Examining the Role of Mobile Phone and Social Media Use in Predicting Psychological Distress Among Young Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background Problematic smartphone use (PSU) and problematic social media use (PSMU) have been associated with adverse mental health outcomes, yet they are often examined independently. This study examines PSU and PSMU as predictors of depression, anxiety, and stress among Indian youth. Methods A cross-sectional design was employed using standardized self-report measures assessing PSU, PSMU, and psychological distress among 779 participants aged 18-25 years. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses were conducted to assess the predictive value of age, gender, problematic mobile phone use, and social media use, as well as their unique contributions. Results PSMU significantly predicted depression (R² = 0.112, F(4, 774) = 24.327, p < 0.001), anxiety (R² = 0.090, F(4, 774) = 19.236, p < 0.001), and stress (R² = 0.112, F(4, 774) = 24.500, p < 0.001), whereas PSU did not emerge as a significant predictor of psychological distress. Younger age and female gender were also associated with higher psychological distress, suggesting potential vulnerability factors. Conclusions PSMU emerged as a significant predictor of depression, anxiety, and stress, whereas PSU did not independently predict psychological distress after controlling for age and gender.