Instagram has become a ubiquitous part of young adults' lives, profoundly shaping their mental health and well-being. This research was conducted to investigate the pervasive influence of Instagram usage among young adults aged 17-22, particularly focusing on its impact on anxiety, depression, and self-esteem. The rationale for this study stems from the growing concern about the psychological effects of prolonged exposure to idealized images and lifestyles presented on social media. Utilizing a comprehensive survey methodology, data was collected from a diverse sample of young adults. The results reveal that 95.2% of participants use Instagram daily, with nearly half spending over four hours on the platform each day. The study highlights significant mental health repercussions, with 70% of respondents reporting feelings of anxiety, depression, and inadequacy attributed to their Instagram use. These findings underscore the critical need for interventions to mitigate the negative impact of Instagram on mental health and to promote healthier online behaviors and interactions. The implications of this research are far-reaching, suggesting that both individual users and social media platforms must take proactive steps to foster digital environments that support mental well-being and reduce the psychological burden on young adults.
| Published in | American Journal of Applied Psychology (Volume 13, Issue 3) |
| DOI | 10.11648/j.ajap.20241303.12 |
| Page(s) | 53-66 |
| Creative Commons |
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited. |
| Copyright |
Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group |
Instagram, Social Media, Young Adults, Mental Health, Social Comparison, Self-Esteem, Social Media Pressure, Body Image, Well-Being, Social Media Influence
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APA Style
Lunia, S. (2024). The Instagram Paradox: Examining Its Role in Shaping Mental Health Among Young Adults--A Comprehensive Analysis. American Journal of Applied Psychology, 13(3), 53-66. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajap.20241303.12
ACS Style
Lunia, S. The Instagram Paradox: Examining Its Role in Shaping Mental Health Among Young Adults--A Comprehensive Analysis. Am. J. Appl. Psychol. 2024, 13(3), 53-66. doi: 10.11648/j.ajap.20241303.12
AMA Style
Lunia S. The Instagram Paradox: Examining Its Role in Shaping Mental Health Among Young Adults--A Comprehensive Analysis. Am J Appl Psychol. 2024;13(3):53-66. doi: 10.11648/j.ajap.20241303.12
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Download@article{10.11648/j.ajap.20241303.12,
author = {Shaurya Lunia},
title = {The Instagram Paradox: Examining Its Role in Shaping Mental Health Among Young Adults--A Comprehensive Analysis
},
journal = {American Journal of Applied Psychology},
volume = {13},
number = {3},
pages = {53-66},
doi = {10.11648/j.ajap.20241303.12},
url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajap.20241303.12},
eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ajap.20241303.12},
abstract = {Instagram has become a ubiquitous part of young adults' lives, profoundly shaping their mental health and well-being. This research was conducted to investigate the pervasive influence of Instagram usage among young adults aged 17-22, particularly focusing on its impact on anxiety, depression, and self-esteem. The rationale for this study stems from the growing concern about the psychological effects of prolonged exposure to idealized images and lifestyles presented on social media. Utilizing a comprehensive survey methodology, data was collected from a diverse sample of young adults. The results reveal that 95.2% of participants use Instagram daily, with nearly half spending over four hours on the platform each day. The study highlights significant mental health repercussions, with 70% of respondents reporting feelings of anxiety, depression, and inadequacy attributed to their Instagram use. These findings underscore the critical need for interventions to mitigate the negative impact of Instagram on mental health and to promote healthier online behaviors and interactions. The implications of this research are far-reaching, suggesting that both individual users and social media platforms must take proactive steps to foster digital environments that support mental well-being and reduce the psychological burden on young adults.
},
year = {2024}
}
TY - JOUR T1 - The Instagram Paradox: Examining Its Role in Shaping Mental Health Among Young Adults--A Comprehensive Analysis AU - Shaurya Lunia Y1 - 2024/07/15 PY - 2024 N1 - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajap.20241303.12 DO - 10.11648/j.ajap.20241303.12 T2 - American Journal of Applied Psychology JF - American Journal of Applied Psychology JO - American Journal of Applied Psychology SP - 53 EP - 66 PB - Science Publishing Group SN - 2328-5672 UR - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajap.20241303.12 AB - Instagram has become a ubiquitous part of young adults' lives, profoundly shaping their mental health and well-being. This research was conducted to investigate the pervasive influence of Instagram usage among young adults aged 17-22, particularly focusing on its impact on anxiety, depression, and self-esteem. The rationale for this study stems from the growing concern about the psychological effects of prolonged exposure to idealized images and lifestyles presented on social media. Utilizing a comprehensive survey methodology, data was collected from a diverse sample of young adults. The results reveal that 95.2% of participants use Instagram daily, with nearly half spending over four hours on the platform each day. The study highlights significant mental health repercussions, with 70% of respondents reporting feelings of anxiety, depression, and inadequacy attributed to their Instagram use. These findings underscore the critical need for interventions to mitigate the negative impact of Instagram on mental health and to promote healthier online behaviors and interactions. The implications of this research are far-reaching, suggesting that both individual users and social media platforms must take proactive steps to foster digital environments that support mental well-being and reduce the psychological burden on young adults. VL - 13 IS - 3 ER -
Department of Business Administration, University of Wolverhampton, Wolverhampton, United Kingdom
