Social media use among Australian university students: Understanding links with stress and mental health

Abstract

Rapid growth in social media use among young adults has raised concerns about its possible impact on mental health and wellbeing, particularly among university student populations where the prevalence of mental health issues is also rising. Using qualitative approaches, this study identified the ways in which social media use may create stress in the lives of Australian university students. Data was drawn from an online health and wellbeing survey undertaken at a large, Australian university. Students were asked about their social media use habits and whether social media creates stress in their lives, with a follow-up question asking them to describe the source of this stress. Participants’..