An Exploratory Study of the Relationship between Social Technology Use and Depression among College Students

ABSTRACT

College students carry a disproportionate burden of depression when compared to the general population. The purpose of this study is to explore the association between the use of social technologies and depression among college students. An online survey assessed the technology use and health status of students (N = 255) at two southeastern universities. Findings from statistical analyses reveal significant associations between depression and specific social technology use and online behaviors. Implications extend to the assessment of technology use by college clinicians and the development of technology-based interventions to promote mental health.

KEYWORDS:

• College students
• depression
• mental health
• social networks
• social technology

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.