ASSOCIATION OF PROBLEMATIC USE OF SOCIAL NETWORKS WITH INDICATORS OF DEPRESSION ON THE HADS SCALE AMONG MEDICAL UNIVERSITY STUDENTS

Abstract

The available literature data on the impact of social media on mental health are contradictory. Some studies report the benefits of using social media for mental health, including increased social support, strengthening connections and seeking help. In others, on the contrary, associations of problematic use of social networks with a number of psychosocial problems such as psychological stress, anxiety and depression have been identified. Purpose. To study the association of problematic use of social networks with indicators of depression on the HADS scale among medical university students. Materials and methods. 229 students of both sexes enrolled in the 3rd year of the medical faculty of the Medical University were examined. Problematic use of social networks was identified using the Russian-language version of the questionnaire «The Social Media Disorder Scale». The identification of depressive disorders and the assessment of severity were carried out using the Russian-language version of the hospital scale of anxiety and depression HADS. Results. It was found, that signs of depression were observed in 34,9% of the surveyed students and were statistically significantly more common among girls compared with boys. The frequency of problematic social media use among students with signs of depression was 36,4%. Among both the surveyed girls and boys the number of people with signs of depression in combination with problematic use of social networks was more than twice as high as in patients without problematic use of social networks. Conclusion. Associations of problematic use of social networks with indicators of depression on the HADS scale among students studying at a medical university have been revealed.