Ali et al.

, Original Article
DOI: https://doi.org/10.70749/ijbr.v3i2.642

INDUS JOURNAL OF BIOSCIENCE RESEARCH

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ISSN: 2960-2793/ 2960-2807

The Impact of Social Media Addiction on Teenage Depression: A Correlational Study

Muhammad Ali1, Rizwan Ullah1, Uzair Khan1, Kiran Rafique1, Obaidullah1, Safia Murad2
1
MBBS Students, Muhammad College of Medicine, Peshawar, KPK, Pakistan.
2Department
of Community Health Sciences, Muhammad College of Medicine, Peshawar, KPK, Pakistan.

ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT

Keywords Introduction: Teenagers' lives revolve around social media, with platforms like
Social Media Addiction, Depression, Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok shaping how they express and understand themselves.
Emotional Well-being, Beck Depression While offering connectivity, social media can negatively affect mental health, particularly
Inventory, Digital Habits, Mental Health causing depression. Motivation: This study explores the link between excessive social
Intervention. media use and depressive symptoms in teenagers, focusing on how engagement patterns
contribute to emotional distress. Purpose: The study assessed social media use and
Corresponding Author: Safia Murad, depressive symptoms using surveys and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) to analyze
Department of Community Health Sciences, the correlation between depression and social media addiction. Results: This study
Muhammad College of Medicine, Peshawar, demonstrates concerning relationship between high social media engagement and negative
KPK, Pakistan. emotional outcomes. Many participants also struggled to control their use of social media
Email: [email protected] and were anxious, restless and experienced emotional distress when they couldn’t access
it. For example, compulsive behaviors such as frequent social media checking, disrupted
Declaration daily routines including sleep, academics, and interpersonal relationships. On the contrary,
Authors’ Contribution: All authors equally many participants showed depressive symptoms such as sadness, guilt, hopelessness, and
contributed to the study and approved the final lack of enthusiasm for activities. Discussion: The findings of this study underscore the
manuscript. impact of excessive social media use on mental health, suggesting that social media
Conflict of Interest: No conflict of interest. addiction may contribute to or exacerbate depressive symptoms. The results emphasize the
Funding: No funding received by the authors. need for promoting healthier digital habits and encouraging individuals to seek
professional support when experiencing severe emotional distress related to social media
Article History use. Developing strategies to mitigate the adverse effects of excessive social media
Received: 18-10-2024 engagement and raise awareness of its mental health risks is essential for protecting
Revised: 03-01-2025 teenagers' well-being in the digital age.
Accepted: 05-02-2025

INTRODUCTION
Background
Through social media everyone now interacts differently media content and unrealistic expectations within
while they both exchange messages and distribute platforms combines with missed out anxiety to provoke
information. The social media platforms Instagram feelings of depression and inadequacy in users. Research
Snapchat and TikTok serve as essential components of by Keles and his colleagues (2020) demonstrates how
teenage daily life which affects both their social social media can intensify mental health problems that
relationships and their personal identity. Social media include depression. Social comparisons with online
brings different valuable features like social connection personas lead to increased self-esteem problems which
and information availability but its excessive addictive then develop into depressive symptoms (Andreassen et
nature remains a critical problem. Research indicates al., 2017).
that individuals who spend excessive time compulsively Research investigates depressive symptoms that
using social media platforms face negative consequences develop from teenage social media addiction by
for their mental well-being especially when targeted examining the effects of digital platform behaviors on
toward teenage audiences (Twenge et al., 2018). adolescent emotional health. This research investigates
Social media addiction creates particular risks for teenagers because the findings aim to identify methods
teenagers because they experience quick emotional for reducing the negative outcomes of increased social
transformations in their psychological development. media usage.
Excessive consumption of carefully selected social

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 Ali et al., The Impact of Social Media Addiction on Teenage Depression…

Statement of the Problem Research Questions

Teenage development thus becomes digital because 1. How much time do teenagers spend on social
these kids have reached the times when social media media daily, and how does this reflect their level
became fundamental to their daily lives. Increased of attachment?
immersion through these platforms has thus far raised 2. Is there a significant difference in depressive
concerns about how such open availability to symptoms between teenagers with high and low
communicate, express oneself, and share knowledge will social media usage?
impact mental wellness. Compulsive technology use is
Significance of the Study
characterized by social media addiction, where social
Understanding the link between social media addiction
media grabbing is predominant, followed by painful
and depression in teenagers is essential for raising
withdrawal reactions during periods when social access
awareness among parents, educators, and policymakers.
is curtailed. Social media use in excess steals away from
It highlights the mental health risks of excessive social
routine events which teenagers would otherwise take
media use and the need for early intervention. First, this
part in and further deteriorates overall health condition.
study paves the way for targeted interventions to
The greatest problem with social media is that it encourage healthy digital habits via educational
destroys people psychologically. In addition to feeling programs and coping strategies. Furthermore, the study
lonely, teenagers who spend long hours on the Internet bridges a knowledge gap and guides subsequent research
report that they suffer anxiety and diminished sense of in adolescent mental health. On a bigger scale, it
self worth. The addictive pattern of validation through highlights the crucial role of nurturing resilience and
likes and comments on social media leads to unstable emotional well-being, together with expressing oneself
emotions since people who do not meet their offline to counterbalance the adverse influence of social
expectations on social media. Research has it that social media use excessively.
media addict destroys relationships and pulls away from
real people and also damages other mental health LITERATURE REVIEW
problems such as depression (Twenge et al., 2018). Researchers, clinicians and policymakers have focused
With the cyberbully, with the perpetuation of the on the relationship between teenage social media
unattainable beauty standards and the peer evaluation of addiction and depression because of its implications for
social networks, psychologically the teenagers mental health. With its high utilization by adolescents,
themselves have more difficulties. These conditions frequent users of social media, this aspect of research is
create social factors in which personal value decreases essential in understanding and addressing broader public
and depressive symptoms are intensified. Because of the health concerns (Keles et al., 2020). The wave of
combing effects of these two factors, immediate research platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat have
into the connection between social media addiction and altered the way teenagers talk to one another, but at the
psychological harm is needed. Hence, the research holds same time, this digital dipase has also introduced perils,
great significance considering the fact that it addresses for instance habits that are addictive and their mental
depression rates among teens that continue to rise components (Twenge & Campbell, 2018).
worldwide as well as the presence of social media, one Therefore, an investigation on the psychological and
of the key contributing factors to this whole issue (Keles behavioral outcomes of excessive social media use is
et al., 2020). conducted to see how it can interfere with sleep,
Social media addiction requires investigation to academic performance and self esteem (Woods & Scott,
determine its effects on teenage likelihood for 2016; Fardouly et al., 2015). Finally, the chapter
developing depressive symptoms. The study uses considers the evidence of social media addiction leading
patterns of social media use combined with their mental to depression, and the mediators and mechanisms
health effects to uncover why prolonged social media explaining this relationship. Initial factors discussed
engagement creates emotional distress in users. Research include negative social comparison, cyberbullying, and
findings will form the basis for creating data-driven displacement of healthier activity (Chou & Edge, 2012;
mental health strategies that aim to build better Primack et al., 2017).
electronic behavior practices for teenagers
Social Media Addiction: Concept and Prevalence
Objectives Excessive, compulsive use resulting in failure to meet
1. To determine how much time teenagers, spend on daily responsibilities characteristic of social media
social media every day and how attached they are addiction. According to Andreassen et al. (2012), it is
to it. considered a behavioral addiction with symptoms like
2. To investigate if teenagers who use social media the salience, mood modification, tolerance, withdrawal,
more frequently exhibit higher symptoms of conflict and relapse.
depression than those who use it less frequently.

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 Ali et al., The Impact of Social Media Addiction on Teenage Depression…

Among adolescents, prevalence rates vary from 4% Bettmann et al. (2021); Xiao et al. (2022) indicate
to 40%, depending on diagnostic criteria (Kuss & that there is a strong correlation between social media
Griffiths, 2017). A survey by Anderson and Jiang (2018) addiction and depression among adolescents. For
found that 45% of teenagers feel “almost constantly” instance, Wang et al. (2018) discovered that excessive
online, reflecting social media’s pervasive role. use of social media is correlated with depression among
Adolescents are particularly vulnerable due to their Chinese teenagers. Like Twenge et al. (2018), they also
sensitivity to peer feedback and social validation (Nesi reported higher depression rates in heavy social media
& Prinstein, 2015). users.
The addictive nature of social media is reinforced by Compulsive social media engagement, particularly
platform algorithms, notifications, and infinite scrolling, on platforms like Facebook, is associated with stress,
making self-regulation difficult (Orben & Przybylski, anxiety, and depression (Gizem et al., 2022; Vidal et al.,
2019; Beyens et al., 2020). Societal norms further 2020). Excessive use reduces family interaction, further
intensify the pressure to maintain an active online contributing to mental health issues (Huang et al., 2021).
presence, increasing the risk of maladaptive behaviors The COVID-19 pandemic intensified online
and addiction (Twenge et al., 2018). engagement, with e-learning correlating to increased
depression symptoms among adolescents (Sujarwoto &
Social Media Usage and Addiction
Yumarni, 2023; Vidal et al., 2020). Over time, excessive
Social media includes various online platforms for
use can lead to addiction, exacerbating psychological
communication and interaction (Yang et al., 2022).
distress.
Nearly half the global population (3.8 billion) actively
uses social media, engaging for purposes such as Adolescent Social Media usage in Pakistan
maintaining relationships, accessing information, and A recent report by the Pakistan Telecommunication
entertainment (Kemp, 2020; Uhls et al., 2017). While Authority (PTA, 2023) revealed that 40% of Pakistani
social media offers benefits, it also shapes behaviors, internet users are aged 18–29, with over 40 million social
moods, and socialization patterns (Acar et al., 2022). media users nationwide. Facebook remains the most
However, excessive use has raised global concerns popular platform, followed by Instagram, TikTok,
(Baccarella et al., 2018). Research has shifted focus from Twitter, and Snapchat (Digital Pakistan, 2023). Social
its advantages to its adverse effects, particularly social media penetration continues to rise, particularly among
media addiction (Moreno et al., 2022; Mohsenpour et al., adolescents, bringing both benefits and challenges.
2023). Defined as compulsive engagement that disrupts PTA (2021) found that 85% of users spend over
daily life, social media addiction is especially three hours daily on social media, contributing to internet
problematic among adolescents (Hilliard & Parisi, 2020; addiction. Studies link excessive use to anxiety,
Obeid et al., 2019). depression, social isolation (Shah et al., 2022), poor
However, addiction has significant consequences on academic performance, and sleep disturbances (Rehman
mental health such as stress and depression (Haand & & Shahid, 2021). Iqbal (2022) also noted an increasing
Shuwang, 2020). People with addiction forget to do risk of mental health disorders among heavy users.
things, especially their daily activities and relationships, Another survey in connection concluded that 70
which then makes them more prone to depression percent of adolescents in the age group of 14 to 18
(Gizem et al., 2022, Vidal et al., 2020). Keles et al.’s showed symptoms of social media addiction, including
(2020) meta analysis on depression rates in social media withdrawal symptoms and reduced ability to cut usage
addicts confirms that concerns about excessive usage (Khan and Saeed, 2023). Further, the excessive
and psychological toll are very well founded. engagement also affected students’ concentration and
academic performance (Farooq et al., 2023).
Depression and Social Media Addiction Among
Adolescents In this study, the influence of social media addiction
Delayed processes of speech and movement and feelings on depression of adolescents drawing from the major
of worthlessness, and pessimistic emotions characterize Pakistani cities will be studied. These results inform
depression (Torres, 2020). According to the World future efforts by policymakers and health practitioners to
Health Organization (2022), 10–20 percent of children reduce the mental health risks of too much social media
and adolescents suffer from mental health problems, use.
depression being the most common (Mental Health Correlation Between Social Media Use and
Foundation, 2018). There is a relationship with poor Depression
academic achievement, impairment to social Research shows a strong correlation between excessive
relationships, substance abuse, and suicide risk (Gizem use and depressive symptoms, especially among
et al., 2022; Hetrick et al., 2016). adolescents and young adults.

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 Ali et al., The Impact of Social Media Addiction on Teenage Depression…

According to Huang (2017), people who spent more adolescents including high reliability and validity (Beck
than two hours on social media per day showed et al., 1996).
significantly higher depression and anxiety, and
Data Analysis
adolescents are extremely vulnerable to validation and
The data collected from the SMAS and BDI was
comparison on online. Like Sidani et al. (2016),
analysed with Statistical Package for the Social Sciences
excessive use also predicted increased depressive
(SPSS).
symptoms over six months, but mainly for social
comparison.
Result & Discussion
According to Twenge et al. (2018), they linked rising Table 1
smartphone usage to the increasing rates of depression Demographic Information
among U.S. teenagers, where social media’s addictive Demographic Frequency Percentage
Category
nature serves as well as it is promoting isolation. Khan Characteristic (f) (%)
et al. (2022) also in Pakistan found that 70% of 13-14 years 75 25%
Age 15-16 years 100 33.33%
adolescents who spend more than 4 hours a day on social 17-18 years 125 41.67%
media showed depressive symptoms, suggesting that Male 150 50%
Gender
digital wellbeing is still a topic which needs to be Female 150 50%
addressed. Middle School 100 33.33%
Qualification High School 150 50%
Kuss and Griffiths (2017) further identified social College/University 50 16.67%
comparison and cyberbullying as key factors in social
media-related depression and anxiety, emphasizing the Figure 1
platforms’ role in exacerbating self-image issues. Demographic Information
160 60%
MATERIALS & PROCEDURE 140 50%
120
Research Design 100 40%
80 30%
a cross-sectional correlational design to examine the 60 20%
40
relationship between social media addiction and 20 10%
0 0%
depression among adolescents.
Population and Sample
The target population for this study consists of
adolescents aged 13 to 18 years who are active social
media users. Frequency (f) Percentage (%)

Sampling and Sampling Technique

The demographic table presents an overview of the 300
They selected participants through a simple random
adolescent participants in the study, which demonstrates
sampling procedure from various schools in these
150 males (50 percent) and 150 females (50 percent).
cities. For the study, 300 adolescent students were
According to the age distribution, 25% are 13 to 14 years
chosen as the sample.
old, 33.33% are 15 to 16 years old and the largest group
Data Collection Instruments is 41.67% in the 17 – 18 years age range. This means the
The study will use two standardized questionnaires to study addresses many adolescents, but in particular,
assess social media addiction and depression. older youths — older teens are usually in more mature
stages of adolescence.
Social Media Addiction Scale (SMAS)
The social media addiction scale is a 20 item tool Educational qualifications — 33.33% are in middle
designed to measure frequency, intensity and daily life school, 50% — in high school, and 16.67% — in college
impact of social media addiction. Items are rated by or university. The diversity of the participants academic
participants on a 5 point likert scale (Never to Always) backgrounds is evident in this distribution which thus
with higher scores indicating greater addiction. It has makes for analyzing social media use and its
shown high reliability (Cronbach's alpha = 0.88) (Kuss repercussion for different educational phases.
& Griffiths 2017). The demographic breakdown of this study is
indicative of its approach. The study is inclusive,
Beck Depression Inventory (BDI)
presenting a diverse range of adolescence as a whole
The BDI is a 21 item self report scale for depressive
based on gender, age, and level of education. The equal
symptoms and is composed of items related to mood,
gender distribution along with range of ages presented a
cognition, and physical effects. Each item is scored from
balanced approach towards how social media addiction
0 to 3, 3 being the most depression severe. The reliability
may take a toll on the emotional well being in the crucial
and validity of BDI has been widely validated for
phase of adolescence.

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 Ali et al., The Impact of Social Media Addiction on Teenage Depression…

Table 2
Part A: Social Media Addiction Scale (SMAS)
No. Statement Never Rarely Sometimes Often Always Total
f f f f f f
% % % % % %
I find it difficult to limit the amount of time I spend on social 20 40 70 100 70
1 300
media. 6.67% 13.33% 23.33% 33.33% 23.33%
25 50 80 75 70
2 I often feel anxious or upset when I cannot access social media. 300
8.33% 16.67% 26.67% 25% 23.33%
15 45 100 75 65
3 I spend more time on social media than I initially planned. 300
5% 15% 33.33% 25% 21.67%
I feel the need to check social media multiple times throughout the 10 30 110 85 65
4 300
day. 3.33% 10% 36.67% 28.33% 21.67%
I find it hard to focus on tasks because I am thinking about social 20 35 95 80 70
5 300
media. 6.67% 11.67% 31.67% 26.67% 23.33%
I often neglect other important activities (e.g., homework, family 15 40 90 95 60
6 300
time) because I am on social media. 5% 13.33% 30% 31.67% 20%
I spend more time on social media than I do in face-to-face 25 45 85 80 65
7 300
interactions with others. 8.33% 15% 28.33% 26.67% 21.67%
I often check social media first thing in the morning and right 15 30 90 100 65
8 300
before bed. 5% 10% 30% 33.33% 21.67%
I feel restless or irritable when I am unable to use social media for a 20 40 95 85 60
9 300
long time. 6.67% 13.33% 31.67% 28.33% 20%
I feel compelled to post or check social media even when it is 10 30 110 80 70
10 300
inconvenient. 3.33% 10% 36.67% 26.67% 23.33%
I find myself spending more time on social media than on activities 15 40 100 80 65
11 300
I used to enjoy. 5% 13.33% 33.33% 26.67% 21.67%
10 45 100 85 60
12 I feel that my use of social media is excessive. 300
3.33% 15% 33.33% 28.33% 20%
I feel that social media is taking up more time than I am 15 50 95 85 55
13 300
comfortable with. 5% 16.67% 31.67% 28.33% 18.33%
15 30 95 85 75
14 I find it hard to cut back on social media use, even if I try. 300
5% 10% 31.67% 28.33% 25%
I experience mood swings or frustration when I am unable to access 20 40 90 85 65
15 300
social media. 6.67% 13.33% 30% 28.33% 21.67%
10 35 100 85 70
16 I feel the need to use social media continuously to feel satisfied. 300
3.33% 11.67% 33.33% 28.33% 23.33%
I have been late or missed appointments because I was on social 25 45 75 85 70
17 300
media. 8.33% 15% 25% 28.33% 23.33%
I feel that my use of social media negatively impacts my academic 10 35 80 100 75
18 300
performance. 3.33% 11.67% 26.67% 33.33% 25%
20 40 90 85 65
19 I spend more than 3 hours per day on social media. 300
6.67% 13.33% 30% 28.33% 21.67%
I find myself repeatedly using social media even when I should be 15 40 90 85 70
20 300
doing something else (e.g., studying, working). 5% 13.33% 30% 28.33% 23.33%

Figure 2 social media usage, indicating potential addictive

behaviors.
Part A: Social Media Addiction Scale (SMAS)
Item 02: indicates that 25% of respondents often feel
400
anxious or upset when they cannot access social media,
300 and 23.33% always experience this. This indicates
200
emotional dependence on social media, where its
inaccessibility causes distress.
100
Item 03 illustrate that 33.33% of participants
0 sometimes spend more time on social media than
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 initially planned, and 21.67% always do. This suggests a
Never f % Rarely f % Sometimes f % lack of control over time spent online, which could lead
Often f % Always f % Total f % to unproductive habits. Item 04 indicates that 36.67% of
respondents sometimes feel the need to check social
media multiple times a day, and 28.33% often do. This
Item -01 illustrate that 33.33% of respondents often find
points to habitual or compulsive checking of social
it difficult to limit the time spent on social media, while
media, which may interfere with other activities. Item
23.33% always feel this way. This suggests a significant
05 shows that 31.67% of participants sometimes find it
portion of the participants struggle to regulate their

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 Ali et al., The Impact of Social Media Addiction on Teenage Depression…

hard to focus on tasks because of thoughts about social they are comfortable with, and 18.33% always feel this
media, and 23.33% always experience this. This way. This suggests a sense of discomfort with the time
indicates that social media is a major distraction and may spent on social media, which might be viewed as
impair concentration on other important tasks. Item 06 excessive. Item 14 show that 31.67% of participants
depicted that 31.67% of respondents sometimes neglect sometimes find it hard to cut back on social media use,
important activities (e.g., homework, family time) due to and 25% always experience this. This reflects difficulty
social media use, and 20% always do. This suggests in controlling usage despite intentions to reduce it, a
social media may interfere with more essential activities characteristic of addiction. Item 15 indicates that 30% of
and responsibilities. Item 07 illustrates 28.33% of respondents sometimes experience mood swings or
participants sometimes spend more time on social media frustration when unable to access social media, and
than on face-to-face interactions, and 21.67% always do. 21.67% always feel this way. This suggests emotional
This could indicate that social media is replacing in- instability linked to the inability to access social media,
person communication, possibly affecting social skills which can be a sign of dependence.
development. Item 16 depicted that 33.33% of participants
Item 08 shows 33.33% of respondents often check sometimes feel the need to use social media continuously
social media first thing in the morning and right before to feel satisfied, and 23.33% always experience this. This
bed, and 21.67% always do. This suggests a high level behavior suggests that social media use is driven by a
of dependency on social media, even as the first and last need for continuous engagement to achieve satisfaction.
activity of the day. Item 09 indicates that 31.67% of Item 17 show that 25% of respondents sometimes arrive
respondents sometimes feel restless or irritable when late or miss appointments because of social media, and
they cannot use social media, and 20% always feel this 23.33% always do. This indicates that social media may
way. This reflects emotional distress associated with interfere with real-life responsibilities, affecting time
social media withdrawal, which is typical of addictive management and punctuality. Item 18 indicates that
behaviors. Item 10 show that 36.67% of participants 33.33% of participants sometimes feel that social media
sometimes feel compelled to post or check social media, negatively impacts their academic performance, and
and 23.33% always experience this. This indicates 25% always feel this way. This suggests that social
compulsive behavior, which could be a sign of social media use might be detrimental to academic success due
media addiction. Item 11 illustrates that 33.33% of to time spent on platforms instead of studying. Item 19
respondents sometimes spend more time on social media illustrates that 30% of respondents sometimes spend
than on activities they used to enjoy, and 21.67% always more than 3 hours per day on social media, and 21.67%
do. This suggests that social media use is replacing other always do. This indicates that extended social media
enjoyable activities, potentially leading to reduced usage is common among participants, which could lead
engagement in hobbies. Item 12 depicted that 33.33% of to unhealthy habits and time mismanagement. Item 20
participants sometimes feel their social media use is indicates that 30% of participants sometimes use social
excessive, and 20% always feel this way. This indicates media even when they should be studying or working,
self-awareness of problematic use, although it does not and 23.33% always do. This suggests that social media
necessarily translate into taking action to reduce it. is frequently used at the expense of important tasks,
Item 13 illustrate that 31.67% of respondents indicating a lack of focus and discipline.
sometimes feel social media takes up more time than
Table 2
Part B: Beck Depression Inventory (BDI)
No. Statement (Not at all) (Mildly) Moderately) (Severe Total
95 85
1 I feel sad or downhearted. 50 (16.67%) 70 (23.33%) 300
(31.67%) (28.33%)
I have trouble concentrating on things, such as 85 85
2 60 (20%) 70 (23.33%) 300
reading or watching TV. (28.33%) (28.33%)
90
3 I feel like a failure. 55 (18.33%) 80 (26.67%) 75 (25%) 300
(30%)
95
4 I have lost interest in activities I usually enjoy. 50 (16.67%) 65 (21.67%) 90 (30%) 300
(31.67%)
75 105 80
5 I feel guilty or have feelings of worthlessness. 40 (13.33%) 300
(25%) (35%) (26.67%)
100 90
6 I feel tired or have little energy. 45 (15%) 65 (21.67%) 300
(33.33%) (30%)
60 95 95
7 I feel physically drained or fatigued. 50 (16.67%) 300
(20%) (31.67%) (31.67%)
90 85
8 I am not able to get going or start things. 55 (18.33%) 70 (23.33%) 300
(30%) (28.33%)

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 Ali et al., The Impact of Social Media Addiction on Teenage Depression…

45 60 100 95
9 I feel hopeless about the future. 300
(15%) (20%) (33.33%) (31.67%)
75 90 85
10 I have difficulty making decisions. 50 (16.67%) 300
(25%) (30%) (28.33%)
60 85 85
11 I feel that I am being punished. 70 (23.33%) 300
(20%) (28.33%) (28.33%)
I feel that others would be better off without 85 80
12 70 (23.33%) 65 (21.67%) 300
me. (28.33%) (26.67%)
90 80
13 I feel that I am a burden to others. 50 (16.67%) 80 (26.67%) 300
(30%) (26.67%)
80 85
14 I have thoughts of ending my life. 70 (23.33%) 65 (21.67%) 300
(26.67%) (28.33%)
90 90
15 I am unable to enjoy life. 50 (16.67%) 70 (23.33%) 300
(30%) (30%)
60 80 90
16 I am anxious or worried. 70 (23.33%) 300
(20%) (26.67%) (30%)
75 85 85
17 I feel lonely. 55 (18.33%) 300
(25%) (28.33%) (28.33%)
85 85
18 I feel that I am losing my mind. 65 (21.67%) 65 (21.67%) 300
(28.33%) (28.33%)
I have trouble sleeping (falling asleep or staying 60 90 80
19 70 (23.33%) 300
asleep). (20%) (30%) (26.67%)
I have trouble keeping my appetite (eating too 60 85 85
20 70 (23.33%) 300
much or too little). (20%) (28.33%) (28.33%)
75 90 85
21 I feel agitated or restless. 50 (16.67%) 300
(25%) (30%) (28.33%)

Item 01: 31.67% of respondent’s report feeling participants. Item 09: 33.33% of participants feel
moderately sad or downhearted, while 28.33% feel moderately hopeless about the future, with 31.67%
severely sad. This suggests that a significant portion of feeling severely hopeless. This suggests that
respondents are experiencing varying levels of sadness hopelessness is a prevalent and severe symptom in the
or downheartedness. Item 02: 28.33% of participants population. Item 10: 30% moderate, 28.33% severe for
indicate moderate difficulty concentrating, and another making decisions. This only shows that indecisiveness is
28.33% report severe difficulty. This suggests that a big problem for many respondents. 28.33% are
concentration issues may be a significant symptom of strongly punished and then another 28.33% are very
depression for many individuals. Item 03: 30% of punished. The implication is that a large number of
participants feel moderately like a failure, with 25% respondents might be experiencing themselves as
feeling severely so. This suggests that feelings of failure mistreated or persecuted in the depressive state.
are common, and a substantial portion experience them Item 12: Moderate thoughts of others being better off
intensely. without the subject: 28.33% report moderate thoughts
Item 04: 31.67% of respondents moderately lose and 26.67% report severe thoughts. This indicates that a
interest in activities, while 30% experience this severely. large number of people will feel as if they are a burden
This reflects a significant portion of respondents to others. Item 13: 30% of the participants feel they are
struggling with anhedonia (loss of interest in activities moderately burdened, and 26.67% believe they are very
they usually enjoy). Item 05: 35% report moderate guilt burdened. This implies that the feelings of guilt and self
or feelings of worthlessness, and 26.67% experience blame are crucial to the depressive experiences
severe guilt. This highlights that feelings of experienced by the respondents. Item 14: 42.67% had
worthlessness are common and can be quite distressing. moderate thoughts of ending their life, and 50% had
Item 06: 33.33% of respondents report moderate fatigue severe suicidal thoughts. That shows that there is some
or lack of energy, with 30% feeling severely fatigued. kind of suicidal ideation amongst some of the
This indicates that fatigue is a prominent symptom of respondents.
depression for many individuals. Item 07: 31.67% report 15: 30 percent of respondents report mild inability to
moderate physical fatigue, and another 31.67% feel enjoy life and another 30 percent say they are severely
severely fatigued. This suggests that physical tiredness unable to enjoy life. Given that emotional numbness or
or exhaustion is a prevalent symptom among the absence of pleasure is a problem, this is suggestive.
respondents. 16. 30% have moderate anxiety or worry and 30% have
Item 08: 30% of respondent’s experience moderate it severely. What this means is, respondents in this case,
difficulty in getting started with tasks, while 28.33% tend to experience high mental anxiety and large
report severe difficulty. This indicates that initiating amounts of worrying as symptoms of depression. Item
tasks may be challenging for a significant number of 17: 28.33% report moderate feelings of loneliness, with

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 Ali et al., The Impact of Social Media Addiction on Teenage Depression…

28.33% feeling severely lonely. This reflects that we can conclude that gender does not play a significant
loneliness is a common and severe aspect of depression role in shaping perceptions of the variable being studied.
for many.
Item 18: 28.33% feel moderately that they are losing DISCUSSION
their mind, with 28.33% reporting severe feelings of Results on Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and social
mental confusion or instability. This suggests that media usage patterns show a problematic correlation
cognitive and emotional disorientation is significant in between high use of social media and emotional
the sample. Item 19: 30% report moderate trouble wellness. That many participant report being unable to
sleeping, while 26.67% experience severe issues with control their time on social media, and their emotional
sleep. This highlights that sleep disturbances are a distress when they are not able to use it, is a significant
common and severe symptom of depression. Item 20: finding. It therefore suggests the existence of a very
28.33% report moderate trouble with appetite regulation, strong emotional dependency on social media but also
with another 28.33% reporting severe issues. This the fact that it is used as both a distraction and a source
suggests that appetite changes, either overeating or of psychological strain. This is consistent with an
undereating, are significant concerns. Item 21: 30% of emerging body of research concerning the negative
respondents report moderate agitation or restlessness, emotional outcomes associated with problematic social
with another 28.33% experiencing severe agitation. This media use (e.g., Kuss and Griffiths, 2017), that includes
indicates that feelings of restlessness are a prevalent anxiety and depressive symptoms. Along with
symptom of depression. compulsive behaviors like checking social media
endlessly each day, at least once in the morning and at
Table 3 least once in the evening, reveal a deeply engrained
Inferential Statistics of Male & Female Perception dependence on these platforms that can prohibit other
About Social Media daily routine pursuits like sleep and face time. According
Variable N M SD df. t. Sig.
value
to the work of Satici (2019), excessive social media use
Male 150 2.25 .690 390 -.085 .749 can disrupt sleep disrupting already mentally strained
Female 150 2.26 .680 individuals.
Total 300 Additionally, the results show that social media is
Figure 3 replacing ‘real life’ interaction; many of the participants
spend more time online than talking to people in the
Inferential Statistics of Male & Female Perception
about social media flesh. The consequences this shift could have on social
skill development and relationship quality are unknown.
As found in Primack et al. (2017) increased use of social
media is negatively correlated with face to face social
390
interactions which can lead to the breakdown of
300
important social skill set development. Social media use
150
2.250.69 0.749
150
2.260.68
not only has social repercussions but also academic ones,
as many respondents state that they use it for social life
MALE-0.085 FEMALE TOTAL moderately and in detriment to others (friends, family,
studies and work). That means social media is somewhat
N M SD df. t. value Sig.
addictive, that social media is harmful to taking the time
to focus on things that are more important, that it is bad
The independent t-test results indicate no statistically for a balanced life between on and off line. Lin et al.
significant difference in the perceptions of male and (2016) also reported similar findings where social media
female participants regarding the variable under study. addiction is related to bad academic performance and
The mean scores for males (M = 2.25) and females (M = time management issues.
2.26) are almost identical, and the standard deviations
Excessive social media use has a psychological
are also similar, with males having a standard deviation
impact as well. It is common for many people to
of 0.690 and females having 0.680. The t-value of -0.085
experience symptoms of depression, for example,
and the p-value of 0.749, which is greater than the 0.05
feeling sad, guilty, hopeless, and worthless and these
significance level, suggest that any difference in the
symptoms all relate greatly to the behaviours of overuse
mean scores between males and females is not
and compulsive checking of social media. The shared
statistically significant. This indicates that the
overlap between these emotional struggles and the
perceptions of males and females are virtually the same,
patterns of social media usage suggests a link between
and the slight difference observed is likely due to random
the two, and that social media addiction may be
chance rather than a meaningful difference. Therefore,
exacerbating or involved in the development of mental
illness. In accord with Vannucci et al. (2017), who report

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 Ali et al., The Impact of Social Media Addiction on Teenage Depression…

a large association between social media addiction and overlap between social media addiction and depression
depressive symptoms such that excessive online symptoms indicates that mental health problems are
engagement may not only mirror problems in mental likely to intensify. This indicates that there is a need to
health but may further compound them. Given these be more aware of, and develop strategies to help people
results, it is important to deal with the influence of social control, the amount of time spent using social media and
media on mental health by letting users replicate the possible mental health risks of using it too much.
healthier digital habits and ask for support when it comes Significant mitigation of the effects of social media on
to handling emotional well-being. mental health can be achieved by encouraging healthier
digital habits as well as seeking support for emotional
CONCLUSION well-being.
The results from the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI)
and social media usage patterns demonstrate that overly RECOMMENDATIONS
socializing on social media is linked with poor emotional On the basis of result finding and discussion following
outcomes further. The data shows that many people have recommendation were given. It is recommended that to
difficulty controlling their social media use and implement strategies to control compulsive social media
experience a high degree of emotional distress when that use and encourage healthier digital habits. furthermore,
access is restricted. Aside from the emotional it is also recommended that to raising awareness about
dependence on social media adding fuel to the fire, the detrimental effects of excessive social media use on
habits can become compulsive and picking the phone up face-to-face interactions and emotional well-being is
replaces actual face to face interactions which can stall recommended. Parents may address the link between
learning social skills and interfere with the routine daily social media addiction and academic performance to
tasks including academics and sleep. Additionally, the enhance time management and focus on essential tasks.

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