Hopelab & Well Being Trust 14
Figure 5. Response to social media when feeling
depressed, stressed, or anxious
Among 14- to 22-year-old social media users with
moderate to severe depressive symptoms on the PHQ-8,
percent who say using social media when they are
feeling depressed, stressed, or anxious makes them feel:
Better Worse Neither
Young people with moderate to severe depressive symptoms report
having heightened responses to social media – both positive and
negative — compared to those without symptoms of depression.
Key Finding 5
Source: Hopelab/Well Being Trust Teens and Young Adults Survey,
February-March 2018. N=1,242 social media users ages 14-22.
• Respondents with moderate to severe depressive symptoms,
as indicated by PHQ-8 scores, are nearly twice as likely as
respondents without depressive symptoms to say that when
they are feeling depressed, stressed, or anxious, social media
helps connect them to useful support and advice (25% v. 13%),
but they are also more likely than others their age to say it
makes them feel worse during those periods (22% v. 7%).
• On balance, those with moderate to severe depressive symp-
toms are slightly more likely to say that using social media
during these periods makes them feel better (30%) than they
are to say it makes them feel worse (22%). (A plurality (47%)
say that when they are feeling depressed, stressed, or anxious,
using social media doesn't make them feel better or worse.)
Key Findings
