Social media addiction and its psychological effects among school students: A cross-sectional study from Kathmandu, Nepal

BackgroundSocial media has become an integral part of daily activities. It has both positive and negative impacts on individuals. Using social media websites is one of the most common activities among todays children and adolescents. Therefore, this cross-sectional, school-based study was conducted to assess the psychological effects of social media on adolescents in schools in Kathmandu city, Nepal. MethodsA school-based cross-sectional study with a sample size of 215 was conducted to collect data. Ethical approval was obtained from the Institutional Review Committee of Karnali Academy of Health Sciences. Both informed assent and consent were obtained from all participants and their guardians. Out of seven government schools, four were selected using simple random sampling, and in the selected schools, a complete enumeration of grade 9 and 10 students was carried out. Two sets of standardized self-administered, semi-structured questionnaires--the Social Media Addiction Scale (SMASSF) and the Short Mood and Feelings Questionnaire (SMFQ)--were used. Data was entered into EpiData 3.1 and analyzed using IBM SPSS version 26. ResultsApproximately 51.20% of individuals with social media addiction were depressed, while 48.80% were not. Logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the association between the dependent variables. Followers of the Hindu religion were found to have 126% higher odds of being addicted to social media [OR = 2.259, 95% CI: (1.167-4.371)], and those living in nuclear families had 56% lower odds of social media addiction [OR = 0.438, 95% CI: (0.230-0.834)]. Students who owned their own phones had 138% higher odds of social media addiction [OR = 2.379, 95% CI: (1.177-4.808)]. Similarly, students who reported the availability of Wi-Fi at home had 231% higher odds of social media addiction [OR = 3.312, 95% CI: (1.526-7.187)]. ConclusionsThis study highlights a significant association between social media use and depression. Factors such as family type, religion, hours of use, owning a mobile phone, and Wi-Fi availability at home are associated with depression. It is recommended to conduct longitudinal studies for further in-depth exploration of this life course, with a focus on early diagnosis, proper counseling, and providing love and support from friends and family to detect and address depression.