Presenter: Yining Song

Title: Social Media Use and Positive Mental Health Among Canadian Undergraduates

Type of Presentation: Poster

Abstract

This poster examines the connections between various forms of social media use and positive mental health outcomes among Canadian undergraduate students between the ages of 18 to 25. My interest in this topic stems from a desire to learn more about the influence of social media in student life and the fact that current Canadian research is primarily focused on negative mental health outcomes or adolescents. Previous research indicates that there are negative consequences for heavy or problematic social media use including poor sleep, psychological distress and reduced life satisfaction. However, few studies investigate positive well-being, and there is little research that distinguishes active from passive use. One of the major missing pieces is the relationship between the use of social media and well‑being, with the control of stress, sleep and offline relationships. My project question is: In what ways are various forms of social media use associated with positive mental health among Canadian undergraduates? Data will be gathered using a Likert type question and stratified sampling techniques to an anonymous online survey. I hope the results will reveal negative correlations between passive use and well-being and neutral or positive correlations between active use and well-being. Expected results, ethical issues and limitations of self-reported data will be discussed.

Biography

Yining Song is a first year Vantage Arts student interested in how digital communication shapes student life, well-being, and belonging. Her current project examines social media use and positive mental health among Canadian undergraduates. Outside class, she enjoys exploring everyday questions about culture, communication, and university life. She hopes to continue developing her research, writing, and presentation skills at UBC.