California State University, San Bernardino CSUSB ScholarWorks Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations Office of Graduate Studies 6-2020 THE IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON MENTAL HEALTH: A MIXED- METHODS RESEARCH OF SERVICE PROVIDERS’ AWARENESS Sarah Nichole Koehler Bobbie Rose Parrell Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.edu/etd Part of the Clinical Psychology Commons, and the Social Work Commons Recommended Citation Koehler, Sarah Nichole and Parrell, Bobbie Rose, "THE IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON MENTAL HEALTH: A MIXED-METHODS RESEARCH OF SERVICE PROVIDERS’ AWARENESS" (2020). Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations.edu/etd/1012 This Project is brought to you for free and open access by the Office of Graduate Studies at CSUSB ScholarWorks. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of CSUSB ScholarWorks. For more information, please contact scholarworks@csusb.
THE IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON MENTAL HEALTH: A MIXED-METHODS RESEARCH OF SERVICE PROVIDERS’ AWARENESS A Project Presented to the Faculty of California State University, San Bernardino In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Social Work by Sarah Nichole Koehler Bobbie Rose Parrell June 2020 THE IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON MENTAL HEALTH: A MIXED-METHODS RESEARCH OF SERVICE PROVIDERS’ AWARENESS A Project Presented to the Faculty of California State University, San Bernardino by Sarah Nichole Koehler Bobbie Rose Parrell June 2020 Approved by: Dr. Rigaud Joseph, Faculty Supervisor, Social Work Dr. Armando Barragán, MSW Research Coordinator © 2020 Sarah Nichole Koehler and Bobbie Rose Parrell ABSTRACT The relationship between heavy use of social media and an increase in mental health disorders has long been established. However, there is a gap in the literature regarding mental health practitioners/providers’ responses to this issue.
This mixed-methods research embraced two theoretical perspectives— Ecological Model and Generalist Intervention Model—toward determining the extent to which mental health practitioners/providers assess for the impact of heightened use of social media on mental health. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected from 95 mental health practitioners (N = 95) via Qualtrics. Non-parametric tests and descriptive statistics showed that prior training, agency’s values, and credentials impact mental health practitioners’ responses to social media use and its impact on mental health. Meanwhile, qualitative findings pinpointed low self-esteem, increased depression, and increased anxiety as three psychiatric conditions associated with uncontrolled use of social media.
Implications of these findings for theory, research, social work practice, and social work education were discussed. Keywords: heightened social media use, mental health, ecological model generalist practice model, mixed-methods research, social work practice iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The researchers would like to acknowledge and extend our deepest appreciation for the support provided by Dr. Armando Barragán, Dr. Rigaud Joseph, and all others who have provided extra encouragement throughout this research project over the past two years.
Additionally, each researcher would like to extend gratitude to one another for continuously pushing, encouraging growth, and for the dedicated time spent on this project. Last but not least, the researchers would like to acknowledge our amazing cohort who consistently provided laughs in hard times, encouragement in low times, and smiles along the way. iv DEDICATION I would like to dedicate this research to the inner child that lives in all of us. The one that says, “Go dance through the meadow” and is silenced by the voice that says, “But you don’t know what’s in there.
That can be dangerous”. In the meadow is where there is freedom, joy, and growth. I’m so thankful for everyone that strengthened the voice of my inner child and has taught me about the beauty of dancing in the meadow. “You make me STRONG and BRAVE.” -Psalm 138:3 Sarah Koehler I would like to dedicate this research paper to my family, friends, and loved ones.
A special acknowledgment to my significant other, Donnie, for always providing words of encouragement and laughter during stressful times. I would like to also dedicate this research to the graduating class of 2020 and MSW cohort for persevering through the many changes and challenges our last quarter brought. We did it! “Don’t use social media to impress people; use it to impact people.” -Dave Willis Bobbie Parrell TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT .iv LIST OF TABLES. viii LIST OF FIGURES .ix CHAPTER ONE: PROBLEM FORMULATION.
1 Purpose of the Study. 3 Significance of the Project for Mental Health Practice. 4 CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW. 5 Social Media Impact on Mental Health.
5 Social Media and Mental Health Education. 7 Diagnostic and Statistical Manual Void for Diagnosis and Treatment. 8 Theories Guiding Conceptualization. 10 Generalist Intervention Model.
11 Critical Analysis of the Theories Guiding This Research. 13 CHAPTER THREE: METHOD. 16 v Data Collection and Instruments. 17 Protection of Human Subjects.
24 Independent Variables/Predictors. 21 CHAPTER FOUR: RESULTS. 22 Presentation of the Findings. 30 CHAPTER FIVE: DISCUSSION.
36 Consistency with Previous Research. 38 Implications for Theory. 38 Implications for Research. 39 Implications for Social Work Practice.
39 Implications for Social Work Education. 42 Limitations and Recommendations. 45 APPENDIX B: INFORMED CONSENT. 49 vi APPENDIX C: INSTITUTIONAL REVIEW BOARD APPROVAL.
53 vii LIST OF TABLES Table 1. Critical Analysis of Study Theoretical Perspectives with Joseph and MacGowan’s (2019) Theory Evolution Scale (TES). Frequency Distributions of Study Variables (N = 95). Knowledge of Social Media Impact on Mental Health.
Integration of Social Media Topic in Assessment. Integration of Social Media Topic in Treatment. Major Beliefs of Social Media’s Impact on Mental Health. 31 viii LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1.
Belief of Social Media Impact on Mental Health. Knowledge of Social Media Impact on Mental Health. 25 ix CHAPTER ONE PROBLEM FORMULATION Introduction With the continuing technological advancements, social media—also known as social networking—has become the most popular form of communication and interaction between people of all ages throughout the world. Social media (SM) is a way to communicate and share content through various technological platforms (Kaplan & Haenlein, 2010) such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, Tumblr, etc.
Research on the growing popularity of social media use has found that nearly 8 in 10 Americans use social media, which amounts to a total population basis of 68% on Facebook, 21% on Twitter, 25% on Pinterest, and 26% on Instagram (Greenwood et al, 2018). Statistics show that the extent of time people spend on social media sites amount to significantly high rates. On average, 28% of the time spent using the internet is for social media interaction (Huang, 2018). There are some benefits associated with social media use.
These include—but are not limited to—awareness and destigmatizing mental health, additional access to resources, and a platform for individuals to relate to one another regarding their mental health symptoms while using the apps (Lattie et al. Social media can also serve as a positive outlet to reduce the potential barriers individuals of all backgrounds face when living with a mental health diagnosis (Andrews et al. However, the literature contains several studies 1 that link social media use with several psychiatric disorders, including depressive symptoms, anxiety, and low self-esteem (Lin et al. Users of social media may experience bullying, shaming, negative responses to their posts.
These users may also experience discomfort due to comparison of their self-image and life satisfaction to other users (Belluomini, 2015). Additionally, negative social media behaviors can cause isolation, depression, and mood changes based on negative content users see while scrolling (Belluomini, 2015). With an increase in the use of social media over the last decade, it is important to assess any impact social media might have on mental health. There is as yet is little action implemented by the mental health professionals regarding the implications of social media for mental health.
Additionally, there has been minimal research done regarding the knowledge and preparedness of mental health clinicians to address the impact of heavy social media use on the clients’ mental health. Social media’s impact on mental health complicates social service delivery on the micro level due to the significant growth of mental health symptoms. As more individuals are presenting with anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, etc. due to their social media use, increased service providers are needed.
Mental health service providers need to be aware of social media’s impact on mental health to better serve individuals affected by this issue. There is also a need for further training on how to assess for social media use and the potential impacts 2 on mental health. Having an increased understanding of the impacts of social media use will lead to more efficient and effective treatment for clients. Purpose of the Study The purpose of this study is to explore mental health practitioners’ awareness/knowledge of the possible impacts heightened social media use can have on clients’ mental health.
This study also explored how that knowledge/awareness (or lack thereof) influences the therapeutic process. This study addressed the following four questions: 1) Is there a difference in the level of social media contents in assessments and therapeutic sessions between agencies that are proactive on the impact of heavy use of social media and those that are not? 2) What is the level of awareness about the negative impact of heavy use of social media on mental health among mental health practitioners? 3) How do mental health practitioners who completed some training on social media compare to their non-trained counterparts with regard to knowledge about the impact of social media on mental health? 4) What is the proportion of mental health practitioners who believe in a monotonic correlation between heavy use of social media and adverse mental health consequences? 3 Significance of the Project for Mental Health Practice The proposed study is essential due to the limited number of research studies conducted on how mental health practitioners are responding to increased social media use and the impact on mental health. The observation of a technological society has brought to question what the impacts of high social media use are on a client’s mental health. As society evolves into a digital culture, mental health practitioners need to be prepared to screen clients for possible negative side effects of heavy social media.
The findings of this study will have implications for the field of social services by identifying gaps in service provision, assessment, and treatment planning with respect to social media’s impact on mental health. The findings may lead to updates in a clinician’s approach to assessing the client’s concerns and developing a treatment plan to address treatment goals. Although this study’s main emphasis is on the micro-level (interaction between clinicians and clients), the findings may contribute to social service provision on a macro level by updating service accessibility and policies regarding social media outlets. 4 CHAPTER TWO LITERATURE REVIEW Introduction This chapter will serve as an overview and examination of prior research conducted on heavy social media use and its impact on mental health.
The subsections in this chapter will include the prevalence of social media usage, lack of social media use recognizable as a mental health diagnosis in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), mental health education through social media, and current treatment gaps. The final subsection will examine system theory and integrative theory, which is relevant to the research topic. Social Media Impact on Mental Health The Mental Health of America (2018) has estimated that over 44 million American adults have a mental health condition. The statistics of youths experiencing mental health conditions, such as major depressive disorder, continues to rise in high rates yearly (Mental Health of America, 2018).
Mental health in the United States continues to increase, and the amount of time Americans spend using social media is also on the rise. To reiterate, on average, Americans spend 28% of the time using the internet for social media interaction (Huang, 2018).