Social media usage and students’ social anxiety, loneliness and Well-being: Does digital mindfulness-based intervention effectively work?

Abstract

Abstract The increasing use of digital technologies in daily life has led to a growing number of studies in the field of digital psychology. While research in this area has provided valuable insights into the potential benefits and drawbacks of digital technologies for mental health and well-being, there is still much to be learned about the complex relationship between technology and psychology. This study aimed to investigate the effects of mindfulness-based mobile apps on university students' anxiety, loneliness, and well-being. It also explored the participants’ perceptions of the addictiveness of mindfulness-based mobile apps. The study used a multi-phase research design consisting of a correlational research method, a pretest-posttest randomized controlled trial, and a qualitative case study. Three subsets of participants were selected for each phase: correlations (n = 300), treatment (n = 60), and qualitative (n = 20). Data were collected from various sources, including the social anxiety scale, well-being scale, social media use integration scale, and interview checklist. Pearson correlation, multiple regression, and t-tests were used to analyze the quantitative data, while thematic analysis was used for the qualitative data. The results confirmed a significant correlation between social media use and the study variables. The treatment also decreased students' anxiety and increased their well-being. The participants also had different positive perceptions of the use of mindfulness-based mobile apps. These findings have theoretical and practical implications for digital psychologists.