Social Media Use and Its Relationship with Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Among University Students: The Role of Daily Usage Time and Mental Health

The present study examined the relationship between social media use and depression, anxiety, and stress among university students. Social media has become an important part of students' daily lives, providing opportunities for communication, education, entertainment, and information sharing. However, excessive social media use may be associated with psychological challenges, including depression, anxiety, and stress. The study aimed to examine the relationship between social media use and these three psychological dimensions and to investigate the association between daily time spent on social media and students' mental health. A quantitative research approach with a cross-sectional survey design was adopted. The dataset consisted of 300 records, and data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). Pearson correlation, one-way ANOVA, and multiple regression analyses were used. The results indicated positive associations between social media use and depression (r = .468, p < .01), anxiety (r = .580, p < .01), and stress (r = .627, p < .01). Daily social media usage time was also positively correlated with depression (r = .459), anxiety (r = .637), and stress (r = .511). Furthermore, significant differences were observed in depression, anxiety, and stress across daily social media usage groups (p < .001). Regression analysis showed that social media use explained 22.1% of the variance in depression, 36.6% in anxiety, and 39.6% in stress. The findings highlight the importance of responsible social media use, mental health awareness, and healthy digital habits among university students.