Social media use is endemic among emerging adults, raising concerns that this trend may harm users. We tested whether reducing the quantity of social media use, relative to improving the way users engage with social media, benefits psychological well-being. Participants were 393 social media users (ages 17-29) in Canada, with elevated psychopathology symptoms, who perceived social media to negatively impact their life somewhat. They were randomized to either (a) assistance to engage with social media in a way to enhance connectedness (tutorial), (b) encouragement to abstain from social media (abstinence), or (c) no instructions to change behavior (control). Participants' social media behaviors were self-reported and tracked using phone screen time apps while well-being was self-reported, over four timepoints (6 weeks in total). Results suggested that the tutorial and abstinence groups, relative to control, reduced their quantity of social media use and the amount of social comparisons they made on social media, with abstinence being the most effective. Tutorial was the only condition to reduce participants' fear of missing out and loneliness, and abstinence was the only condition to reduce internalizing symptoms, relative to control. No condition differences emerged in eating pathology or the tendency to make social comparisons in an upward direction. Changes in social media behaviors mediated the effects of abstinence (but not of tutorial) on well-being outcomes. Participant engagement and perceptions of helpfulness were acceptable, but the abstinence group possibly perceived the content as less helpful. In conclusion, using social media differently and abstaining from social media may each benefit well-being. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

中文翻译：

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注销还是靠拢？提高幸福感的社交媒体策略。


社交媒体的使用在新兴成年人中很普遍，这引发了人们对这种趋势可能会伤害用户的担忧。我们测试了相对于改善用户与社交媒体互动的方式，减少社交媒体的使用数量是否有益于心理健康。参与者是加拿大的 393 名社交媒体用户（17-29 岁），精神病理学症状升高，他们认为社交媒体对他们的生活产生了一定的负面影响。他们被随机分配到 （a） 协助以增强联系的方式参与社交媒体（教程），（b） 鼓励放弃社交媒体（禁欲），或 （c） 没有改变行为的指示（控制）。参与者的社交媒体行为是自我报告的，并使用手机屏幕时间应用程序进行跟踪，同时在四个时间点（总共 6 周）内自我报告健康状况。结果表明，相对于对照组，教程组和禁欲组减少了社交媒体的使用量和他们在社交媒体上进行的社交比较的数量，其中禁欲是最有效的。辅导是减少参与者对错过和孤独的恐惧的唯一条件，而相对于控制，禁欲是减少内化症状的唯一条件。饮食病理学或向上进行社会比较的趋势没有出现条件差异。社交媒体行为的变化介导了禁欲（但不是教程）对幸福感结果的影响。参与者的参与度和对帮助的看法是可以接受的，但禁欲组可能认为内容没有多大帮助。总之，以不同的方式使用社交媒体和避免使用社交媒体都可能有益于健康。 （PsycInfo 数据库记录 （c） 2024 APA，保留所有权利）。