Blog #3: Instagram and Depression in Teens and Adolescents

            In today’s world, people live on their phones and social media. As the Internet age progresses, new and more consuming media is affecting the world’s most vulnerable population: our youth. Adolescents and teens are easily influenced by what they see on in media, and for adolescents with a depressive disorder, media can perpetrate serious harm to adolescent and teen mental health. Though not a large percentage of adolescents and teens have a depressive disorder - only about two-to-eight percent of adolescents “experience their first episode of major depression by age 16” (Ferguson & Woodward, 2002, p. 225) - it can lead to serious health issues in adulthood. Despite positive social benefits associated with social media, such as community engagement, collective and individual creativity, growth of ideas, establishing important online relationships, and developing an individual identity, it can yield or enhance effects of adverse mental outcomes affecting one’s well-being. Researchers have named the phenomenon “Facebook depression,” when teens spend enough time on social media sites, such as Facebook, and develop a depressive disorder (O’Keeffe & Clarke-Pearson, 2011). Though, in research, I think it can be something more than developed depression from time logged on social media. The purpose of this research is to evaluate the relationship between depression and social media use, particularly Instagram.

            Adolescents and teens are easily influenced by what they see in media, according to social learning theory, and as cognitive development theory dictates, children’s cognitive capacities differ at different stages, which affects how they understand media content (Strasburger, Jordan, & Donnerstein, 2010). Therefore, adolescents and teens at different ages are being presented the same media messages but are interpreting them completely differently. Though, the risk for depressive behavior does not lie in sexually risqué pop-up spam or sly credit frauds scamming for social security numbers: it’s in digitally mediated peer-to-peer contact on social media sites. (Although, exposure to sexually explicit and violent content can lead to normalization of socially unacceptable behaviors; Strasburger, et al., 2010.) The factor that affects adolescent and teen self-esteem is solely the tone of the peer feedback received on profiles. In fact, “peer acceptance and interpersonal feedback on the self… are vital predictors of social self-esteem and well-being” (Valkenburg, Peter, & Schouten, 2006, p. 584). In other words, people (and children) feel really good when someone likes our selfie or comment on our status. This digital note or a ‘like’ can validate social status, or can reassure social acceptance.

Aiming to fit in or stand out, people project their best selves on social media. According to the psychologist Carl Rogers’ concept of the ideal self, people construct their best persona to show the world, based on not only the person we want to be, though arguably more importantly, on the person we want to be seen as. The inconsistency in what is observed as one’s ‘ideal cyber self’ versus his or her self-image may be a factor for the high rates of depression in social media users (Sunstrum, 2014). This first observable difference in self-perception causes mental turmoil and anxious and depressed questioning of the self and judgment. Although, teens and adolescents are not just seeing themselves on Instagram.

            Other people’s profiles are just as important to vulnerable youths’ self-perception and self-esteem as their own are. Even passively viewing other’s profiles or pictures can affect one’s self-esteem and can cause feelings of resentment, envy, and loneliness. This is especially seen in teenage and adolescent girls, and is linked to low self-esteem and depressed moods; appearance-based media is linked to body image disturbance (Lup, Trub, & Rosenthal, 2015). This all has its basis in comparing oneself to others. In every person is the critical inner voice, which “offers a negative filter through which to view our life” (Sunstrum, 2014), and depressed people give into the voice, viewing themselves as negatively as possible. Negative comparison “has been found to place people at risk for rumination [reflecting heavily upon something; in this instance, the self], which can lead to depression” (Lup, et al., 2015). Those who are critical enough of themselves, the ones who doubt their abilities or attributes - their looks or popularity - are the teens and adolescents whose well-being is negatively affected by Instagram. The depressed youth are becoming more and more adversely affected by every Instagram feature.

            Though Instagram (and other social media sites) allow use past friends and family into the unlocked abyss of accounts. Another cause of depression in Instagram use, as Lup, et al. (2015) found, is the number of stranger accounts the user is following. The “#Instasad” study found that the more stranger accounts a user is following, the greater the depressive symptoms. An example of a stranger account would be a celebrity such as Kylie Jenner or Rihanna, who post about their lavish lifestyle, or other content blogs, devoted to humor or astrology (which would likely not affect self-perception). Though, even when passively viewing a stranger account, the teen or adolescent juxtaposes himself or herself literally with a Jenner.  However, fewer strangers led to an association with positive social comparison. The 2015 study found that greater depressive symptoms are associated with Instagram when the user constantly is comparing him or herself to others.

            This is especially important for adolescents and teens from lower socioeconomic classes. Though Ferguson & Woodward (2002) found that family socioeconomic background has no effect on depression, “teens from lower income families […] are more likely to use online social networks than teens from wealthier households” (Lenhart, Purcell, Smith, & Zickhur, 2010, p. 17). Albeit, it is a stretch to establish a relationship between depression and socioeconomic level, mediated by social media use, but it may be important for further research or to just be cautious.

            Though it may sound insignificant, this is a serious problem for the 2%-8% (in 2002) of youth that have depression, and should be to more people. Like it or not, social media is a part of human communication and daily life. Online lives, according to O’Keeffe & Clarke-Pearson (2011), are an “extension of [our] offline lives” (p. 801), and have real-life implications for what is even observed on the Internet. As well, Ferguson & Woodward (2002) found that adolescent depression “is a precursor of long-term depression and anxiety (p. 230), and, “in combination with problematic social, familial, and personal factors may be associated with a range of adverse outcomes” (p. 230), such as anxiety, panic disorders, and social and other phobias later in life. Depression in adolescence leads to depression and other disorders in adulthood, and is being enhanced by social comparison offered by Instagram.

            Action must be taken in order to stop depressed teens and adolescents being adversely affected on Instagram. Fortunately some solutions present themselves. Strasburg et al. (2010) suggests media education, similar to the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia, who all require media training. Although helpful, media literacy itself will not change users’ views on Instagram: users may know everything about how to use it or even that it causes depression in some people, but still fall to its trap. But that’s it, it’s not a trap: Instagram isn’t causing the harm, and neither are your friends or even those stranger accounts (which you should unfollow, because low stranger following rates are associated with more positive social comparison; Lup et al., 2015). It’s you and your brain being super critical of yourself and even lying to you. You don’t have to compare yourself to what you see on Instagram. You’re perfect with no filter.

References

Ferguson, D. M. and Woodward, L. J. (2002). Mental health, educational, and social role outcomes of adolescents with depression. Arch Gen Psychiatry 15(3). 225-231. http://dx.doi.org/1001/archpsyc.59.3.225

Lenhart, A., Purcell, K. Smith, A., and Zickhur, K. (2010). Social media & mobile internet use among teens and young adults. Pew Internet & American Life Project. 1-37 http://www.pewinternet.org/2010/02/03/social-media-and-young-adults/

Lup, K., Trub, L., and Rosenthal, L. (2015). Instagram #instasad?: Exploring associations among Instagram use, depressive symptoms, negative social comparison, and strangers followed. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking 18(5). 247-252. http://dx.doi.org/10.1089/cyber.2014.0560

O’Keeffe, G. S. and Clarke-Pearson, K. (2011). Clinical report-The impact of social media on children, adolescents, and families. American Academy of Pediatrics 127(4). 800-804 http://dx.doi.org/10.1542/peds.2011-0054

Strasburger, V. C., Jordan, A. B., and Donnerstein, E. (2010). Health effects of media on children and adolescents. Pediatrics: Official Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics 125(4). 756-767 http://dx.doi.org/10.1542/peds.2009-2563

Sunstrum, K. (2014). How social media affects our self-perception. Retrieved from Psych Central website: http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2014/03/14/how-social-media-affects-our-self-perception/
Valkenburg, P. M., Peter, J., and Schouten, A. P. (2006). Friends networking sites and their relationship to adolescents’ well-being and social self-esteem. CyberPsychology and Behavior 9(5). 584-590