Depressive symptoms mediate the relationship between addictive social media use and suicide-related outcomes: Longitudinal insights from three age groups

High suicide rates pose a serious public health concern across many countries worldwide. This trend has occurred alongside an increase in addictive social media use (SMU). The present longitudinal study investigated the relationship between suicide-related outcomes and addictive SMU and the mechanisms that could underlie their association across three adult groups: younger adults (18–34 years), middle-aged adults (35–64 years) and older adults (65 years and older). Data of 3067 social media (SM) users (younger group: N = 294, middle-aged group: N = 2062, older group: N = 711) from the German general population were collected via online surveys at three measurement time points over six months (baseline, BL; four-month follow-up, FU1; six-month follow-up, FU2). The present findings revealed that addictive SMU (BL), depressive symptoms (FU1) and suicide-related outcomes (FU2) were significantly higher in the younger group than in the middle-aged and the older group, and they were significantly higher in the middle-aged group than in the older group. In each group, the three investigated variables were significantly positively correlated. Moreover, depressive symptoms (FU1) mediated the link between addictive SMU (BL) and suicide-related outcomes (FU2). Thus, persons of all ages could be at risk for suicide-related outcomes when they engage in excessive SMU and experience depressive symptoms. Practical implications for preventing suicide-related outcomes in the digital age are discussed. • Addictive social media use (SMU) is positively linked to suicide-related outcomes. • Depressive symptoms mediate this link longitudinally. • The three variables are higher in persons aged 18–34 than in persons aged 35–64. • The three variables are higher in persons aged 18–34 than in persons aged ≥65. • Suicide prevention programs should focus on SMU reduction.