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The Role of Social Media Use and Associated Risk and Protective Behaviors on Depression in Youth Adults: A Longitudinal and Network Perspective

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Abstract

Social media use has been associated with depression in youth. It remains unclear how individual differences in social media use and depression relate to other health-related behaviors such as physical activity, green space exposure, cannabis use, and eveningness. We aimed to examine these associations and network structure with the Green/Screen Study, a Canadian cohort of 425 adults (82.5% female) aged 18–25 years who completed three online questionnaires between May 2021 and January 2022. Longitudinal analyses showed sex differences in the association of social media use with depression. Although social media use was positively associated with depression after adjusting for other health-related behaviors, it did not predict an increase in depressive symptoms over time. Shorter time intervals and more detailed measures of social media use may be needed to capture social media context- and usage-specific associations with depression.

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Data Availability

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the last author, Vincent Paquin (vincent.paquin2@mail.mcgill.ca), upon reasonable request.

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Funding

This study received funding from the Stratas Foundation awarded to Dr. Paquin. Dr. Vidal receives funding from the NIDA/AACAP Physician Scientist Training Program in Substance Abuse Research, supported by NIDA Career Development Award (K12DA000357). Dr. Geoffroy holds a Canada Research Chair (Tier 2) in Youth Mental Health and Suicide Prevention. Dr. Paquin is supported by an award from the Quebec Network on Suicide, Mood Disorders and Associated Disorders.

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Correspondence to Carol Vidal.

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All procedures followed were in accordance with the ethical standards of the responsible committee on human experimentation (institutional and national) and with the Helsinki Declaration of 1975, as revised in 2000. Informed consent was obtained from all participants for being included in the study.

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The authors declare no competing interests.

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Vidal, C., Philippe, F.L., Geoffroy, MC. et al. The Role of Social Media Use and Associated Risk and Protective Behaviors on Depression in Youth Adults: A Longitudinal and Network Perspective. Int J Ment Health Addiction (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-024-01313-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-024-01313-0

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