Social Technology Use Predicts Girls’ Daily Emotional Health during Social Distancing via Peer Closeness

• In Event: Methodological Innovations to Advance the Science of Social Media Use and Adolescent Development and Well-being

Abstract

Introduction
Researchers agree that real-time measures of social technology use are needed to better understand the complex links between social technology use and emotional health. We conducted a daily diary study among adolescent girls under COVID-19 stay-at-home orders to investigate associations between daily social technology use, peer closeness, and same-day and longer term emotional health. During this time, youth were forced to rely on digital technology as their primary source of social connection. Although some have shown small negative effects for quantity of social media use on adolescent mental health, the quality of the interaction is thought to be more important. During the pandemic, social technologies could have provided a lifeline to adolescents by helping them feel closer with peers, thus contributing to better emotional health.
Methods
93 adolescent girls (ages 12-17; M=15.02; 68% Caucasian; 2/3 at high temperamental risk for anxiety/depression) completed an online daily diary (88% compliance) during a 10-day period in April/May in which they were under state-issued stay-at-home orders. Diaries included adolescent report of PA, anxious and depressive symptoms, and feelings of closeness with peers (rated on 0 to 100-point sliding scales). Daily time on social media, texting, and video-chatting were estimated. Anxiety and depressive symptoms were also measured 7 months later.
Results
Multilevel fixed effects models with Bayesian estimation were conducted. At the within-person level, more daily time texting or video-chatting with peers was associated with feeling closer to peers that day, which was in turn associated with more PA and fewer depressive and anxiety symptoms that day. All indirect paths were significant (see Figure 1). At the between-person level (Figure 2), more time video-chatting with peers across the 10 days was indirectly associated with higher average PA during lockdown and less depression seven-months later, via higher mean closeness with peers. Social media use was not associated with emotional health at the within- or between-person levels.
Conclusions
The daily diary approach revealed within-day associations between social technology use and emotional health via peer closeness. For adolescent girls at risk for anxiety and depression, messaging and video-chat technologies may be important tools for maintaining a sense of connectedness with peers during periods of social isolation, with beneficial effects on emotional health. Despite concern in the media, these technologies appear to offer safe ways to promote positive emotional functioning when in-person interactions are limited. Video chat and text messaging, which more closely mimic the natural give-and-take of in person conversations, appear more beneficial than social media. Consistent with mixed findings in the pre-pandemic literature, utilizing social media apps did not have systematic detrimental or beneficial effects on daily emotions. Future work is needed to determine whether these findings apply outside of the context of the pandemic.

Authors

• Jennifer S. Silk, University of Pittsburgh
  Presenting Author

• Kiera M James, University of Pittsburgh

• Lori Scott, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center

• Emily Anne Hutchinson, University of Pittsburgh

• Cecile D Ladouceur, University of Pittsburgh