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Background: Nowadays, the usage of social media starts at a very young age because of the availability of tools where social media platforms become available. Even though social media can be very usable in many cases, it can also be harmful. It can be seen that it is between the ages of 12-17 that teenage girls suffer the most from social media use as senders and receivers, and with this, there are negative effects that can harm these teenage girls. It is therefore important to understand the consequences that come when using social media as a teenage girl. Purpose: The purpose of this research is to explore how teenage girls, as senders and receivers, experience the negative effects of social media use. Method: This research undertook a qualitative research approach with an exploratory nature. In order for the researchers to collect data for the study a pilot test was first conducted in order to make sure that the actual semistructured interviews could be conducted. The semi-structured interviews were conducted by gathering data from participants of eight teenage girls between the ages of 12-17 from a local high school in Växjö, Sweden. Findings: This research found that the negative effects for a sender on social media were found to be sleep quality and the need to interact with others. Furthermore, the negative effects for a receiver were found to be sleep quality, the creation of bad habits, influencers, and undesired content. Conclusion: The findings show that there were more negative effects of using social media as a receiver than as a sender from the teenage girls perspective. Sleep quality was affecting both senders and receivers but in different aspects. The need to interact with others was the major impact on a sender on social media. Furthermore, the result showed that creation of bad habits, influencers, and undesired content were negatively affecting the teenage girls as receivers from their social media use.

Background: Depressive and anxiety symptoms are prevailing among transitional aged youth (TAY) putting this population at high risk for lifelong mental illness as these disorders track through adulthood. Heavy social media use (SMU) is prevalent among TAY, which is concerning given it is associated with emotional distress in the form of depression and anxiety, with evidence that unfavourable social comparisons may be a primary mechanism. However, most research is cross-sectional in nature, highlighting the need for experimental studies to provide a greater understanding of how SMU impacts mental health and social comparisons. Accordingly, the primary aim of this study was to examine whether reducing SMU to 1 hour/day reduced depressive symptoms in distressed TAY. Secondary objectives included the examination of intervention effects on anxiety symptoms, and whether social comparison mediated the relationship between SMU reduction and reduced depressive and anxiety symptoms. Exploratory objectives included examining the intervention effects on individuals with greater/lesser emotional distress at baseline. Design and Methods: A randomized controlled trial was used to assign 218 (77% female) TAY (aged 17-25 years) to either the intervention group (n=116) or the control group (n=102). The intervention group was instructed to reduce smartphone-based SMU to a maximum of 1hr/day while the control group had no SMU restrictions. Study duration included 1-week baseline period followed by a 3-weeks intervention period; and mental health outcome measurements were taken at baseline and 4-weeks. Depressive symptoms were measured using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CESD-10), and anxiety symptoms were measured using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale (GAD-7), while social comparison was measured using the Technology-Based Social Comparison and Feedback-Seeking subscale (SCFS), which is a subscale of the Motivations for Electronic Interaction Scale (MEIS). Results: Analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed the intervention was successful in limiting SMU, evidenced by a significant group x time interaction showing a greater reduction of SMU in the intervention group compared to the control group (p <.001, parital ηₚ²=.286). Simple effects showed that intervention participants spent less time in SMU than controls at week two (79.8min (45.6) vs 186.8min (98.21), p < .001), week three (75.97min (53.78) vs 189.67min (84.38), p < .001), and week four (76.01min (57.48) vs 188.8min (94.94), p <.001). There was good adherence to submitting screenshots (94%) and this did not differ by group at baseline (p = 0.474) or during the 3-week intervention period (p = 0.834). ANOVA also revealed a significant group x time interaction showing a greater reduction for the intervention group compared to the control group at week 4 in depressive symptoms (p= .019, partial ηₚ²= .025) and anxiety symptoms (p = .015, partial ηₚ²= .027), but groups did not differ on changes in social comparison (p= .593, partial ηₚ²= .001). Three-way interactions showed that relative to controls, SMU reduction produced a greater reduction in anxiety symptoms for those with high baseline scores (p = .008, partial ηₚ²= .032) compared to those with low baseline scores, whereas this three-way interaction was not significant for depressive symptoms (p = .438, ηₚ²=.003). Conclusion: Our data suggest that reducing SMU to approximately 1hr/day may be a feasible, inexpensive and effective therapeutic component that should be considered in the overall management of anxiety and depressive symptoms in TAY with emotional distress, a vulnerable population for lifelong mental illness.

The number of social media platforms (SMP hereinafter) is ever-increasing, and all of these platforms compete for more attention and content. The global social media market is expected to grow to $223.11 billion in 2022 (Social Media Global Market Report, 2022). In an era characterized by the meteoric rise and evolution of Social Media Platforms (SMPs), understanding the interplay between platform features and user behaviors is both critical and complex. In this dissertation, we aim to elucidate the relationship between SMPs and society, with the ultimate objective of fostering a healthier social media ecosystem. This dissertation is comprised of two incisive essays, both of which are underpinned by robust theoretical frameworks. The first essay adopts an expansive purview of the SMP ecosystem. Grounded in Uses and Gratifications Theory and media studies, it establishes a user typology based on the previous typologies and examines the interaction between user motives, SMP scores, and SMP features. Employing the Analytic Hierarchy Process, a sophisticated decision-making tool, the study quantifies utility-driven choices across platforms. A notable revelation is the heterogeneity in user reliance on SMP features, contingent upon their underlying motives. This essay offers critical insights into the multifaceted nature of SMP utilization. The second essay focuses specifically on Reddit's ChangeMyView community, an exemplar of constructive discourse in the SMP environment. It constructs a theoretical model premised on the Elaboration Likelihood Model and the concept of pre-suasion, and utilizes a mixed-methods approach to explore the persuasive strategies using Content Analysis. We also utilize ChatGPT in the Content Analysis to corroborate our inferences. The findings confirm our theorization about the role of the Delta reward system in fostering reflective engagement with content, which leads to informed opinion formation. Collectively, with these essays, we aim to provide extensive insights into the dynamic interplay between SMPs and users. Both essays hold significant implications for research community, SMP decision-makers, organizations that use SMPs, and a broader audience interested in optimizing their social media repertoire. Through a theory-driven and empirical lens, employing several epistemologies, this dissertation provides a holistic depiction of the SMP ecosystem. / Doctor of Philosophy / The landscape of social media is constantly evolving with an ever-growing number of platforms vying for user attention. In this dissertation, we aim to analyze the relationship between social media platforms and their users, seeking ways to foster a healthier and more constructive social media environment. This dissertation is structured into two distinct yet interconnected essays. In the first essay, we look at the broader ecosystem of social media platforms. It categorizes users based on their motivations for using social media, such as seeking information or connecting with others. We examine how different features of social media platforms cater to these diverse motivations. To accomplish this, we employ a method known as the Analytic Hierarchy Process, which is a decision-making tool used to measure and analyze choices. The key insight from this essay is the diversity in how users interact with social media features, and how this interaction is influenced by their underlying motivations. In the second essay, we take a closer look at a specific community on Reddit called ChangeMyView. This community is unique as it encourages users to engage in thoughtful and reasoned debates. In this essay, we develop a theoretical model to understand the mechanisms through which information is processed and opinions are changed within this community with a strong focus on Delta system, a feature that rewards users for successfully changing someone's opinion through challenging their view and pointing the flaws in their thinking. Collectively, the dissertation provides an in-depth understanding of the dynamic relationship between social media platforms and users. It does so through rigorous analysis underpinned by theoretical frameworks. This research is not only academically significant but also has practical implications. It provides valuable insights for decision-makers to improve social media platforms, aids organizations in understanding how best to engage with social media, and informs users on optimizing their social media interactions. In essence, this dissertation serves as a comprehensive analysis that bridges the gap between the ever-evolving features of social media platforms and the multifaceted behaviors of their users.

The purpose of the study was to examine the relationship between media as family leisure and family functioning among families with at least one adolescent child. Specifically, this study examined the relationship between family functioning and media use, media connection, and media monitoring over time. Furthermore, because the data were nested in families, and because most family leisure research has been limited to individual-level analyses, this study incorporated mixed modeling into its analysis which accounted for family-level and individual-level variance. The sample consisted of 500 families participating in the Flourishing Families (FFP) Project, a longitudinal study of inner-family life involving families with a child between the ages of 11 and 16. Multiple regression analysis indicated there was a significant negative relationship between media use and family functioning. Mixed model analysis further indicated there was a significant positive relationship between media connection, parental media monitoring, and family functioning, and this relationship was stable over time. These relationships were significant even when accounting for the variance explained by depression, anxiety, conflict, and other demographic variables. Findings support existing media effects and family leisure research. This research, however, goes beyond existing research in its mixed level analysis that accounted for family-level variance and in its analysis of time in the stability of the relationship between media variables and family functioning. Findings further suggest the importance in parental involvement in adolescent media use when explaining variance in family functioning.

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Given the ubiquity of media use, especially among young children, the current study examines the impact of problematic media use (PMU) on children's (N = 418, M age = 53.62 months, SD = 3.38 months, M and SD are taken from the full sample of 418 children) physiological functioning. With previous studies reporting relations between media use, temperament, and physiological regulation, it was hypothesized that children with greater levels of PMU would have lower levels of baseline respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA; a measure of physiological regulatory capacity). It is further hypothesized that, higher levels of negative affect, and lower levels of effortful control (two distinct domains of temperament) would be linked to both PMU and RSA and that temperament might mediate the associations between PMU and physiological regulation (RSA) (i.e., higher negative affect, lower effortful control linked to higher PMU and lower RSA). Data were drawn from Wave 5 of Project M.E.D.I.A, a longitudinal study of the effects of media on children's development. Findings revealed that PMU was significantly linked to lower baseline RSA for girls, but not for boys. Both boys' and girls' PMU was linked to higher levels of negative affect. Girls' PMU was linked to lower effortful control. The hypothesis that temperament would meditate links between PMU and RSA was not supported. The sex difference in the relation between PMU and baseline RSA are discussed, including potential differences in content of media girls are using as well as potential developmental differences for girls' reactivity compared to boys. Overall, PMU may lead to diminished physiological regulation, especially for girls, and appears to be linked to higher levels of negative affect in children. It is important for parents to be aware of the potential impact media use may have on their children's development.

Social ångest på sociala medier är ett relativt outforskat område där fortsatt forskning underlättas av psykometriskt tillfredsställande självskattningsskalor. Följande studie syftade till att översätta Social Anxiety Scale for Social Media Users (SAS-SMU) och psykometriskt utvärdera den avseende dess latenta dimensioner, interna konsistens samt konvergerande respektive divergerande validitet i ett svenskt urval. Därutöver undersöktes samband mellan total användning och passiv respektive aktiv användning av sociala medier och social ångest, eftersom tidigare studier visat en tendens till passiv användning. Tre faktorer erhölls för SAS-SMU och resultaten visade hög intern konsistens samt att skalan konvergerade med SPIN, och divergerade med OCI-R, SWSL, PHQ-9 och GAD-7. Skalans tredje faktor erhöll dock svagare samband med SPIN jämfört med de andra faktorerna. Social ångest associerades med passiv användning i högre utsträckning än aktiv, samt med längre genomsnittlig användning av sociala medier. Resultaten skiljer sig från tidigare studier där signifikanta samband endast erhållits mellan passiv användning och social ångest. / Measurement scales are needed to facilitate further research on social anxiety in the context of social media. This study aimed to translate the Social Anxiety Scale for Social Media Users (SAS-SMU) and evaluate its psychometric properties in a Swedish sample regarding its underlying dimensions, internal consistency, converging and diverging validity. Furthermore, relationships between passive, active and total use of social media and social anxiety were explored, since previous studies have shown a tendency towards passive use. Three factors were retained for SAS-SMU with satisfactory internal consistency. SAS-SMU converged with SPIN and diverged with OCI-R, SWLS, PHQ-9 and GAD-7. However, the association between its third factor and SPIN was weaker compared to the other factors. Results indicated that higher levels of social anxiety were more strongly associated with passive use than active use, as well as longer general social media use. This is at odds with previous studies only reporting significant correlations between social anxiety and passive use of social media.

[pt] São os jovens que convivem de modo contínuo e crescente com novos conteúdos, usos e contextos de interação através das novas mídias, sendo assim é importante investigar mais sobre esses usos e suas possíveis relações entre eles e os processos educativos Os objetivos deste estudo, que tem como base a Pesquisa Juventude e Mídia, estão relacionados a identificação, descrição e análise dos modos de uso de mídias digitais, especialmente da internet, construídos por estudantes do nono ano do ensino fundamental da rede pública municipal do Rio de Janeiro, em contexto escolar e no seu tempo livre e as habilidades desenvolvidas por estes jovens a partir dos usos. A realização desse estudo envolveu a construção e aplicação de questionários junto a 3705 alunos do nono ano do Ensino Fundamental em uma amostra de 39 escolas. A análise dos dados foi baseada na aplicação de oito modelos de regressão linear. Os resultados indicam há uma correlação negativa entre a defasagem idade/série e habilidades (quanto maior o número de anos de atraso em relação à idade esperada menor a probabilidade de se declarar habilidoso), que pode estar relacionada ao efeito da baixa autoestima. Por outro lado há uma correlação positiva entre o desenvolvimento de habilidades e a presença, no âmbito doméstico, de mídias e livros, assim como a prática de atividades culturais cultivadas (frequência a museus, centros culturais, cinema, teatro, shows etc.) que sugere a necessidade de redução da desigualdade social, o que tornaria tais recursos acessíveis a todos. Nossos resultados sugerem que o ganho mais significativo no uso do computador e da Internet entre os jovens pesquisados se dá no âmbito da sociabilidade, entendida como transmissão de conhecimentos, normas e valores entre pares. / [en] The young adults are the ones who interact on a continuous and growing basis with the new contents, uses and interaction contexts through the new media. Therefore, it is important to further investigate these uses and their possible relations between them and with the education processes. The purpose of this study, which has as its basis the Research Youth and Media, are related to the identification, description and analysis of the ways of use of digital media, specially the Internet, developed by students of the 9th grade of the fundamental cycle of the public Municipal schools of Rio de Janeiro in the school context and in their free time and the abilities developed by these young adults as a result of these uses. Carrying out this study involved the development and application of questionnaires to 3,705 students of the 9th grade of the fundamental cycle in a sample of 39 schools. The data analysis was based on the application of eight linear regression models The results show a negative correlation between the gap age/grade and abilities (the higher the number of years of delay as compared to the expected age the lower the probability of the student declaring him/herself skillful)., what may be related to the effect of low self esteem. On the other hand, there is a positive correlation between the development of abilities and the presence in the domestic environment of media and books, as well as the engagement in cultural activities (visits to museums, cultural centers, movie theatres, plays, shows etc) what suggests the need of reducing the social differences, what would make these resources available to all. Our results suggest that the most significant gain resulting from the use of computer and internet among the young adults subject of the research is verified in their sociability, understood as transmission of knowledge, rules and value between the pairs.