THE EFFECTS OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON THE PREVALENCE OF DEPRESSIVE

TENDENCIES AMONG COLLEGE STUDENTS

A Thesis Presented to
The Faculty of Higher Education Department
Lourdes College, Cagayan de Oro City

In Partial Fulfillment of the

Requirements for the Degree of
Bachelor of Science in Psychology

Alvarez, Frances Joannie B.

Madula, Adrienne J.
Rocha, Diego Manuel P.
Romiscal, Princess B.

September 2021
 i

APPROVAL SHEET

This thesis is entitled: “THE EFFECTS OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON THE PREVALENCE OF

DEPRESSIVE TENDENCIES AMONG COLLEGE STUDENTS” prepared and submitted
by Romiscal, Madula, Alvarez, and Rocha in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the
degree of Bachelor of Science in Psychology has been reviewed and is recommended
for Oral Examination for acceptance and approval.

MC ROLLYN D. VALLESPIN, MS, LPT

Mentor

_____________________________________________________________________

PANEL OF EXAMINERS

Approved by the Committee on Oral Examination with a grade of _________.

__________________________
Chair

____________________________ ___________________________
Member Member

_________________________
Member

______________________________________________________________________

Accepted and approved in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree

Bachelor of Science in Psychology.

KURT S. CANDILAS, PH.D.

Date: October 2021 Dean of Arts & Sciences
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

First and foremost, we would like to thank God, The Almighty, for His showers of

blessings and guidance throughout our research work. Only through His loving guidance

have we gained the courage and perseverance to complete this research.

We would like to extend our sincere gratitude to our research adviser, Mr. Mc

Rollyn D. Vallespin, MS, LPT for his endless support and encouragement. His patience

and determination to aid us in our journey has been the foundation of the completion of

our research paper.

We would also want to extend our gratitude to all the deans of each program of

Lourdes College, Dr. Kurt S. Candillas PhD., LPT of the College of Arts & Sciences, Mr.

Rhandy M. Oyao CPA, MBA of the Accountancy, Business & IT Program, Dr. Madeleine

Zamayla, DM of the Allied Health program, Dr. Raquel J. Dael, DM of the Hotel &

Restaurant Management Program, and Dr. Kriscentti Exzur P. Barcelona, Phd., LPT

of the Teachers Education Program for granting us permission to conduct our survey to

students under their respective programs.

We also want to thank our consultants Ms. Alve Jane Aranton, RPM and Mr.

Franco Ceasar Agbalog, MA, RYT for assisting us with our paper. Your suggestions,

judgements and expertise for content validation in our research questionnaire have

helped us with proceed our survey implementation. We are genuinely thankful for your

help and support.

 And to the participation and assistance of so many people whose names may not

all be enumerated. They hold a special place in our hearts, our thoughts and prayers.

Your contributions are sincerely appreciated.

Our family, friends and classmates who have supported us, encouraged us and

kept us motivated to continue in spite of the challenges that we have encountered. Our

heartfelt thanks.
 DEDICATION

First of all, we dedicate all our efforts in this study to Almighty God, who gave us

knowledge, strength, and perseverance to continue what we started in this study. To our

beloved families, friends, and classmates who gave us the emotional and financial we

need. We dedicate this research to every man, woman and child whose life has been

greatly affected by the pandemic. To all people suffering from depression. And for all

mental health advocates. This one is for us.

 CERTIFICATE OF ORIGINALITY

This is to certify that this study entitled “The Effects of Social media on the

Prevalence of Depressive Tendencies among College Students” submitted as a

requirement for the degree of Bachelor of Science in Psychology at the Lourdes College

Higher Education Department, is the product of our own efforts, with thanks to our

research adviser, panel members, and others for their contributions in this academic

study. It has never been published before, nor has it been written by anybody else.

With suitable citations and reference listings, we have recognized the sources of

all content, whether taken literally or paraphrased. This research does not infringe on

copyright or other intellectual property rights.

Researchers:

Princess B. Romiscal Frances Joannie B. Alvarez

Adrienne J. Madula Diego Manuel P. Rocha

MC ROLLYN D. VALLESPIN, MS, LPT

Research in Psychology 2 Instructor
 ABSTRACT

As social media has grown more prevalent into everyday life, college students
have been noticed increasing their use of social media networks. This study looked into
the effects of social media on the depressive tendencies among the college students.
This research study used a quantitative descriptive-correlational research design. A total
of 603 respondents were purposively selected and completed a modified questionnaire
online. Results showed that gender has no significant relationship with social media
(r=0.180) and depressive tendencies (r=0.56); gender did not vary much across the
depressive tendencies. However, there is a significant relationship between social media
and depressive tendencies (r=0.018). Further, students reported to have an increased
social media use and found to have a “moderate depression”. Students are encouraged
to use social media moderately to avoid negative mental health outcomes.

Keywords: Depressive Tendencies, College Students, Social media, Gender

 TABLE OF CONTENTS

TITLE PAGE

APPROVAL SHEET i

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ii

DEDICATION iv

CERTIFICATE OF ORIGINALITY v

ABSTRACT vi

TABLE OF CONTENTS vii

CHAPTER

1 THE PROBLEM

Introduction 1

Theoretical & Conceptual Framework 3

Statement of the Problem 7

Hypotheses 7

Significance of the Study 8

Scope and Delimitation 8

Definition of terms 9

2 REVIEWS OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES

Related Literature 11

Depression 11

Social Media Use 12

 Depression and Social Media Use 13

Gender-Based Differences and Social Media 14

Related Studies 15

Social Media Use and Impacts on Mental Health 15

Gender-Based, Social Media use and Depression 15

Facebook Usage and Depressive Tendencies 18

Synthesis 19

3 RESEARCH METHODS

Research Design 20

Participants and Sampling Procedure 20

Research Instruments 21

Validity and Reliability 21

Scoring Procedure 22

Data Gathering Procedure and Ethical Consideration 22

Statistical Treatment/ Data Organization 23

4 PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA

Problem no. 1 24

Problem no. 2 27

Problem no. 3 30
5 SUMMARIES OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Summary of Findings 33

Conclusion 34

Recommendations 34

REFERENCES 36

APPENDICES

Appendix A – Informed Consent Form 43

Appendix B – Survey Questionnaire 44

Appendix C – Content Validation Certificate 48

Appendix D – Data Gathering Letter Request 50

 CHAPTER 1

THE PROBLEM

Introduction

Social media is viewed as social and academic support for a lot of people,

especially college and university students. Students can use various forms of social

media to connect, share, and view content. These features make multiple media suitable

for various types of interactions and this affects the extent and manner in which social

media is used. Due to the popularity of social media with more than half of the world’s

population being active on networking sites, literature has linked its use to depression. A

study conducted by Iwamoto & Chun (2020), found students from colleges and

universities have been observed to increase their use of social media apps as it has

become integral to their daily life. The study revealed a significant positive correlation

between the hours of social media use with depression, anxiety, and stress. With the

increasing use of social media, the researchers have mentioned social media may cause

people to begin comparing themselves or develop unfair expectations of themselves and

other people.

Depression or major depressive disorder is a mood disorder characterized as

ongoing feelings of sadness and loss of interest in activities that a person once enjoyed

(Diagnostic & Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition). About 264 million

individuals worldwide were victims of depression, mostly occurring in teens which marked

depression as the second cause of death in teens (World Health Association, 2021). The

Philippines was labeled as the "Social Networking Capital of the World'' according to
 2

Statista Research Department (2021). Topping the world's social media usage, 74 million

Facebook users spend an average of 4 hours and 15 minutes per day on social media

for information and a platform for product placement (Statista, 2021). In addition, the

Philippines have the majority of Filipino women Facebook users than men, accounting for

52.4% of all Facebook users since September 2019 (Napoleon, 2019). In contrast, a

study conducted by Balci & Gölcü (2013) found that male users are more prone to

Facebook addiction, while measuring Facebook addiction in Selcuk University in Turkey.

Additionally, a survey undertaken by Pew, the U.S. research center found that 77% of

Facebook users were women, while 66% of men use Facebook (Duggan, 2015).

In a local study conducted by Maglunog & Dy (2019), shows the number of minutes

spent on Facebook increases, so does the amount of depression levels. A regular

exposure on Facebook to the optimistic self-presentations of others evokes feelings of

envy and jealousy. The more Facebook is used, the more people compare their lives with

others. They concluded that frequent use of Facebook is therefore associated with greater

psychological distress. In contrast, another local study that is conducted by Labrague

(2014), has found that the intensity of the use of Facebook alone was not sufficiently

linked to depression, anxiety, and tension in negative emotional states but, it has been

found that increased depression and anxiety scores are correlated with the amount of

time spent on Facebook.

The portrayal of images, advertisements, generalization, and news of all kinds are

all in the networking sites that may be disturbing to anyone who’s active on social media.

Students have the freedom to use different forms of social media to connect, share, and

view updates. However, when influenced by posts, and other contents, social media can
 3

have a significant impact on mental health. This phenomenon is subject to discussion and

concerns among students. This research will further investigate whether social media has

an effect on the depressive tendencies among college students following with its gender

differences that the researchers aimed to measure.

Theoretical and Conceptual Framework

Social media is a platform that allows users to discover, control, and maintain their

online identity and interactions in the online world. Social media is a well-known online

platform that allows everyone regardless of gender to participate. The use of social media

is undeniably useful to a lot of people. However, when the media is wrongly perceived it

allows individuals to easily adjust and compare their sense of self-worth (Vogel et al.,

2014) with the given information, expectations, and generalization held by others in social

media that can influence and manipulate others' perceptions of self. People are placing

less value on themselves, feelings of worry, and distraction, as influenced by the negative

social media contents, updates, trends, and activities done online.

The Dual Factor Model of Facebook Usage by Hofmann & Nadkarni (2013)

explained the two motivational factors that drive a person to use Facebook as a specific

form of social networking site: (1) the need to belong, referring to the intrinsic drive to

affiliate with others and gain social acceptance, and (2) the need for self-presentation,

referring to the continuous pro-presentation. Facebook can be a useful tool to alleviate

feelings of social disconnection because it provides an ideal place to address the need

for a person to belong through its features that allow users to collect information and

communicate online with their friends with the ability to obtain approval from others
 4

Sheldon et. al (2011). The need to self-present is the second motivational need. This

need for self-presentation was defined as the behavior used to provide a real or imaginary

audience with details about oneself (Mitchikyan et al., 2016). This specific social need

seems to direct the particular behaviors of the person to present themselves through their

Facebook profiles, such as their profile selection and cover photos that are in line with

their expected impression formation (Hofmann & Nadkarni 2013).

The social comparison theory of Festinger (1954) proposes that people identify

their capacities and evaluate their sense of self-worth through comparison with others.

Festinger (1954) suggests that people have an inherent drive to evaluate themselves

often compared to others. People make all sorts of judgments about themselves through

social comparison or self-analysis about others. There are two kinds of social comparison

according to Festinger (1954), upward and downward social comparison. Upward social

comparison takes place when we compare ourselves to others that we believe are far

better than us. To social media upward social comparison has been linked to a decline in

self-esteem levels. The increased exposure to social media with positive content such as

those with healthy lifestyles, and beauty standards, have led individuals to upward social

comparison. Feinstein et al., (2013) found that a greater number of depressive symptoms

were reported by people who made more frequent social comparisons on social media.

Downward social comparison on the other hand takes place when we compare ourselves

to others that we believe are worse off than us. Social comparison occurs more easily

and often in social media as it provides features that allow an individual to easily connect

and be informed about what others are doing. Thus, social comparison in social media

cannot be avoided.
 5

Another theory is Butler’s theory of gender performativity (1990) which argues that

humans enact gender identities through expression and performance (Wood, 2009).

Performative theory suggests that gender is not something that people have directly, but

rather, something they do. Gender is an active manifestation of identity and external

performance (Bell, 2006); the theory's core argument states that there is no gender

without gender performance (Wood, 2009). Gender performance in social media has

been observed where social media is a liberating place where gender can be performed

in many ways (Hans et al., 2011). Gender performance in social media reinforces existing

sex-role stereotyping, while some promote equality across gender differences. Previous

studies have found that women tend to be more affected than men in social media content

that have potentially affected their decisions and mental health.

 6

Conceptual Framework

Social Media Use

• Type of social media

network used
• Duration of hours of Depressive
social media usage Tendencies
• Reasons for social
media usage

Gender Differences

Figure 1.0 The Schematic Diagram of Social Media Use, Depression and Gender

Differences

Figure 1.0 illustrates the schematic diagram of the study that shows three concepts

that were separated into boxes. The social media use and gender represent the

independent variables while the depressive tendencies represent the dependent variable.

Social media use is signified by a headed arrow in between boxes pointing to the

depressive tendencies, and gender differences are pointing to social media use and

depressive tendencies. Social media use is described in terms of the type of social media

network used, duration of hours spent on social media, and the reasons for the usage of

social media sites. Operationally, depression signifies a self-report feeling of being sad

over a significant period. Gender is either of the two sexes, male and female.
 7

Statement of the Problem

This research study will describe and examine the effects of social media on the

prevalence of depressive tendencies among college students. Specifically, it aims to

answer the following questions:

1. What are the demographic profile of the respondents in terms of:

a. Social media network

b. Gender
c. Amount of time spent on social media

2. What are the social media factors that contribute to depression?

3. Is there a significant effect of gender and social media use towards

depressive tendencies among college students?

Hypotheses

This study hypothesizes that gender and social media use causes depressive

tendencies among college students. The following hypotheses have been conceptualized

to answer the problems identified in this study:

H1: There is no significant effect of gender and social media use towards

depressive tendencies of the participants.

H2: There is a significant effect of gender and social media use towards

depressive tendencies of the participants.

 8

Significance of the Study

This study looks into the effects of social media on the prevalence of depressive

tendencies among college students. The study would play a significant role in the

following areas:

The Students. The present study will help students to gain relevant information

on the consequences of their social media use with regards to their mental health. This

study will give students awareness in their social media exposure and will help them to

regulate their social media usage.

The Instructors and School Administrators. Findings from this study would be

significant to the instructors and school administration to raise awareness and give

strategic plans and interventions to help regulate their students' social media use, and to

prevent the occurrence of depression among students.

The Future Researchers. Findings from this study will help future researchers to

gain insights, information, and statistically relevant values that will help expand their

research study.

Scope and Delimitation

This study looks into the effects of social media on the prevalence of depressive

tendencies among college students. This research focuses on the college students in

different programs and year levels in one of the catholic schools in Cagayan de Oro City

that are currently enrolled for the school year 2021-2022. The study was conducted

online and the survey questionnaires were distributed via email, Facebook and
 9

messenger. A total of 603 responses were collected from the programs of the said

school.

Due to the limited and short amount of time given to conduct this research, this

study only looks at the relationship between gender, social media use and depressive

tendencies of the participants. The respondent’s population failed to consider various

levels of participants such as students in high school and working individuals which are

also exposed in social media. In addition, this excludes students from schools from the

nearby provinces and cities. Moreover, this study will not further look into the other factors

such as academic performance.

Definition of Terms

Depression. An after-effect associated with social media use is a phenomenon

experienced by users characterized by negative behaviors or feelings of the students in

using social media. A scale chosen by researchers will be utilized to measure the

depression levels of college students in one of the prestigious schools in the region.

Depressive Tendencies. This refers to the manner in which an individual has

tendencies to experience signs or symptoms of depression.

Gender. Refers to the users assign biologically sex, traits, attributes, and behavior

to social media. It will be measured through being feminine (girl) and masculinity (boy) of

the respondents.

Social Media. Refers to the application and networks that allow user content

sharing, information, and communication which gives either a positive or negative

 10

contribution to mental health particularly depression. It is being measured through the

usage of students, the depression scale chosen by the researchers, and its effects and

relationship.
 CHAPTER 2

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES

This chapter reviews existing literature and studies focused on the students'

expression levels and social media use. This review shows evidence that can be related

to the researcher’s topic.

2.1 Related Literature

2.1.1 Depression

Depression is a widespread and severe mood disorder which is better known as

major depressive disorder or clinical depression, which is characterized by lack of interest

and pleasure in daily activities, significant weight loss or gain, insomnia or excessive

sleeping, lack of energy, inability to concentrate, feelings of worthlessness or extreme

guilt and recurrent thoughts of death or suicide (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of

Mental Disorder, 2013). Depression is different from sadness and loneliness, given that

they do not present symptoms that can be seen among depressed clients. According to

the World Health Association (2021), there are statistically 264 million individual victims

worldwide and considered depression to be the second cause of death by teens.

Adolescence is a fragile period when individuals are at risk of developing low self-esteem

and Depression (Orth et al., 2015) (McLaughlin & King, 2015). Depression is a dangerous

disorder due to its ability to affect several components of one being and its potential to

lead an individual to commit suicide (Krylova, 2017). The data of Heron, 2016 reveals that

depression is the second leading cause of death of individuals ages 20-34.

 12

2.1.2 Social Media Use

As a result of unending industrial and technological advancements in a global

society, the use of social media is highly practiced among people globally. Recent studies

on social media users reported that about 3 billion people globally are currently using

social media (Iwamoto & Chun, 2020). According to Abbott (2017), the increase in the

population of social media usage has also increased the amount of time spent on social

platforms, with statistics indicating that people spend an average of 2 hours a day on

different social media platforms, sharing messages and pictures, tweeting, updating

status, liking, and commenting on other social updates. This study also supported by the

Pew Research Center (2016), where 89% of adults (aged 18-29) use social networking

sites (SNS) for social interactions, information seeking and sharing, for entertainment,

relaxation, expression of opinions, communication, business deals, and surveillance

about others (Whiting & Williams, 2013). The most popular social networking site

worldwide, based on the number of active accounts, is Facebook (Statista, 2021).

As viewed by Drouin et al. (2018), social media is a form of social support by the

majority of college and university students. Still, it can also result negatively on their

mental health. Charoensukmongkol (2018) supported this finding by determining that the

global population could be risking a great deal of its mental health and well-being through

social use. Tang, Wang, and Norman (2013) found that the process of sharing, tweeting,

liking, texting, and undertaking other activities every day in social media has been linked

to an increase in stress. Therefore, Weng and Menczer (2015) argue that the significant

negative social impact of increased social media usage is that it has become a severe

source of stress since people often share all manner of feeds, stories, and comments that
 13

range from politics and economics, to social and personal issues of concern.

Subsequently, an individual spending an average of 2 hours on social media platforms

will end up collecting a lot of negative news, stories, and information, which impacts their

overall stress level (Ley, et al., 2014).

2.1.3 Depression and Social Media Use

Social media is directly linked to improving constructive and innovative ways to

stay in contact with other people, but some literature has linked its use to depression.

Students use social media to connect, share, and view content. When influenced by

posts, social media can have a significant impact on their lives. Many research studies

have reported the association between social media use and depression. Pantic, I. (2014)

review the recent research regarding the suggested connection between social

networking and depressive symptoms, changes in self-esteem, and other potential

psychiatric problems and issues. The author reported that daily time spent on social

media was causing an adjuvant effect on depression levels of the students. Excessive

internet and social networking platforms could weaken the connections between

individuals and their families, friends, and loved ones. As a result, individuals may feel

lonelier and depressed.

According to Zareen et al. (2016), social media use has increased anxiety among

the world populations, with social media users often sharing scary and disturbing stories

that might end up as real or fake news, impacting society the feelings of worry and

restlessness. Social media use can also provoke individuals to begin self-comparing or

gain an unrealistic expectation of themselves and other individuals leading to lower self-
 14

esteem, self-confidence, and self-worth (Iwamoto & Chun, 2020). This was also

supported by Maglunog & Dy (2019) that as the number of minutes spent on Facebook

increases, the degree of depression also increases.

2.1.4 Gender-Based Differences and Social Media

The widespread popularity of social media is highly practiced worldwide and

attracts both men and women from different ages, regardless of race, and societal status.

Gender roles may have an influence on how social media is used. The majority of prior

studies indicates that women spend more time on social media than men. Women have

8% more friends in social media than men, which may indicate that women are more

willing and capable of connecting and communicating with more people online (Mellema,

2014). Indeed, women are enthusiastic in using social media to enhance their social lives.

With the different social media platforms (etc., Facebook, Instagram, Google Plus,

Twitter) to choose from, many of these sites are mainstream and corporate. Significant

quantities of advertisements can be found on corporate, mainstream websites, and this

advertising often depicts pre-existing perceptions of what it means to be a "man" or

"woman." According to Ringrose (2010) young women tend to internalize the commercial

images they see in advertisements and integrate stereotypes into their online social

appearance of themselves. Men on the other hand used social networking sites to

network, make new friends, search for potential dates, and play online games (Rousseau

& Puttaraju, 2014).

In addition, according to Idemudia et al., (2017) in relating to social media

continuance/usage, females have a greater and important understanding of ease of use,

 15

compatibility, relative benefit, and risk when using social media than males. However,

males have a higher sense of happiness and knowledge quality as compared to females.

2.2 Related Studies

2.2.1 Social Media Use and Impacts on Mental Health

In the study of Keles et al. (2019) they systematically reviewed and explored

evidence of the effect of social media use in adolescents on depression, anxiety, and

psychological distress. They screened studies from PsycINFO, Medline, Embase,

CINAHL, and SSCI databases and gathered 6598 articles from the five databases. They

screened those papers for eligibility, and a total of 13 studies were found eligible for their

research. Twelve of these studies are cross-sectional studies, and the remaining 1 is a

longitudinal study. They concluded in this study that the influence of social media use on

the incidence of depression, anxiety, and psychological distress among adolescents is

likely to be multifactorial. They stated that It is safe to assume an 'association' between

the use of social media and mental health issues on the grounds that this means a socially

created truth. But this does not have scientific validity.

2.2.2 Gender-Based, Social Media use and Depression

A study of Krylova 2017, on the impact of Social Media on Depression in 18-34-

Year-Olds in the United States aims to understand the relationship between social media

use and depression by analyzing the relationship between depression and the use of

social media and to see if envy is the primary predictor of depression. The studies used

200 sample populations between 18 and 34; however, only 198 responses were received.
 16

They made use of the survey monkey on distributing the survey questionnaire, which

consists of questions about types of social media platforms used, frequency and duration

of usage, the participant’s reasoning behind using them, and the other questions are

related to the participants understanding of depression and subsequent problems are

added pertaining the relationship between depression and the utilization of social media.

The study's results garnered envy and exclusion as the highest reported categories for

males, while jealousy and unsettling news were the highest reported categories among

female participants. Cyberbullying was the lowest category that was selected as a

response by both genders. No male participants reported too much time spent on social

media or recalling past experiences as a cause of sadness from using social media.

Females said that they had experienced feelings of despair resulting from social media

use.

Therefore, males reported exclusion as the cause of sadness from social media

use. Only females said that feelings of sadness were caused by too much time spent on

social media and recalling past experiences. Results also showed possible causative

factors that arise from the use of social media that contributes to depression. These

factors include jealousy, which has the highest rating, followed by disturbing news,

exclusion, derogatory messages, opposing viewpoints, cyberbullying, spending too much

time on social media, and remembering past experiences. The contributing factors

mentioned had a significant impact on the individual’s emotional state or level of

depression. Also, results have found that a higher number of participants experienced at

least one negative feelings of isolation, low self-esteem, and sadness, which statistically

signifies that social media impacts an individual's mental state, which could eventually
 17

lead to depression. This study wants to determine if there is a relationship between

depression and social media with various limitations wherein the study consisted of a

survey that was conducted online, which may include bias caused by the influence of their

surrounding environment and any other external stimuli, responses of the participants are

not controlled, using open-ended questions that received a variety of reactions that were

open to interpretation. It only looked into gender and did not differentiate participants by

various age groups or races. The study concluded that social media platforms could have

adverse effects on their users' psychological health regardless of gender. It confirmed

that social media envy could have an impact on an individual’s level of depression. This

study proves that the gender of social media users also has a role in the development of

depression.

A cross-sectional study by Maglunog et., al 2018 investigated the relationship

between sociodemographic characteristics and Facebook use with college students' level

of depression. Findings of the study revealed the following results: gender has a low

positive relationship with the level of depression; age did not vary much across

depression level; there is a moderate positive association between sexual orientation and

depression level; socioeconomic status has an inverse relationship with depression level,

and relationship status has an average positive association with depression level.

Furthermore, results showed a moderate positive association between the number of

minutes spent on Facebook and depression level; there is a weak positive association

between Facebook visits and depression level, and Facebook activities are positively

correlated to depression. Participants who spent more time on Facebook/day in the

 18

category of major depression than those who regularly use Facebook in the minimal

depression category were linked to more significant psychological distress.

2.2.3 Facebook Usage and Depressive Tendencies

A study by Vidal et al. (2020) entitled “Social media use and depression in

adolescents: a scoping review.” The bi-directional association between SM use,

specifically social networking sites (SNS), and adolescent depression and suicidality was

examined in their study. They utilized the framework suggested by Arksey and O’Malley

(2005) for scoping review, and there are five steps in the review: (1) identifying the

research question; (2) identifying relevant studies; (3) study selection; (4) charting the

data; and (5) collating, summarizing and reporting the results. Based on the goals,

variables used, and outcomes of the analysis, each study was named according to the

critical focus of SM-related research. A total of 42 studies between the years 2011 and

2019 were reviewed. Most studies have found a positive correlation between SNS time

spent and higher depression levels. Gürbüz et al. (2017), Marengo et al. (2018), Pantic

et al. (2012), Twenge et al. (2018), (Woods & Scott, 2016). It was also found that higher

SM usage frequency was positively correlated with suicidal ideation. Factors such as the

number of SM accounts and the frequency of checking SM Barry et al. (2017) were

associated with various symptoms, including depression. A study Oberst et al. (2017)

Examining the use of SM as an outcome indicated that depression could, directly and

indirectly, affect SM use mediated by the fear of missing out (or the apprehension of

missing rewarding experiences that others might be enjoying) Adolescents with

Depression were also found to have more difficulty regulating their SM use (Lee et al.,

2017).
 19

Emotional maladjustment was associated with an addiction-like internet usage

trend (including SM use). An addiction-like pattern of internet use (including SM use) was

associated with emotional maladjustment (Critselis et al., 2014), internalizing and

externalizing symptoms Tsitsika et al. (2014), and depressive mood Rooij et al. (2017)

Mediators of the relationship of problematic SM use and depression were investigated in

several studies. Wang et al. (2018) found that the relationship between SM addiction and

adolescent Depression was mediated by rumination, with a more substantial impact

among low self-esteem adolescents. The association between SM addiction and

depressive symptoms was also partially mediated by insomnia. They concluded in their

study that a connection between SM use and depression in adolescents has been shown

by comprehensive studies on the quantity and consistency of SM use. Since most studies

that they reviewed are cross-sectional, they suggested that longitudinal research will help

determine the association's direction.

2.3 Synthesis

Social media use and depression are two phenomena that co-exist as we adopt

the new normal. Investigating the relationship between social media and depressive

tendencies, we can obtain a higher chance of resolving the current prevalence of

depression with social media as one of the predictors by considering gender and possible

causal predictors. This study of social media's role in most online learning is guarded with

the reviews that validate both variables' association by considering the gender of the

social media user and the possible predictors of depression about social media. With this

concept and information, students and educators will be able to change students'

perceptions and habits towards social media.

 CHAPTER 3

RESEARCH METHODS

This section primarily aims to discuss the research design, participants and

sampling procedures. It will also discuss the data gathering, instruments and procedure,

validity and reliability of the instruments to be used and statistical instruments/procedures.

Research Design

This research study used a quantitative descriptive-correlational research design.

The number of hours the respondents spent in social media is the independent variable

while the dependent variable is their depressive tendencies. Researchers would like to

determine the relationship of social media use and the depressive tendencies among the

respondents. Relationships between the two variables listed above have been

investigated in the present study.

Participants and Sampling Procedure

The sample consists of 603 respondents from the students of the higher education

department in different programs and year levels, more than half of the college population.

A purposive sampling method was used in the study wherein the selection is based on

the criteria or judgement held by the researcher to their participants. The criteria of

selection should be a college student enrolled in Lourdes College. Surveys were

distributed online via LCCDO emails, and Facebook messengers in google forms where

the respondents can access any time in the comfort of their homes to secure safety and

security.
 21

Research Instruments

This study utilized a modified questionnaire from Beck’s Depression Inventory for

the depressive tendencies and Survey Monkey for the social media usage. The Beck

Depression Inventory (BDI) is a self-report rating inventory with 21 items that assesses

depression-related attitudes and symptoms. Survey Monkey is an internet program and

hosting service that allows anyone to create and distribute surveys over the internet and

is commonly used for market research surveys. Overall, the survey questionnaire

consisted of 25 items, 5 items were intended for the social media use and there are 20

items for the depressive tendencies’ questions. The online survey questionnaire was

distributed for the purpose of collecting the socio-demographic information from

participants and to gather information and opinions on their use of social media and

depressive tendencies.

Validity and Reliability

For the validity of our questionnaire, we consulted experts to review the questions

for the construct validity. And for the questionnaire’s reliability, we conducted a pilot

testing with 230 participants and had the results tested for reliability using the SPSS.

Cronbach's alpha showed the items to reach excellent reliability, α= 0.92. Overall, all

items appeared to be worthy of retention.

The questionnaire used for the study, “The Effects of Social media on the

Prevalence of Depressive Tendencies among College Students” has a Cronbach’s alpha

of .918 which means it has an excellent internal consistency.

 22

Scoring Procedure

The scoring procedure was based on the table below. For social media, mean

scores with 4.50 - 5.00 indicate a very high social media usage while 1.00 - 1.49 mean

scores indicate a very low social media usage. For depressive tendencies, 4.51 - 5.00

mean scores indicate an Extreme Depressive Tendency while mean scores with 1.00-

1.50 indicate a normal or no depressive tendency at all.

Scale
Scale
Description (Depressive Description
(Social Media)
Tendencies)
Extreme Depressive
4.50-5.00 Very High 4.51-5.00
Tendency
Severe Depressive
3.50-4.49 High 3.51-4.50 Tendency
Moderate Depressive
2.50-3.49 Moderate 2.51-3.50 Tendency
1.50-2.49 Low 1.51-2.50 Borderline clinical
1.00-1.49 Very Low 1.00-1.50 Normal

Data Gathering Procedure and Ethical Consideration

Data were collected using online surveys and questionnaires with the use of

google form to evaluate and determine the sociodemographic profile, social media use

and the depressive tendencies of the participants. Google form is a web-based app used

to create forms and surveys for the purpose of data collection (Love, 2014). The

respondents will receive emails from the researchers and will electronically distribute the

online self-administered questionnaire shared through link. The respondents included the

following: students enrolled in Lourdes college, regardless of year levels and type of

residence. The data collection was conducted electronically for convenience, allowing

students of all classifications, majors, and types of residence to complete the

 23

questionnaire. The students were invited and encouraged to complete the survey on their

own time before the allotted deadline. The potential participants were provided with a

cover letter explaining the purpose of the questionnaire, inclusion criteria, that the

information collected will remain confidential, that their participation was voluntary, and

that there was no penalty for withdrawal of participation in the study. The participant's

completion and return of the questionnaire indicated voluntary consent to participate in

this research study. There were no coercive acts involved and the safety and security of

the respondents were prioritized.

Statistical Treatment/ Data Organization

After the gathering of data, results were interpreted with the use of SPSS and

Microsoft Excel to calculate the mean, standard deviation and Pearson correlation

coefficient. Researchers made use of the mean as a measure of central tendency and

the standard deviation was also utilized to see the relative variance of the scores of the

respondents from each other. In order to test the relationship of gender and social media

use towards depressive tendencies, Pearson's Correlation Coefficient was used.

The results of the gathered data were tallied in the Microsoft excel. The

researchers created a code book used to assign a corresponding value to each potential

response of the participants for convenience. The codes will be useful in the tallying of

the results and thus will give the researchers easy identification and interpretation of the

results.
 CHAPTER 4
PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA

This chapter presents the data collection, statistical analysis, and interpretation of

the results of the study from the conducted survey. These are presented in tables

supported by its corresponding interpretation and analysis. The research findings or

results obtained were comprehensively discussed below based on the research problem.

Problem #1: What is the demographic profile of the respondents in terms of: social

media network, gender, and amount of time spent on social media.

Table 1.0 Frequency and Percentage Distribution of Respondents Social

Media Network Use

Total = 603 (n) f % Mean

What social media websites/applications are you
most active on?
Facebook 537 89.1 0.89
YouTube 401 66.5 0.67
Instagram 318 52.7 0.53
Google + 231 38.3 0.38
Twitter 228 37.8 0.37

Total Average 2.84

What do you use social media for?
Staying connected with friends & family 526 87.2 0.87
Academic purposes 512 84.9 0.85
For entertainment 498 82.6 0.82
For business deals 113 18.7 0.19

Total Average 2.73

N of students responded according to gender:

Female – 473; Male – 130
 25

Table 1 presents the frequency and percentage distribution of the respondent’s

social media network use. There were 603 purposively selected respondents from all the

programs and year levels of the Higher Education Department of Lourdes College.

Majority of the respondents were female (78.4%) than male (21.6%) participants. The

table also shows the top 5 most websites used by the respondents. Facebook (89.1%) is

the most common website/application where students are most active. Following with

YouTube (66.5%), Instagram (52.7%), Google+ (38.3%), and Twitter (37.8%). This

indicates that students are most active on these social media platforms. Students use

these platforms for social interactions with their family and friends (87.2%), for academic

purposes (84.9%), for entertainment (82.6%), and for business deals (18.7%).

A similar result was found by the Statista Research Department (2021), that based

on the number of active accounts; Facebook is the most popular social networking site in

the world. In addition, according to Pew Research Center (2016), 89% of adults (ages 18-

29) use social networking sites for social interactions, information seeking and sharing,

amusement, leisure, expressing of opinions, communication, commercial agreements,

and surveillance about others.

 26

Table 1.1 Mean and Frequency Distribution of Students Social Media Usage

Total = 603 (n) f % Mean Interpretation

How often do you log on and participate in

social media websites/applications (e.g.,
Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram, or
Google groups)?

Everyday 509 84.4 3.37 Moderate

4-5 times a week 51 8.5 0.25 Very Low
2-3 times a week 35 5.8 0.12 Very Low
Once a week 8 1.3 0.01 Very Low

Total Sum 3.75 High

How long do you spend on social media?
More than 4 hours 209 34.7 1.73 Low
Between 1-2 hours 154 25.5 0.77 Very Low
Between 3-4 hours 115 19.1 0.76 Very Low
Between 30 mins. & 1 hour 93 15.4 0.31 Very Low
Less than 30 minutes 32 5.3 0.05 Very Low

Total Sum 3.62 High

How frequent do you interact (e.g., react,
comment, post, share) on your social
media accounts?
Sometimes 192 31.8 0.96 Very Low
Often 151 25 1.00 Very Low
Always 149 24.7 1.24 Very Low
Rarely 108 17.9 0.36 Very Low
Never 3 0.5 0.00 Very Low

Total Sum 3.56 High

Overall Total Sum 3.64 High

Nearly all of the respondents (84.4%) use social networking sites everyday. The

minimum amount of time respondents spent on social media sites is 4 hours (34.7%).

Respondents also reported to sometimes (31.8%) engage on their social media accounts

such as reacting, commenting, posting, and sharing other information and contents

online.
 27

This corresponds to the study of Statista Research Department (2021) that social

media users in the Philippines based on their surveyed respondents have the average

daily time spent approximately 4.15 hours on social media. Another study conducted by

Abbott (2017) revealed that people spend an average of 2 hours a day on different social

media platforms, sending messages and photographs, tweeting, updating status, liking,

and commenting on various social updates, as the population of social media users has

grown. This indicates that respondents have been active on social media for hours to use

and engage with the different features found in websites/applications online. The

significant negative social impact of increased social media usage, according to Weng

and Menczer (2015), is that it has become a severe source of stress because people

frequently share all kinds of feeds, stories, and comments on topics ranging from politics

and economics to social and personal issues of concern. As a result, someone who

spends an average of 2 hours a day on social media platforms will accumulate a large

amount of negative news, stories, and information, which will affect their overall stress

level (Ley, et al., 2014).

Problem #2: What are the social media factors that contribute to depression?

As shown in Table 1.0, Facebook (89.1%) is the most social media

website/application used where students are most active. In table 1.1, students are found

to log on and participate on social media websites/applications everyday (84.4%) with an

average mean of 3.75 which indicates “high” on social media use. Students have also

been found to spend more than 4 hours (34.7%) on social media with an average mean

of 3.63 “high” in social media usage. With an average mean of 3.56, students are also
 28

found “high” in social media use as they sometimes (31.8%) interact (e.g. react, comment,

post, share) on their social media accounts to stay connected with their family and friends

(87.2%), for academic purposes (84.9%), and for entertainment (82.6%). In general,

students are found “high” in their social media use with an average total mean of 3.64

(see table 2).

Table 3 presents the mean distribution of social media use and depressive

tendencies questionnaire for a total of 20 items. Results show that students have

tendencies to experience “severe depression” as they sleep too late using social

networking sites (3.77), as they would hurt themselves as a result of social media (3.61),

and would blame themselves for everything bad that happens to them (3.57). Results

have also shown that students have tendencies to experience “moderate depression” as

they feel like a complete failure based on what they see and gain from social media sites

(3.28), as they feel sad as a result of using social media (3.24), and feel irritated all the

time when they’re online (3.23). Overall, based on the results of the study, researchers

have concluded that the college students have tendencies for “moderate depression” due

to their increased use of social media activities. Therefore, as the amount of time spent

on social media increases, the depressive level tendencies also increase.

This supports the local study of Maglunog & Dy (2019) that as the number of times

spent on social media networks increases, the score for depression level also increases.

Also, a study of Pantic (2014) claimed that everyday time spent on social media had an

adjuvant influence on the students' depression levels. Excessive use of the internet and

social networking sites may sever ties between people and their families, friends, and

loved ones. As a result, people may feel more alone and depressed.
 29

Table 3. Mean Distribution of Social Media Use and Depressive Tendencies

Item n = 20 Mean SD Interpretation

1. I sleep too late as a result of using social networking sites. 3.77 0.99 Severe Depressive
Tendency
2. I would hurt myself if given a chance as a result of social 3.61 1.33 Severe Depressive
media Tendency
3.I blame myself for everything bad that happens to myself. 3.57 1.11 Severe Depressive
Tendency
4.I feel anxious when I see disturbing news on social media. 3.50 0.98 Severe Depressive
Tendency
5.I can’t complete any work at all when I’m online. 3.49 1.06 Moderate Depressive
Tendency
6.I highly value what others think of me on social media. 3.45 1.09 Moderate Depressive
Tendency
7. I wake up several hours earlier than I used to and cannot get 3.45 1.07 Moderate Depressive
back to sleep when I am on my phone. Tendency
8. I am too tired to do anything as a result of using social media 3.43 1.02 Moderate Depressive
sites and other platforms. Tendency
9. I am so worried about my physical problems that I cannot 3.42 1.15 Moderate Depressive
think of anything else. Tendency
10. I believe that I look ugly in my social media accounts. 3.41 1.13 Moderate Depressive
Tendency
11. I have lost weight as a result of social media. 3.38 1.25 Moderate Depressive
Tendency
12. I can’t make clear decisions at all anymore whenever I see 3.35 1.13 Moderate Depressive
negative news and posts in social media sites. Tendency
13. I blame myself for everything bad that happens to others. 3.34 1.16 Moderate Depressive
Tendency
14. I have no appetite at all anymore as a result of using social 3.32 1.24 Moderate Depressive
media sites. Tendency
15. I am dissatisfied or bored with everything as a result of 3.30 1.12 Moderate Depressive
social media use. Tendency
16. I feel the future is hopeless and that things cannot improve 3.29 1.01 Moderate Depressive
based on the content and updates I see on social media. Tendency
17. I feel I am a complete failure as a person based on what I 3.28 1.20 Moderate Depressive
see and gain from social media sites. Tendency
18. I feel sad as a result of using social media. 3.24 0.95 Moderate Depressive
Tendency
19. I have lost all of my interest in other people’s lives on social 3.24 1.04 Moderate Depressive
media. Tendency
20. I feel irritated all the time when I’m online. 3.23 1.16 Moderate Depressive
Tendency

Moderate Depressive
Total Average 3.40 1.11
Tendency
 30

Problem #3: Is there a significant effect of gender and social media use towards

depressive tendencies among college students?

Table 4. Descriptive Statistics and Correlations Between Variables of Interest

Variables M SD 1 2 3

Gender 1.21 0.41 -

Social Media 3.64 0.31 .180 -

Depressive 3.16 0.58 .56 .018* -

Tendencies
*significant at the 0.05 level (2-tailed).

Table 5. ANOVA Results for the Effects of Social media towards Depressive
Tendencies

Sum of Mean
Model df F Sig.
Squares Square

1 Regression 3.649 2 1.824 4.426 .012

Residual 247.359 600 .412

Total 251.008 602

Table 6. Multiple Regression Analysis with Depressive Tendencies as an

Outcome Variable
Unstandardized Standardized
Model Coefficients Coefficients
B Std. Error Beta t Sig.
(Constant) 3.227 .165 19.604 .000
Social Media .086 .038 .092 2.272 .023
Gender -.114 0.64 -0.73 -1.793 .073

Model Summary
R=.121; R²=.015; Adj. R²=.011 F= .6420 p=.000
*significant at 0.05 level
 31

Correlations and multiple regression analysis were conducted to examine the

relationship between the independent variables (gender and social media) and

dependent variable (depressive tendencies). Table 4 summarizes the descriptive

statistics and analysis results. Gender to social media (r=.180, p > 0.05) and depressive

tendencies (r= .56, p > 0.05) has found no significant relationship with each other. This

means that there is not enough evidence to say that gender has an effect towards social

media use and depressive tendencies of the respondents. However, social media

correlates with depressive tendencies (r= .018, p < 0.05). This means that there is a

statistically significant relationship between social media and depressive tendencies. This

also indicates that there is enough evidence to say that social media has an effect towards

the depressive tendencies of the respondents.

The multiple regression analysis was used to test if the gender and social media

use significantly predicted depressive tendencies. It is hypothesized that the predictors

will be positively associated with depressive tendencies. Results of the regression show

that 1.5% of the variance is explained by the two predictors, F (2, 600) = 4.426, p < .012).

Specifically, social media (B = .092, t = 2.27, p < 0.02) is positively associated with

depressive tendencies. On the other hand, gender is not significantly related with the

depressive tendencies (B - .73, t - 1.79, p > 0.073). This suggest that the social media

activity of the respondents is more likely to report higher depressive tendencies.

This was supported by the study of Maglunog & Dy (2019) that gender has a poor

positive relationship with the students' depression levels. The positive relationship of

social media and depressive levels of the students were supported by the studies of Lin

et.al (2016) with the US emerging adults found that the increased depression of the
 32

individual is correlated with social media. Supported by the study of Ahmad et al. (2018)

where he emphasizes that students who spend more on social media are experiencing

more depression. Strengthened by the results of the study of Karaman (2019) which

states a positive relationship between time spent on social media and depression.

\
 CHAPTER 5
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

This chapter summarizes the overall findings, conclusions and recommendations

based on the gathered data of the study which is to probe on “The Effects of Social Media

on the Prevalence of Depressive Tendencies among College Students”.

Summary of Findings

The following were findings on the effects of social media towards the depressive

tendencies. These findings were outlined based on the research problem indicated in the

first chapter.

1. Students most commonly use websites or apps is Facebook followed by YouTube,

and Instagram. An average spending time of more than 4 hours a day a student

spends on their social media. Students also found to “sometimes” interact with

their social media accounts along the lines of posting, commenting, reacting, and

sharing posts online. These websites or applications were used by the students

for communication, academic purposes, and for their own entertainment.

2. With students' corresponding social media activity per day, this has led them to

experience symptoms of depressive tendencies such as lack of sleep. Students

have also thought that they would hurt themselves if given a chance as a result of

social media. They would also blame themselves for everything bad that happens

to them.

3. Results showed that gender has no significant relationship with social media (r

=0.180, p > 0.05) and depressive tendencies (r =0.56, p > 0.05). However, social
 34

media use has found to have a significant relationship with depressive tendencies

(r = 0.018, p < 0.05).

Conclusion

1. Facebook is the most common social media website/application used by the

respondents. Nearly all of the respondents use social media everyday mostly for

communication purposes, academic purposes, and entertainment for more than 4

hours a day.

2. Social media has been linked to depressive tendencies; hence the researchers

have failed to accept the null hypotheses. Respondents are revealed to have a

“moderate depression” due to their increased social media usage.

3. In conclusion, social media has an effect on the depressive tendencies among

college students. An increase use of social media, also increases the depressive

tendencies of the respondents.

Recommendations

This study focuses exclusively on the effects of social media use on depressive

tendencies. In accordance with the results, the following recommendations were given:

1. The school administrators and faculties together with mental health professionals

are encouraged to conduct interventions like seminars to promote awareness on

how social media usage may affect the mental health states of the youth.

2. Social media users were highly discouraged to have a long and frequent exposure

to their gadgets to avoid negative impact on their mental health.

 35

3. For the future researchers to consider having a diverse population and explore

different age groups since Filipinos are into social media due to lockdowns brought

by the global pandemic Covid-19. They are also recommended to explore other

psychological issues in measuring the effect of social media on the individual's

mental health and look more into its positive effect rather than focusing on its

harmful effects.
 36

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Appendix A

INFORMED CONSENT FORM

This informed consent form is intended for the college students of Lourdes College,
and whom we invited to participate in the research, titled “The Effects of Social
Media in the Prevalence of Depression Level Tendencies Among College
Students”

Researchers: Frances Joannie Alvarez, Adrienne Madula, Diego Rocha, and

Princess B. Romiscal

In order to participate in this research study, it is necessary that you give

your informed consent. By agreeing to this statement, you are indicating that you
understand the nature of the research study and that you agree to participate in
the research. Please consider the following points before signing:

* I understand that I am participating in this psychological research.

* I understand that the purpose (s) of this research is to investigate whether social
media has an effect on the depressive tendencies among college students.

* I understand that my identity will not be linked with my data, and that all
information I provide will remain confidential.

* I understand that my participation is voluntary and I may withdraw from the study
any time and may request that my data should not be used in any research results.

* I understand that I will be provided with an explanation of the research in which I

participated and be given the name and contact information of an individual to
contact if I have questions about the research.

By agreeing with this form, I am stating that I am 18 years of age or older, that I
understand the above information, and that I consent to participate in this
academic study.
 44

Appendix B

Survey Questionnaire

Study Title: “The Effects of Social Media in the Prevalence of Depression Level
Tendencies Among College Students”

Directions: Please fill up the following profiles completely.

Name: (Optional) ____________ Gender: ____________

Age: _____________________ Course & Year Level: _____________

Part I. Social Media Use. Directions: The statements below describe the student’s
social media engagement. Please encircle your best answer honestly.

1. What social media websites/applications are you most active on? (Please check
all that apply)

o Facebook
o Twitter
o Instagram
o YouTube
o Google+
o Other (Please specify): ________

2. How often do you log on and participate in social media websites/applications

(Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram, or Google groups)?

o 0-1 times a week

o 2-3 times a week
o 4-5 times a week
o Everyday

3. How long do you spend on social media?

o Less than 30 minutes

o Between 30 minutes and 1 hour
 45

o Between 1 hour and 2 hours

o Between 3 hours and 4 hours
o More than 4 hours

4. What do you use social media for? (Please check all that apply)

o Staying connected with friends and family

o Academic purposes
o For business (ex. Marketing, communicating with clients, etc.)
o For entertainment (ex. Games, music, etc.)
o Other (Please specify): _______________________

5. How frequent do you interact (e.g. react, comment, post, share) on your social
media accounts?

o Always
o Often
o Sometimes
o Rarely
o Never

Part II. Depressive Tendencies. Directions: The following items describe statements
about social media use and depressive tendencies. Please select a circle whether or
not you agree on each statement that corresponds to your answer.

Legend: 1 – Strongly Disagree 2 – Disagree 3 – Neutral

4 – Agree 5 – Strongly Agree
 46

1 2 3 4 5
Statements
Strongly Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly
Disagree Agree

I feel sad as a result of using social media.

I feel the future is hopeless and that things

cannot improve based on the content and
updates I see on social media.

I feel I am a complete failure as a person

based on what I see and gain from social
media sites.

I am dissatisfied or bored with everything as

a result of social media use.

I highly value what others think of me on

social media.

I blame myself for everything bad that

happens to myself.

I blame myself for everything bad that

happens to others.

I would hurt myself if given a chance as a

result of social media.

I feel irritated all the time when I’m online.

I have lost all of my interest in other

people’s lives on social media.

I can’t make clear decisions at all anymore

whenever I see negative news and posts in
social media sites.

I believe that I look ugly in my social media

accounts.

I can’t complete any work at all whenever

I’m online.

I sleep too late as a result of using social

networking sites.

I wake up several hours earlier than I used

to and cannot get back to sleep when I am
on my phone.
 47

I am too tired to do anything as a result of

using social media sites and other
platforms.

I have no appetite at all anymore as a result

of using social media sites.

I have lost weight as a result of social

media.

I am so worried about my physical problems

that I cannot think of anything else.

I feel anxious whenever I see disturbing

news on social media.
 48

Appendix C

CONTENT VALIDATION CERTIFICATE

CERTIFICATION

This is to certify that Ms. Princess B. Romiscal, Ms. Adrienne J. Madula,

Ms. Frances Joannie B. Alvarez, and Mr. Diego P. Rocha who are
working on their research study entitled “The effects of social media on
the prevalence of depressive tendencies among college students”, has
confer with me for the validation of their questionnaire. I acknowledge
them for the effort to consider my judgments regarding to the queries
of the researchers.

This certificate was issued for whatever purpose it may serve.

Franco Ceasar M. Agbalog, MA, RYT

Research Associate/ Validator
 49

CERTIFICATION

This is to certify that Ms. Princess B. Romiscal, Ms. Adrienne J. Madula,

Ms. Frances Joannie B. Alvarez, and Mr. Diego Miguel P. Rocha whose
working on their research study entitled “The effects of social media on
the prevalence of depressive tendencies among college students”, has
confer with me for the validation of their questionnaire. I acknowledge
them for the effort to consider my judgments regarding to the queries
of the researchers.

This certificate was issued for whatever purpose it may serve.

Alve Jane B. Aranton, RPM

Research Associate/ Validator
 50

Appendix D

DATA GATHERING LETTER REQUEST

Lourdes College
Cagayan De Oro City, 9000

August 21, 2021

Dr. Madeleine Zamayla. DM

Allied Health Program Dean
Lourdes College

Dear Dr. Madeleine,

Good day, Praised be Jesus and Mary!

We, the 4th year students pursuing a degree in Bachelor of Science in Psychology at Lourdes
College currently taking up Research in Psychology 2. Our research study is entitled “The Effects
of Social Media on the Prevalence of Depressive Tendencies Among College Students”. This
study will further investigate whether social media has an effect on the depressive tendencies
among college students following with its gender differences that we, the researchers aimed to
measure.

In regards to this, we humbly ask your permission as the head of the program to allow us conduct
a survey of your students under your program. Rest assured that all the data gathered from them
will be kept with utmost confidentiality. We are hoping that this request will merit your favorable
approval.

Thank you so much and God bless!

Respectfully Yours,
The Researchers

Noted By:

Mc Rollyn D. Vallespin, MS, LPT

Research in Psychology 2 Instructor