Passive and Active Social Media Use and Depressive Symptoms Among United States Adults
Abstract
Social media allows users to explore self-identity and express emotions or thoughts. Research looking into the association between social media use (SMU) and mental health outcomes, such as anxiety or depressive symptoms, have produced mixed findings. These contradictions may best be addressed by examining different patterns of SMU as they relate to depressive symptomatology. We sought to assess the independent associations between active versus passive SMU and depressive symptoms. For this, we conducted an online survey of adults 18-49 of age. Depressive symptoms were measured using the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System brief depression scale. We measured active and passive SMU with previously developed items. Factor analysis was used to explore the underlying factor structure. Then, we used ordered logistic regression to assess associations between both passive and active SMU and depressive symptoms while controlling for sociodemographic covariates. Complete data were received from 702 participants. Active and passive SMU items loaded on separate factors. In multivariable analyses that controlled for all covariates, each one-point increase in passive SMU was associated with a 33 percent increase in depressive symptoms (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.33, 95 percent confidence interval [CI] = 1.17-1.51). However, in the same multivariable model, each one-point increase in active SMU was associated with a 15 percent decrease in depressive symptoms (AOR = 0.85, 95 percent CI = 0.75-0.96). To inform interventions, future research should determine directionality of these associations and investigate related factors.
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Recent research has highlighted the importance of distinguishing between different types of social media use such as passive scrolling versus active engagement which may have different effects on mental health.
“For instance, recent research has highlighted the importance of distinguishing between different types of use such as passive scrolling versus active engagement which may have different effects on mental health (e.g. [38]).”
From Long-Term Consequences of Time Spent on Social Media in Adolescence on Mental Health in Young Adulthood: A Cohort Study From Sweden. (2026) · cites this paper as [38]
Some findings have suggested that SMU has negative implications for mental health when used passively (e.g., scrolling), but potentially improves well-being when used actively (e.g., posting, direct messaging).
“some findings have suggested that SMU has negative implications for mental health when used passively (e.g., scrolling), but potentially improves well-being when used actively (e.g., posting, direct messaging; Deters and Mehl, 2013; Escobar-Viera et al., 2018; Frison and Eggermont, 2020).”
From Investigating the links between objective social media use, attentional control, and psychological distress (2024) · cites this paper as Escobar-Viera et al., 2018
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- Authors
- Escobar-Viera, C. G., Shensa, A., Bowman, N. D., Sidani, J. E., Knight, J., James, A. E., & Primack, B. A.
- Affiliations
- University of Pittsburgh (US)
- West Virginia University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Escobar-Viera, César G.
- ORCID
- Venue
- Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2018-07
- Volume
- 21
- Issue
- 7
- Pages
- 437-443
- ISSN
- 2152-2715 (ISSN-L)
- 2152-2723
- OpenAlex
- W2857729476
- Cited by
- 351
- References
- 54
- Citations by year
- 2026: 32 · 2025: 41 · 2024: 61 · 2023: 48 · 2022: 62 · 2021: 50 · 2020: 37 · 2019: 18 · 2018: 1 · 2017: 1
- FWCI
- 60.17
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Cyberpsychology Behavior and Social Networking (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Impact of Technology on Adolescents
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Mental Health via Writing
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
- Keywords
- social media use, passive social media use, active social media use, depressive symptoms, mental health, adolescents and young adults
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adult, Anxiety, Depression, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Psychiatric Status Rating Scales, Surveys and Questionnaires, United States, Logistic Models, Young Adult, Social Media
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