Spending more than two hours a day on social media is associated with in medical students.
Higher psychological distress levels are linked to more frequent social media use among medical students.
Maladaptive coping strategies, such as substance use and behavioral disengagement, are positively associated with extended social media use.
Maladaptive coping may mediate the relationship between social media use and psychological distress.
Frequent social media use could negatively impact academic performance due to maladaptive coping behaviors.
Simplified
BACKGROUND: Given that social media use (SMU) is an increasingly widespread activity among university students, more information is needed to evaluate its relationship with students' mental health, particularly medical students.
OBJECTIVE: The present study assessed the relationships between SMU and coping style with psychological distress and academic performance of medical students.
METHODS: An offline cross-sectional survey conducted with 398 undergraduate medical students. The survey collected data on demographics, psychological distress (DASS-21), coping strategies (Brief COPE Scale), academic performance (grade point average) and estimated average time spent on social media per day. Structural equation modeling was used to clarify relationships between the main study variables. The study also examined the mediating effect of between SMU and psychological distress.
RESULTS: Students with higher levels of psychological distress were more likely to be engaged in frequent social media use. Spending more than two hours a day on social media use had a positive association with maladaptive coping (p < 0.001), particularly with substance use and behavioral disengagement both of which could negatively affect academic performance. Maladaptive coping mediated the relationship between students' SMU and psychological distress.
CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that medical students commonly use social media as a maladaptive coping tool to deal with psychological distress. Empowering students to adopt and foster appropriate coping strategies could help them to enhance resilience against life stresses and ameliorate potential long-term mental health consequences associated with maladaptive behaviors.
Key numbers
65%
Mediation Effect
Percentage indicating the mediating effect of on psychological distress.
52%
High Social Media Use
Percentage of students using social media more than two hours per day.
23%
Self-Reported History of Depression/Anxiety
Percentage of participants with a self-reported history of depression or anxiety.
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