A recently published study by academics at the University of Amsterdam suggests that the relationship between social media use and anxiety may be more complex than previously thought.
Against all prejudice, this analysis determined that adolescents who use Instagram are happier than we think, since when analyzing the direct messages of a hundred young people present on the platform, it was detected that this age segment shows more happiness than sadness in this social network.
Study suggests the relationship between Instagram use and anxiety may be more complex than previously thought
Big tech platforms are often blamed for the increase in anxiety related to social media, given the time spent online. This studiowhich focuses on Instagram, and suggests that the situation could be different.
Researchers analyzed more than 210,000 Instagram direct messages from about 100 teens in eighth and ninth grade to determine whether the participants were expressing a positive or negative sentiment. Additionally, the participants completed a series of surveys every two weeks, in which they responded about their level of happiness over the past seven days.
The results showed that adolescents sent messages containing expressions of happiness four times more often than sad messages, with no significant relationship between the emotions expressed in direct messages and how they felt in real life.
An important detail about this study is that it focuses on the content that users find while on social networks, rather than just measuring the relationship between the time they spend on a platform and their well-being and happiness. The researchers argue that this suggests that Instagram may be beneficial for normal emotional development.
This study outlines the idea that the relationship between social media use and anxiety may be more complex than previously thought. Although it has been suggested that Instagram may be beneficial for normal emotional development, it is important to note that this study only focuses on this social network and that results may vary on other platforms. In addition, the context in which the study was carried out, such as the pandemic, which could have influenced the results, should be taken into account.
Faced with this analysis, it is also important to point out that the results of this study do not mean that the use of social networks is completely positive and should not be used to minimize the risks associated with the excessive use of social networks. This should not be construed as diminishing legitimate concerns about the impact of social media on mental health, especially in adolescents, and it is important to encourage healthy and mindful use of social media.
In any case, this study provides an interesting perspective on the relationship between the use of social networks and anxiety, illustrating that the situation may be more complex than previously thought.
