Publication Type
Journal Article
Version
publishedVersion
Publication Date
12-2022
Abstract
Social media, one of the most pervasive forms of technology, has been widely studied in relation to the mental health and well-being of individuals. However, the current literature on social media and well-being has provided mixed and inconclusive findings, thus creating a polarizing view of social media. These mixed findings continue to extend into the pandemic, with researchers debating over the effects of social media in the new norms of social isolation. In light of these inconclusive findings, the aim of our meta-analysis was to synthesize previous research data in order to have a holistic understanding of the association between social media and well-being, particularly in the present context of COVID-19. The current meta-analysis systematically investigated 155 effect sizes from 42 samples drawn from 38 studies published during the COVID-19 pandemic (N = 43,387) and examined the potential moderators in the relationship between social media and well-being, such as the different operationalizations of social media usage and demographics. Overall, our study found that the relationship between social media usage and well-being was not significant in the context of COVID-19. Additionally, the impact of various moderators on the relationship between social media and well-being was found to vary. We discuss the various theoretical, methodological and practical implications of these findings and highlight areas where further research is necessary to shed light on the complex and nuanced relationship between social media and well-being.
Keywords
Covid-19, Meta-analysis, Social media, Well-being
Discipline
Psychology | Social Media | Social Psychology
Research Areas
Psychology
Publication
Current Psychology
First Page
1
Last Page
15
ISSN
1046-1310
Identifier
10.1007/s12144-022-04092-w
Publisher
Springer
Citation
WONG, Joax, POH, Xin Yi, QUEK, Frosch, LUA, Verity, MAJEED, Nadyannam M., & HARTANTO, Andree.(2022). A four-level meta-analytic review of the relationship between social media and well-being: A fresh perspective in the context of COVID-19. Current Psychology, , 1-15.
Available at: https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/soss_research/3677
Copyright Owner and License
Authors
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Additional URL
https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-022-04092-w