Social Media Use Types and their Influence on the Mental Health Status of Jamaicans
Main Article Content
Abstract
Introduction: Digital or social media technology is the new face of Communication: instantaneous Communication and global connectivity. On extensively reviewing the literature, studies have yet to emerge on the type of social media usage and its influence on the mental well-being of Jamaicans. This gap in the literature retards knowledge of many challenges in society and the likely solutions to those truths. Jamaica has been experiencing a crime epidemic, and there is a gap in the literature on cyberpsychology.
Objective: This study evaluates cyberpsychology and different social media used by Jamaicans.
Methods and Materials: This study employed an explanatory cross-sectional survey research design. According to the 2019 population projections from the Statistical Institute of Jamaica [STATIN], Jamaica has 2,024,687 people 18 years and older, including 1,032,369 women and 992,318 men. The sample size in this study is calculated using this number, a 95% confidence level, a 5% margin of error, and the gender distribution of the population. Based on the population size and the data previously provided, the sample size is 385 Jamaicans aged 18 years and older, with a response rate of 78.18%.
Findings: The findings revealed that Twitter users experienced the highest level of severe anxiety (13.2%), followed by TikTok users (12.4%) and WhatsApp users (8.2%), and Facebook users experienced the least severe anxiety. TikTok users experienced the highest level of severe depression (4.8%), followed by YouTube users (3.4%) and Instagram users (2.8%), and Facebook users experienced the least severe depression.
Conclusion: This study confirms that social media use significantly influences mental health outcomes among Jamaicans, with varying effects depending on the platform and user behaviour. While the majority of the literature highlights both positive and negative associations, this research aligns with the findings that social media use adversely impacts depression, anxiety, and self-esteem. Notably, Facebook users exhibit the lowest levels of anxiety, depression, and internet addiction while demonstrating the highest self-esteem compared to other platforms. These results underscore the nuanced relationship between social media use and mental well-being, emphasising the need for platform-specific mental health strategies.