How are different levels of social media engagement associated with mental distress and quality of life in young people living in deprived urban areas? A cross-sectional study in Bogotá, Buenos Aires and Lima

Background In deprived urban areas of South America, young people face heightened risks of mental disorders. Research suggests an association exists between social media engagement (SME), depression and anxiety. Objective This study explored the associations of SME with symptoms of depression, anxiety and subjective quality of life among young people from South American deprived urban areas. Methods Our cross-sectional survey study used an adapted version of the Multidimensional Facebook Intensity Scale to categorise 2399 participants into four SME groups: low, moderate, high and very high. Symptoms of depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-8), anxiety (Generalised Anxiety Disorder-7) and quality of life (Manchester Short Assessment) were assessed and compared using F and Tukey tests. Findings Each step of increased SME was associated with more symptoms of depression and anxiety and poorer quality of life. Statistically significant differences were observed across all groups (p<0.001), and 15 out of 18 pairwise comparisons were statistically significant. Conclusions The findings suggest an association exists between SME, increased mental distress and lower quality of life in young people from deprived South American urban areas. This influence seems to apply across the spectrum of engagement levels, not only to extremes. However, due to the cross-sectional nature of the study, causal relationships cannot be established. Implications SME should be explored in clinical settings, as lower levels are associated with lower symptom levels and better quality of life. Policies addressing youth SME should be developed and evaluated in the challenging contexts of deprived urban areas.