Social Media’s Role on Hispanic College Students’ Mental Health after the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Secondary Analysis
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.37226/rcp.v10i1.9815Palabras clave:
Redes sociales, Pandemia COVID-19, Estudiantes universitarios, Salud mentalResumen
This study investigates the effects of social media on the mental health of Puerto Rican college students after the COVID-19 pandemic, employing a cross-sectional survey from the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus. Engaging 872 participants, it reveals that increased social media usage is weakly correlated with elevated levels of depression, anxiety, and stress. Furthermore, the findings indicate that social media may serve as a coping mechanism in response to restricted traditional social support during the pandemic. Additionally, the analysis uncovers gender-specific differences in social media use, with men showing stronger correlations between social media usage and depression and anxiety suggesting varying impacts across genders. Despite this, the direct link between social media and feelings of loneliness was not significant. Lastly, the study calls for further research to enhance the validity of these findings and recommends that universities develop educational and support strategies to mitigate the potential mental health risks linked to excessive social media use during challenging periods. Highlighting the complex role of social media in the psychological well-being of students, navigating pandemic-related disruptions.
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Derechos de autor 2026 Valeria Rodriguez-Marcano, Yamil O. Ortiz-Ortiz, Alanis Maldonado-Negrón, Julián A. Aponte- Zabala, Nuria I. Diaz-Fischbach, Andrea P. Torres-Lebrón, Julián M. Hernández-Torres
Esta obra está bajo una licencia internacional Creative Commons Atribución 4.0.
