<p> An online survey was utilized where 31 participants answered questions about their Facebook usage and activities. In addition, information was provided about their partner and issues that stemmed from Facebook such as relationship strain and depressive symptoms. Moreover, time spent on Facebook was also examined. Results indicated a correlation between Facebook activities and levels of depression, meaning that participants reported experiencing depressive symptoms after engaging in Facebook activities and viewing their partner’s Facebook profile. In addition, the results revealed that there was no significant association between time spent on Facebook and levels of depression. In other words, those who reported spending more time on Facebook did not report experiencing increased depressive symptoms or relationship strain. The social comparison theory posits that if individuals cannot evaluate themselves using physical standards, they will attempt to do it using social standards, especially when they experience uncertainty about their attitudes and opinions. Results revealed that individuals were less likely to access Facebook when they were unsure of their own thoughts, feelings, and intuition about the relationship. The results of this study indicated that Facebook activities can negatively affect relationships and cause individuals to experience depressive symptoms. More attention should be paid to Facebook usage and to the activities and behaviors of its users. Despite the positive effects of utilizing social network sites, negative experiences can occur due to the nature of the environment.</p><p>
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:PROQUEST/oai:pqdtoai.proquest.com:10974871 |
| Date | 30 January 2019 |
| Creators | Goodman, Shaneika Janay |
| Publisher | The Chicago School of Professional Psychology |
| Source Sets | ProQuest.com |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | thesis |
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