B4661 - Towards an understanding of social media The effects on health well-being and genetic susceptibilities - 06/08/2024

B number: 
B4661
Principal applicant name: 
Rita Dias Pereira | Nova School of Business and Economics (Portugal)
Co-applicants: 
Dr Greta Morando
Title of project: 
Towards an understanding of social media: The effects on health, well-being, and genetic susceptibilities
Proposal summary: 

In 2022, 63% of the world population actively used social media, spending a daily average of 2 hours and 27 minutes on these platforms. Despite its widespread adoption, our understanding of social media's impact on health and well-being remains limited, mostly due to lack of data availability on social media use. This proposal has two objectives. The first aims to study the relationship between social media use and mental health across different stages of life, considering various factors that influence social media exposure. The second investigates whether genetic susceptibilities towards mental disorders explain patterns of social media use. The exploration of these objectives will contribute towards advancing our comprehension of social media.

Impact of research: 
Understanding the relationship between social media, mental health and well-being is vital in today’s society, where these platforms mediate a sizeable share of personal interactions while they occupy a large fraction of our waking time. Our research aims to shed light on the relationship between social media use and mental health across different stages of life. We hope to contribute with knowledge that can inform policies and regulations concerning social media platforms. This is fundamental for developing strategies to promote healthy digital environments and mitigate potential risks associated with excessive social media use.
Date proposal received: 
Friday, 19 July, 2024
Date proposal approved: 
Monday, 22 July, 2024
Keywords: 
Health Economics, addiction, behaviour, developmental disorders, eating disorders, learning difficulty, mental health note: couldn't select the variables above, so I listed them in this box, statistical methods note: couldn't select the variables above, so I listed them in this box, biological samples, environment, genetics, linkage, methods, psychology - personality, sex differences, social science, statistical methods note: couldn't select the variables above, so I listed them in this box