large scale. Wongkoblap

outlines various machine learning approaches used in mental health research, such as

sentiment analysis, topic modeling, and deep learning methods, which enable

researchers to extract actionable insights from vast amounts of social media data,

identifying patterns indicative of mental health conditions like depression, anxiety, and

suicidality. However, Wongkoblap also highlights challenges such as privacy concerns,

data quality issues, and algorithmic biases, emphasizing the need for ethical guidelines

and methodological rigor in utilizing social network data for mental health studies.

John A. Naslund (2020) explores the role of social media in supporting

individuals with mental illness. Social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram,

Snapchat, and LinkedIn offer virtual spaces for connecting, sharing, and exchanging

digital content. These platforms facilitate support and engagement for individuals with
mental illness by serving as virtual networks where they can connect, share

experiences, seek information, and access peer support networks. Users can engage in

online communities, participate in peer-led support groups, access informational

resources, and self-expression through sharing personal experiences. Naslund

highlights the potential benefits of social media in addressing social isolation and stigma

experienced by individuals with mental illness, such as cultivating social connections,

reducing loneliness, and finding validation from others. However, he also acknowledges

potential risks, such as exposure to triggering content, cyberbullying, and

misinformation. He emphasizes the importance of promoting responsible use of social

media and implementing safeguards to protect vulnerable individuals' well-being.

Adam A. Rogers (2020) conducted an 8-year longitudinal study to examine the

relationship between social media use and mental health issues like depression and

anxiety. Despite numerous studies indicating a link between time spent on social media

and mental health problems, existing research has methodological limitations. Rogers

conducted the study with 500 adolescents aged 13-20, allowing for the examination of

individual trajectories of social media use and mental health outcomes over time. The

results showed that increased time spent on social media was not associated with

heightened mental health issues across development when analyzed at the individual

level. This longitudinal analysis provides a more nuanced understanding of the

relationship between social media use and mental health, moving the field beyond its

previous focus on screen time.

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