You Won't Believe How Your Social Media Habits Could Double Your Anxiety—Find Out Why!

New research highlights the intricate relationship between social media emotional support and anxiety levels in young adults, revealing that perceived emotional support may help reduce anxiety, but also indicating that personality traits play an important role in this dynamic.

Study: Associations Between Young Adult Emotional Support Derived from Social Media, Personality Structure, and Anxiety. Image Credit: Master1305 / Shutterstock

A study published in the journal Psychiatry International brings fresh insights into the relationship between emotional support received through social media and anxiety levels among young adults, particularly highlighting how this dynamic can vary significantly based on personality traits. The research suggests that while young adults, especially females, who perceive high levels of emotional support from social media exhibit lower anxiety, the complexity of personality traits adds another layer to this relationship.

The Context of Anxiety in Young Adults

Anxiety disorders are a significant mental health issue, affecting millions and often manifesting during adolescence or young adulthood. The World Health Organization has categorized anxiety as a leading contributor to disability globally and linked it with several adverse outcomes, including depression, poor academic performance, and heightened suicide risk. Alarmingly, recent surveys indicate that anxiety rates among adolescents have been climbing, marking a troubling trend that calls for deeper exploration into potential support systems.

Understanding Social Support Models

Traditionally, social support—characterized by verbal and non-verbal expressions of care from close relationships—has been shown to mitigate anxiety. Stress-buffering models posit that such support can directly enhance mental well-being or help alleviate the adverse impacts of stress. However, these models were primarily developed before social media's rise, making their applicability in virtual contexts uncertain. Indeed, support online may hinge on individual perceptions, communication styles, and the specific functionalities of different platforms.

Previous research on perceived emotional support from social media has yielded mixed results, with some findings suggesting that it may correlate with poorer mental health outcomes. This complexity is compounded by the role of personality traits, which have largely gone unexplored in the context of online emotional support.

Research Findings and Methodology

The recent study analyzed a large national online panel, including 2,403 young adults aged 18 to 30 years. This panel aimed to reflect the demographic distribution of the United States, balancing for factors such as race, sex, and age. The researchers employed a validated four-item scale to assess anxiety, as well as a similar scale to gauge perceived emotional support from social media platforms.

Interestingly, the analysis revealed that younger participants reported higher anxiety levels and greater perceived emotional support. In particular, females tended to report higher anxiety than their male counterparts. Personality assessments using a 10-item Big Five Inventory indicated that traits like openness, extraversion, and agreeableness were linked to greater perceived support from social media, while conscientiousness was inversely correlated.

Moreover, the regression analysis confirmed a significant negative correlation between anxiety and perceived emotional support, suggesting that heightened anxiety was linked to decreased feelings of support. This relationship was notably stronger among females, with increased time on social media correlating with higher perceived support, while older individuals reported lower levels of perceived support.

Implications and Future Directions

The findings bring a nuanced perspective to our understanding of social media's role in emotional support—suggesting that it may not merely serve as a protective factor but can reflect or contribute to anxiety levels in complex, potentially bidirectional ways. This aligns more with traditional social support theories than with earlier studies indicating negative outcomes from social media use.

However, the study does have limitations, including its cross-sectional design and reliance on self-reported data. These factors raise questions about the causality and generalizability of the results. Future longitudinal studies are essential to clarify these relationships and to inform strategies promoting healthy engagement with social media as a tool for emotional support.

For young adults grappling with anxiety, this research underscores the importance of understanding their social media interactions and how these may interplay with their mental health. As we continue to navigate the challenges posed by mental health in an increasingly digital world, insights like these could help shape future interventions and promote healthier online communities.

Journal reference:

• Merrill, R.A., Cao, C. (2026). Associations Between Young Adult Emotional Support Derived from Social Media, Personality Structure, and Anxiety. Psychiatry International 7(1): 18. DOI: 10.3390/psychiatryint7010018, https://www.mdpi.com/2673-5318/7/1/18