THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SOCIAL NETWORKS, ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION IN PSYCHOLOGY STUDENTS

Authors

  • Luiz Roberto Marquezi Ferro Author
  • Natan da Cruz Lemes Author
  • Samuel Augusto Soares Duque Author
  • Aislan José de Oliveira Author
  • Caroline Velasquez Marafiga Author
  • Paulo do Nascimento Sousa Author
  • Marco Aurélio Ramos de Almeida Author
  • Francieli Barroso Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.56238/arev7n10-209

Keywords:

Social Media, Anxiety, Depression, Psychology Students

Abstract

Introduction: In recent decades, the use of social networks (SNS) has impacted how individuals construct identities and social relationships, raising concerns about its influence on mental health, especially among young university students. Objective: This study investigated the relationship between daily SNS use time and anxiety and depression levels in Psychology students at a private institution. Method: Sixty students, aged 18 to 58, predominantly female (73%) and young adults (63%) participated. The Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), and a sociodemographic questionnaire with questions about average daily SNS use time were administered. Statistical analysis used Pearson's correlation to assess associations between variables. Results: The results showed that 47% of participants used social media for more than three hours a day, but no significant correlation was found between the time spent using social media and symptoms of anxiety and depression. On the other hand, there was a strong correlation between anxiety and depression (r = 0.73). Discussion: The lack of a relationship between time spent on social media platforms and psychopathology may be related to the way the platforms were used and the lack of linearity in the sample, in addition to the high prevalence of heavy use among participants. On the other hand, the high levels of anxiety and depression reflect the impact of academic stress and university life on students' mental health. Conclusion: Although the initial hypothesis was not confirmed, the study reinforces the importance of mental health care during university education, highlighting the need for further research to deepen the understanding of this phenomenon.

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Published

2025-10-21

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Articles

How to Cite

FERRO, Luiz Roberto Marquezi; LEMES, Natan da Cruz; DUQUE, Samuel Augusto Soares; DE OLIVEIRA, Aislan José; MARAFIGA, Caroline Velasquez; SOUSA, Paulo do Nascimento; DE ALMEIDA, Marco Aurélio Ramos; BARROSO, Francieli. THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SOCIAL NETWORKS, ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION IN PSYCHOLOGY STUDENTS. ARACÊ , [S. l.], v. 7, n. 10, p. e9097, 2025. DOI: 10.56238/arev7n10-209. Disponível em: https://periodicos.newsciencepubl.com/arace/article/view/9097. Acesso em: 5 dec. 2025.