Facebook studies

1. Communication Competence, Social Support, and Depression Among

College Students- A Model of Fcebook and Face-to-Face Support
Network influence
This study examined the influence of the social networking site Facebook and face-to-face
support networks on depression among (N = 361) college students. The authors used the
Relational Health Communication Competence Model as a framework for examining the
influence of communication competence on social support network satisfaction and
depression. Moreover, they examined the influence of interpersonal and social integrative
motives as exogenous variables. On the basis of previous work, the authors propose and test
a theoretical model using structural equation modeling. The results indicated empirical
support for the model, with interpersonal motives predicting increased face-to-face and
computer-mediated competence, increased social support satisfaction with face-to-face
and Facebook support, and lower depression scores. The implications of the findings for
theory, key limitations, and directions for future research are discussed.

2. Different types of Internet use, depression, and social anxiety: The role
of perceived friendship quality

The current study examined the longitudinal associations of time spent on Internet activities
for communication purposes (i.e., IM-ing) versus time spent on Internet activities for non-
communication purposes (i.e., surfing) with depression and social anxiety, as well as the
moderating role of perceived friendship quality in these associations. Questionnaire data were
gathered from 307 Dutch middle adolescents (average age 15 years) on two waves with a one-
year interval. For adolescents who perceive low friendship quality, Internet use for
communication purposes predicted less depression, whereas Internet use for non-
communication purposes predicted more depression and more social anxiety. These results
support social compensation effects of Iming on depression and poor-get-poorer effects of
surfing on depression and social anxiety, respectively.

3. Differential influences of depression and personality traits on the use

of Facebook
Depressive symptoms are highly prevalent among younger populations and have been clearly
associated with lowered activity in general. Focusing on Facebook use as an extremely
popular leisure activity, this study examines the influence of depressive tendencies on the
intensity of using Facebook by considering the moderating effects of relevant personality
traits and different motivations associated with social network site (SNS) use. Based on an
online survey among 510 young Facebook users, this study shows that increasing depressive
tendencies are associated with an increased frequency of posting status updatesmost likely
for negative reasons. Moderated mediation models show that the personality traits of
neuroticism and extraversion only influence the motivations behind using Facebook and not
the time spent on the SNS. Findings are also discussed with regard to novel digital help offers
for Facebook users with depressive tendencies.

4. Facebook use, envy and depression among college students: Is

Facebook depressing?
Facebook studies

It is notunless it triggers feelings of envy. This study uses the framework of social rank
theory of depression and conceptualizes Facebook envy as a possible link between Facebook
surveillance use and depression among college students. Using a survey of 736 college
students, we found that the effect of surveillance use of Facebook on depression is mediated
by Facebook envy. However, when Facebook envy is controlled for, Facebook use actually
lessens depression

5. Feeling bad on Facebook: Depression disclosures by college students

on a social networking site

Depression is common and frequently undiagnosed among college

students. Social networking sites are popular among college students and
can include displayed depression references. The purpose of this study
was to evaluate college students Facebook disclosures that met DSM
criteria for a depression symptom or a major depressive episode (MDE).
Methods: We selected public Facebook profiles from sophomore and
junior undergraduates and evaluated personally written text: status
updates.We applied DSM criteria to 1-year status updates from each
profile to determine prevalence of displayed depression symptoms
and MDE criteria. Negative binomial regression analysis was used to
model the association between depression disclosures and demographics
or Facebook use characteristics. Results: Two hundred profiles were
evaluated, and profile owners were 43.5% female with a mean age of 20
years. Overall, 25% of profiles displayed depressive symptoms and 2.5%
met criteria for MDE. Profile owners were more likely to reference
depression, if they averaged at least one online response from their friends
to a status update disclosing depressive symptoms (exp(B)52.1, Po.001),
or if they used Facebook more frequently (Po.001). Conclusion: College
students commonly display symptoms consistent with depression on
Facebook. Our findings suggest that those who receive online
reinforcement from their friends are more likely to discuss their
depressive symptoms publicly on Facebook. Given the frequency of
depression symptom displays on public profiles, social networking sites
could be an innovative avenue for combating stigma surrounding mental
health conditions or for identifying students at risk for depression.

6. Is Facebook creating iDisclosures? The link between clinical

symptoms of psychiatric disorders and technology use, attitudes and
anxiety
Facebook studies

This study systematically tested whether the use of specific technologies

or media (including certain types of Facebook use), technology-related
anxieties, and technology-related attitudes (including multitasking
preference) would predict clinical symptoms of six personality disorders
(schizoid, narcissistic, antisocial, compulsive, paranoid and histrionic) and
three mood disorders (major depression, dysthymia and bipolar-mania). In
addition, the study examined the unique contributions of technology uses
after factoring out demographics, anxiety and attitudes. Teens, young
adults and adults (N = 1143) completed an anonymous, online
questionnaire that assessed these variables. Each disorder had a unique set
of predictors with 17 of the 22 significant predictors being Facebook
general use, impression management and friendship. More Facebook
friends predicted more clinical symptoms of bipolar-mania, narcissism
and histrionic personality disorder but fewer symptoms of dysthymia and
schizoid personality disorder. Technology-related attitudes and anxieties
significantly predicted clinical symptoms of the disorders. After factoring
out attitudes and anxiety, Facebook and selected technology uses
predicted clinical symptoms with Facebook use, impression management
and friendship being the best predictors. The results showed both positive
and negative aspects of technology including social media as well as
apparently detrimental effects of a preference for multitasking.

7. Just talk to me: Communicating with college students about

depression disclosures on Facebook

Purpose: To determine acceptability, preferred communication medium, and other key

considerations for intervention by friends, professors or resident advisors, and strangers in
response to college students references to depression on the social networking site Facebook.
Methods: Facebook profiles belonging to 18- to 19-year-old students (n 60) at a large
public university were evaluated for references to depression. In-person, structured interviews
assessed how students would prefer to be approached by a friend, professor or resident
advisor, or stranger if that person saw displays of depression on the students Facebook page.
We coded interview transcripts for approach acceptability, communication medium, and
emerging themes. We used chi-square tests to assess differences between depression
displayers and non-displayers.
Results: The sample was 60% female with a mean age of 18.5 years. All students were
accepting of intervention approaches by friends. Most (93%) were accepting of an approach
by known adults. Approximately half would accept an approach by a stranger, but this
proportion was 26% lower among those who had displayed depression references on
Facebook than among non-displayers (p .072). In-person communication was preferred for
approaches made by friends and adults. E-mail or using a students friend as an intermediary
was preferred if a stranger were to intervene.
Conclusions: In-person communication from friends or trusted adults is the preferred means
for raising concerns about a students signs of depression displays on Facebook. Programs
Facebook studies

that encourage resident advisors and peers to respond in this manner and encourage treatment
may represent a way to improve access to care for depression.

8. Seeing everyone elses highlight reels: How Facebook usage is linked

to depressive symptoms
Two studies investigated how social comparison to peers through computer-
mediated interactions on Facebook might impact users psychological health.
Study 1 (N = 180) revealed an association between time spent on Facebook and
depressive symptoms for both genders. However, results demonstrated that
making Facebook social comparisons mediated the link between time spent on
Facebook and depressive symptoms for men only. Using a 14-day diary design
(N = 152), Study 2 found that the relationship between the amount of time spent
on Facebook and depressive symptoms was uniquely mediated by upward,
nondirectional, and downward Facebook social comparisons. Similarly, all three
types of Facebook social comparisons mediated the relationship between the
number of Facebook logins and depressive symptoms. Unlike Study 1, gender
did not moderate these associations. Both studies provide evidence that people
feel depressed after spending a great deal of time on Facebook because they feel
badly when comparing themselves to others.

9. Social networking and depression: An emerging issue in behavioral

physiology and psychiatric research

10.Type D personality, stress coping strategies and self-efficacy as

predictors of Facebook intrusion

Recently, Facebook has become one of the most popular social networking sites. People use it
more and more often. A number of studies have recently addressed the issue of excessive
Facebook use, showing this phenomenon to be a spreading problem. The main aim of the
present study was to examine whether Type D personality, self-efficacy and coping strategies
are related to Facebook intrusion. The participants were 882 students of Polish universities, all
of them Facebook users (72% women, mean age: 22.25 years, SD =2.06). We used the
Facebook Intrusion Questionnaire, the Facebook Intensity Scale, the General Self-Efficacy
Scale, the Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations, and the Type D Scale. We applied the
pen-and-paper procedure. Our results indicate that emotion-oriented and avoidance-oriented
strategies of coping in stressful situations are predictors of Facebook intrusion and Facebook
intensity. The relations between both Facebook intrusion and intensity and social inhibition
are significant only when emotion-oriented coping strategy is controlled. The
knowledge of whether coping strategies in stressful situations, such as focus on emotions or
avoidance, are related to Facebook intrusion might be useful for clinical purposes.

11.Using online social media, Facebook, in screening major depressive

disorder among college students
Facebook studies

This study explored the feasibility of using Internet social networking media
in an online program for Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) screening and
psychoeducation targeting college students. A Facebook advertisement
targeted students at five colleges in the United States to complete a mental
health research survey that screened for MDD using the Patient Health
Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). Students who screened positive for MDD were
offered an eightweek follow-up survey. Of the 259 students who consented to
participate in the study, 26.7% screened positive for MDD, while only 14.2%
were receiving treatment. The use of Facebook to advertise for online
screening for MDD required very little start-up time, and the average cost
was $11.45 per subject recruited. It is feasible to use online, commercially
available social networking media such as Facebook for online screening for
MDD among college students. However, conducting online screening and
offering treatment resources alone did not increase treatment rate in this
population.

12.When perception defy reality: The relationships between depression

and actual and perceived Facebook social support

Background: Although the relationship between depression and offline social support is
well established, numerous questions surround the relationship between online social
support and depression. We explored this issue by examining the social support dynamics that
characterize the way individuals with varying levels of depression (Study 1) and SCID-
diagnosed clinically depressed and non-depressed individuals (Study 2) interact with
Facebook, the world's largest online social network.
Method: Using a novel methodology, we examined how disclosing positive or negative
information on Facebook influences the amount of social support depressed individuals (a)
actually receive (based on actual social support transactions recorded on Facebook walls) and
(b) think they receive (based on subjective assessments) from their Facebook network.
Results: Contrary to prior research indicating that depression correlates with less actual social
support from offline networks, across both studies depression was positively correlated with
social support from Facebook networks when participants disclosed negative information
(p.02 in Study 1 and p.06 in Study 2). Yet, depression was negatively correlated with how
much social support participants thought they received from their Facebook networks (p.005
in Study 1 and p.001 in Study 2).
Limitations: The sample size was relatively small in Study 2, reflecting difficulties of
recruiting individuals with Major Depressive Disorder.
Conclusions: These results demonstrate that an asymmetry characterizes the relationship
between depression and different types of Facebook social support and further identify
perceptions of Facebook social support as a potential intervention target.