Alison B Tuck1, Renee J Thompson1. 1. Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, Campus Box 1125One Brookings Drive, St. Louis, US.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic has reduced the frequency of in-person social interactions. College students were highly impacted since many universities transferred curriculum from in-person to entirely online, physically separating students with little notice. With social distancing, their use of social networking sites (SNS) likely changed during the COVID-19 pandemic, possibly holding implications for wellbeing. OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed to determine (a) how components of SNS use (weekly frequency, time per day, habitual use, engagement, enjoyment, addiction, emotional impact) changed from before to during COVID-19; (b) how these changes in SNS use were associated with pandemic-related social and emotional wellbeing; and (c) how SNS use and changes in use during the pandemic were associated with loneliness. METHODS: College students (N = 176) were surveyed during the time their university campus in the United States was operating online. Participants completed the same SNS use questionnaires twice, once with regard to the month preceding the onset of COVID-19, and again with regard to the month since this time. They also reported the extent to which they experienced perceived change in social support resulting from the pandemic, pandemic-related stress, and general loneliness. RESULTS: After the onset of COVID-19, participants showed an increase in daily time spent on SNS, t(169) = 5.53, d = 0.42, p < .001, habitual use, t(173) = 3.60, d = 0.27, p < .001, and addiction, t(173) = 4.96, d = 0.38, p < .001; further, enjoyment on SNS decreased, t(173) = -2.10, d = -0.16, p = .04; and the emotional impact of SNS activities became more negative, t(172) = -3.76, d = -0.29, p < .001. Increased perceived social support during COVID was associated with changes in frequency of SNS use, time per day, addiction, and engagement (rs > .18). Pandemic-related stress was associated with changes in SNS addiction and the extent to which one's SNS content was related to the pandemic (rs > .20). Loneliness was positively associated with SNS addiction (r = .26) and negatively associated with SNS engagement (r = -.19) during the pandemic. Loneliness was also negatively associated with changes in habit and engagement (rs < -.15). CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest that components of SNS use are associated with both positive and negative pandemic-related social outcomes, but largely negative pandemic-related emotional outcomes. Further, some components of SNS use are positively associated with loneliness (e.g., addiction) while others show a negative association (e.g., engagement). These findings provide a more nuanced picture of how SNS use is associated with social and emotional wellbeing during the time of a global health crisis when in-person interactions are scarce.
BACKGROUND: Social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic has reduced the frequency of in-person social interactions. College students were highly impacted since many universities transferred curriculum from in-person to entirely online, physically separating students with little notice. With social distancing, their use of social networking sites (SNS) likely changed during the COVID-19 pandemic, possibly holding implications for wellbeing. OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed to determine (a) how components of SNS use (weekly frequency, time per day, habitual use, engagement, enjoyment, addiction, emotional impact) changed from before to during COVID-19; (b) how these changes in SNS use were associated with pandemic-related social and emotional wellbeing; and (c) how SNS use and changes in use during the pandemic were associated with loneliness. METHODS: College students (N = 176) were surveyed during the time their university campus in the United States was operating online. Participants completed the same SNS use questionnaires twice, once with regard to the month preceding the onset of COVID-19, and again with regard to the month since this time. They also reported the extent to which they experienced perceived change in social support resulting from the pandemic, pandemic-related stress, and general loneliness. RESULTS: After the onset of COVID-19, participants showed an increase in daily time spent on SNS, t(169) = 5.53, d = 0.42, p < .001, habitual use, t(173) = 3.60, d = 0.27, p < .001, and addiction, t(173) = 4.96, d = 0.38, p < .001; further, enjoyment on SNS decreased, t(173) = -2.10, d = -0.16, p = .04; and the emotional impact of SNS activities became more negative, t(172) = -3.76, d = -0.29, p < .001. Increased perceived social support during COVID was associated with changes in frequency of SNS use, time per day, addiction, and engagement (rs > .18). Pandemic-related stress was associated with changes in SNS addiction and the extent to which one's SNS content was related to the pandemic (rs > .20). Loneliness was positively associated with SNS addiction (r = .26) and negatively associated with SNS engagement (r = -.19) during the pandemic. Loneliness was also negatively associated with changes in habit and engagement (rs < -.15). CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest that components of SNS use are associated with both positive and negative pandemic-related social outcomes, but largely negative pandemic-related emotional outcomes. Further, some components of SNS use are positively associated with loneliness (e.g., addiction) while others show a negative association (e.g., engagement). These findings provide a more nuanced picture of how SNS use is associated with social and emotional wellbeing during the time of a global health crisis when in-person interactions are scarce.