Social media stress and mental health: A brief report on the protective role of emotional intelligence
Evidence on whether social media use is associated with poor mental health and stress remains mixed and controversial. It is suggested that this effect may vary according to individual differences. Emotional intelligence (EI) is considered a protective resource that can buffer the effects of stressors in certain contexts. We examine whether this protective effect extends to the experience of social media stress.
Forsker
Linda Mari Seem Sundvik
Navn på medforfatter
Sarah Davis
Navn på publikasjon
Current psychology (2022)
Our preliminary data show that emotionally intelligent individuals experience reduced levels of social media stress. Fndings are outcome and EI specific; only TEI directly moderated the effects of social media stress, and for depression symptoms only. Whilst strategic AEI (emotion management; understanding) could directly predict depression symptoms, neither skill significantly interacted with social media stress to predict mental health outcomes.
This suggests that emotional self-confidence, rather than emotional skill, is important for maintaining mental health when experiencing SMS.
Abstrakt
Evidence on whether social media use is associated with poor mental health and stress remains mixed and controversial. It is suggested that this effect may vary according to individual differences. Emotional intelligence (EI) is considered a protective resource that can buffer the effects of stressors in certain contexts. We examine whether this protective effect extends to the experience of social media stress. 201 young adults (mean age 26.12; 83.6% female) completed measures of EI (trait; ability), social media stress (SMS), anxiety, depression and wellbeing. SMS related to poorer mental health (symptoms and wellbeing) whilst higher EI was linked to reduced levels of SMS and better mental health. Data show the relationship between SMS and depression is moderated by trait (not ability) EI, such that those with lower levels of trait EI, who experience high levels of SMS, report higher levels of depression symptoms compared to those with higher TEI. Implications and directions for research are explored.