Social media usage: implications for empathy, passive aggressive behavior, and impulsiveness

Navigating Social Media in #Ophthalmology

Youth Social Media Use and Health Outcomes: #diggingdeeper

Background Social media has emerged as a common source of dermatological information. Monitoring the patterns of social media use and engagement is important to counteract the limitations of social media. However, evidence in Vietnamese dermatology patients is lacking. Objective This study aimed to explore social media use and engagement by dermatology patients and to identify factors associated with social media use and engagement. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted with 519 participants at the Vietnam National Hospital of Dermatology and Venereology during September to November 2018. Data about sociodemographic characteristics, social media use, and social media engagement were collected. Multivariate logistic and tobit regression models were used to identify factors associated with social media use and engagement. Results Interest in information about “cosmetic, beauty, and skincare techniques” was the greatest (184/519, 46.2%). The mean engagement score was 8.4 points (SD 2.4 points). Female patients were more likely to use social media (odds ratio [OR] 2.23, 95% CI 1.23-4.06) and be interested dermatological information on social media (OR 3.09, 95% CI 1.35-7.09). Women also had higher social media engagement scores (coefficient=0.68, 95% CI 0.17-1.18). Higher social media engagement scores were related with Instagram use (coefficient=0.58, 95% CI 0.00-1.15) and higher credibility scores for “family members” (coefficient=0.15, 95% CI 0.03-0.26) and “dermatology companies” (coefficient=0.22, 95% CI 0.04-0.39). Conclusions This study discovered high social media usage among dermatology patients. However, only moderate utilization and credibility levels were reported regarding the use of social media as a source of dermatological information. More efforts should focus on involving dermatologists in the development of individualized information on social media targeting specific groups of dermatology patients.

Problematic social media use is becoming a significant social and clinical concern, and there is growing research interest in the psychological factors involved, such as personality predispositions and the fear of missing out (FOMO). The present study investigated both the dark triad (DT, namely, narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy) and trait emotion intelligence (trait EI) in relation to the problematic use of technology and social media engagement and the mediating role of FOMO. A total of 788 people between 18 and 35 years old (M = 24.22; SD = 3.91; 75% women) were surveyed. The results showed that social media engagement was positively related to problematic social media use and negatively related to trait EI. In addition, problematic social media use was positively related to DT and negatively related to trait EI. Fear of missing out was positively related to social media engagement, problematic social media use, and DT, and negatively related to trait EI. Fear of missing out had a mediating effect on the relationship between personality dimensions, problematic social media use, and social media engagement. The extent to which personality traits may underpin problematic use of social media and the practical implications of the findings are discussed.

Using social media effectively in a surgical practice

The increasing prevalence of social media has given rise to the Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) phenomenon, characterized by an acute awareness of the rewarding experiences others might be enjoying. FoMO is hypothesized to affect various aspects of individuals' lives, including their psychological well-being and academic performance. This study explores these relationships among university students, a demographic particularly vulnerable to social media influences. To examine the relationships between FoMO, social media use, psychological well-being (as measured by life satisfaction), and academic performance (as measured by GPA) among university students and determine the mediating roles of FoMO and social media use. A quantitative, correlational design was employed, collecting data from 521 university students through a cross-sectional survey. Participants completed the Fear of Missing Out Scale (FoMO), the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), and self-reported GPA. Social media use was assessed via a customized questionnaire. Data were analyzed using SPSS, employing correlation analysis, multiple regression, and mediation analysis. Findings indicated a strong positive association between FoMO and social media use (R 2 = 0.633, p < 0.001), suggesting that higher levels of FoMO lead to increased social media engagement (B = 0.834, p < 0.001). Contrary to expectations, FoMO was positively rather than negatively correlated with life satisfaction (R 2 = 0.064, p < 0.001, B = 0.158). Additionally, a strong positive correlation was observed between social media use and academic performance (Spearman's rho = 0.765, p < 0.001). Mediation analyses revealed that FoMO does not significantly mediate the relationship between social media use and life satisfaction, as the indirect effect was not statistically significant (B = 0.0785, 95% CI: -0.0164 to 0.1467). Similarly, the non-significant indirect effect indicated that social media use did not mediate the relationship between FoMO and academic performance (B = 0.005, 95% CI: -0.0045 to 0.0146). Moderation analyses showed that FoMO moderates the relationship between social media use and life satisfaction, where social media use hurt life satisfaction at low levels of FoMO (B = -0.1713, p = 0.0001) but had a positive effect at high levels of FoMO (B = 0.2848, p < 0.0001). This suggests that individuals with high FoMO may derive psychological benefits from social media use. Additionally, results indicated that social media use moderates the relationship between FoMO and academic performance, where FoMO had a significant adverse effect on GPA at low social media use (B = -0.030, p < 0.0001). Still, this effect became non-significant at high levels of social media use (B = 0.0097, p = 0.1028). Finally, life satisfaction moderates the relationship between FoMO and social media use, with higher life satisfaction strengthening the positive association between FoMO and social media use (B = 0.9277, p < 0.0001). These findings highlight the complex interplay between FoMO, social media use, life satisfaction, and academic performance. While FoMO increases social media engagement, its positive association with life satisfaction contradicts theoretical expectations. These results underscore the importance of considering psychological and social factors when evaluating the impact of social media use among university students.

This study delves into the profound impact of social media on body image perceptions and overall dissatisfaction among young adults at Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad. In today's digital age, social media pervades the lives of young people, shaping their self-perceptions and influencing their social interactions. This research aims to understand how the constant exposure to curated and often idealized images on social media platforms contributes to the development of unrealistic body standards, fostering feelings of inadequacy and pressure to conform to societal beauty ideals. Employing a quantitative research approach, the study focused on a sample of 200 undergraduate and postgraduate students aged 18 to 30 years. Data collection utilized systematic sampling techniques and involved the administration of questionnaires via Google Forms. The study drew upon Social Comparison Theory to understand how individuals evaluate their own appearance by comparing themselves to the seemingly flawless images and physiques presented on social media platforms. Data analysis was conducted using IBM SPSS Statistics. The findings revealed a significant correlation between social media usage and body image dissatisfaction among young adults. Frequent comparisons with idealized images of influencers and celebrities on social media platforms were found to be a major contributor to negative body image perceptions, leading to a range of negative emotional and psychological outcomes, including anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem. These findings underscore the urgent need for interventions that address the detrimental effects of social media on young adults' mental health. This may include the development and implementation of comprehensive media literacy programs designed to equip young people with the critical thinking skills necessary to navigate the complexities of the digital world and resist the pressures to conform to unrealistic beauty standards. Furthermore, fostering a more inclusive and diverse representation of body images on social media platforms is crucial to promoting healthier body image perceptions and enhancing the overall well-being of young adults in the digital age. References Abi-Jaoude, E., Naylor, K. T., &amp; Pignatiello, A. (2020). Smartphones, social media use and youth mental health. Cmaj, 192(6), E136-E141. Aichner, T., Grünfelder, M., Maurer, O., &amp; Jegeni, D. (2021). Twenty-five years of social media: a review of social media applications and definitions from 1994 to 2019. Cyberpsychology, behavior, and social networking, 24(4), 215-222. Ali, R. (2016). 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Using social media to be ‘social’: Perceptions of social media benefits and risk by autistic young people, and parents. Research in developmental disabilities, 118, 104081. Jiotsa, B., Naccache, B., Duval, M., Rocher, B., &amp; Grall-Bronnec, M. (2021). Social media use and body image disorders: Association between frequency of comparing one’s own physical appearance to that of people being followed on social media and body dissatisfaction and drive for thinness. International journal of environmental research and public health, 18(6), 2880. Kleemans, M., Daalmans, S., Carbaat, I., &amp; Anschütz, D. (2018). Picture perfect: The direct effect of manipulated Instagram photos on body image in adolescent girls. Media Psychology, 21(1), 93-110. Lee, H. R., Lee, H. E., Choi, J., Kim, J. H., &amp; Han, H. L. (2014). Social media use, body image, and psychological well-being: A cross-cultural comparison of Korea and the United States. Journal of health communication, 19(12), 1343-1358. 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Plaisime, M., Robertson-James, C., Mejia, L., Núñez, A., Wolf, J., &amp; Reels, S. (2020). Social media and teens: A needs assessment exploring the potential role of social media in promoting health. Social Media+ Society, 6(1), 2056305119886025. Pryde, S., &amp; Prichard, I. (2022). TikTok on the clock but the# fitspo don’t stop: The impact of TikTok fitspiration videos on women’s body image concerns. Body image, 43, 244-252. Saghir, S., &amp; Hyland, L. (2017). The effects of immigration and media influence on body image among Pakistani men. American Journal of Men's Health, 11(4), 930-940. Sanzari, C. M., Gorrell, S., Anderson, L. M., Reilly, E. E., Niemiec, M. A., Orloff, N. C., ... &amp; Hormes, J. M. (2023). The impact of social media use on body image and disordered eating behaviors: Content matters more than duration of exposure. Eating behaviors, 49, 101722. Sekayi, D. (2003). 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Cooperative Mentorship: Negotiating Social Media Use within the Family

Background:Breast cancer is the major concern worldwide and in India too. Lack of awareness is one of the causes of increasing mortality rate in India. Social media is playing an important role in health communication including breast cancer information. In India, number of women are using social media.Objective:To explore the impact of social media usage and engagement in enhancing knowledge and practices to prevent breast cancer among women of India.Methodology:A cross-sectional study was conducted in Delhi-National Capital Region of India with a sample of 649 women (response rate 83.51%). The questionnaire consisted of three sections. In first section, sociodemographic details (four items) were collected, second section contained five items on social media use and engagement and third part included items on knowledge about risk factors (seven items), symptoms (eight items), and screening (six items) of breast cancer and practice (seven items). Descriptive statistics, Chi-square, Cramer-V test, and structural equation modeling-Analysis of a moment structure were used to identify the relationship between social media engagement and knowledge and practices of women.Results:Around 80% (431/542) of women have medium level of social media engagement and 20% are highly engaged. The slope coefficient of the relationship between social media engagement and knowledge is 0.805 and between knowledge and practice is 0.309, Chi-square value is 52.053 and 29.624, Cramer-V statistics is 0.310 and 0.165, respectively, which indicates significant relationship.Conclusion:The study result justified significant impact of social media engagement on knowledge and practices of women to prevent breast cancer.

Social media have become an integral part of everyday life and are used in numerous domains. Hence, it is essential to comprehend how and why users use and engage themselves in social media. Personality traits are patterns of thinking, feeling or behaving that could potentially affect an individual’s social media use. This paper aims at enhancing the understanding of the role that personality traits play in the psychological dynamics underlying social media use and engagement. Therefore, this paper conducts an extensive literature review regarding personality, trait theory and personality traits taxonomies and puts emphasis on Big Five Personality Traits – Five Factor Model (FFM). Furthermore, it presents a literature review of recent studies regarding the impact of personality traits on social media use and compares their results. Based on the findings, there is a close interconnection between social media use and engagement and personality traits with some traits affecting it more drastically. Openness and extraversion emerged as the two most significant positive predictors of social media use while conscientiousness, agreeableness and neuroticism were also considered important but at a lesser degree. Consequently, it was concluded that personality traits have an immense impact on social media use and engagement.

With cancellation of away rotations and in-person interviews for the upcoming residency application cycle, programs must evaluate applicants solely by virtual means for the first time in history. This includes tele-interviews, virtual curricula, and most recently, social media profiles.1 In recent video-series communications, the American Council of Academic Plastic Surgeons has advocated for increased social media engagement between prospective applicants and residency programs. For programs and applicants alike, social media as a formal assessment tool are an unknown frontier where norms, utility, and rules are currently unestablished. Although our field has recently accepted the use of social media for the applicant, a cautious approach has been taken: a large number of articles on this topic focus on professionalism, with half citing a potential negative impact.2 No studies have examined its use to evaluate trainees. As a marketing tool, social media can benefit applicants via curated profiles that reflect professionalism and positive values. With frequent updates, applicants can highlight new accomplishments and conference presentations in real-time. From a personal standpoint, posts of family and hobbies can visually highlight well-roundedness of a physician or trainee. This technology has been adapted for college applications, using apps such as ZeeMee. However, this unregulated new front is not without risk. Exposing applicants to another system of evaluation calls for reassessment of utility and pitfalls. Importantly, there is literature pointing to broad gaps in gender and racial representation.3,4 Will the social media shift promote applicants equally, or will this become 1 more barrier for minority groups to overcome in hopes of gaining professional entry? The ERAS application system employed by the AAMC is careful to reduce these biases by blinding the applicant's image to the program until the applicant has been extended an interview. On a platform designed to judge posts on their aesthetic qualities, we must be wary of our heuristics that may influence assessment of applicants. The prior in-person system of assessment relied on comprehensive evaluations of students on away rotations and interviews. Social media are used for momentary judgment that triggers a "like" or cherished "follow," which comes down to an understanding of marketing and networking known as Social Media Optimization, a skill set not traditionally used in determining candidacy.5 As applicants build pages on social media, will the quality of their site take precedence over the other factors that are traditionally used to determine an applicant's ability to persevere through vigorous surgical training to one of momentary judgments of curated content? At baseline, students should start with a separate professional account, to keep their personal lives separate. When considering posts, context, intent, content, and presentation should be considered. Professional societies must establish firm guidelines regarding the use of social media for applicants, with transparent statements before social media engagement for evaluation purposes. Interactions between applicants and programs should be via professional accounts, limited to following accounts, liking public posts, and viewing "stories." Suggested guidelines are listed in Table 1, but we call on our professional societies to formalize comprehensive recommendations. Table 1. - Recommendations for Social Media Use and Engagement Profile Creation All prospective plastic and reconstructive surgery applicants should make a public, professional account for select social media platforms. Content Posted content should be limited to professional updates (manuscript acceptances, oral presentations, virtual conference presentations, etc.). Personal images and showcasing interests are acceptable when professionalism is maintained. Interactions Interactions between applicants and programs should be exclusively via professional accounts. Interactions should be limited to following accounts, liking public posts, reposting or "retweeting" professional content, and viewing "stories" or "live streams." Private prospective applicant and program interaction, such as "direct messaging," should be discouraged to limit unfair interactions. All interactions should be limited to the publicly monitored feed, similar to how interactions would occur in-person. Safety The "tag" setting should be placed in the "manually approve" setting to prevent public, professional accounts from being tagged in inappropriate content. Messages from unknown accounts should be deleted without viewing. The recommended guidelines are related to social media use for both applicants and programs during the coming cycle. Although more formalized suggestions are needed, these guidelines provide an initial foundation.

IntroductionOutpatient follow-up is a critical component of burn recovery. Sociodemographic variables that prevent patients from pursuing follow-up can lead vulnerable groups to have a lower quality of life after burn injury. Social media provides a platform for improvement of patient outreach and support. The purpose of this study is to investigate accessibility and interest in social media interventions among socioeconomically disadvantaged and minority burn patients.MethodsPatients receiving treatment at a burn clinic in a large public hospital were asked to complete a survey about social media usage, difficulty attending follow-up appointments, and interest in engaging with the hospital through social media. Patient demographics and clinical data were obtained via chart review. The relationship between clinical or demographic factors, and interest in social media engagement, was assessed via exact logistic regression.ResultsData were collected from 65 eligible patients. Social media use among participants (76.9%) was similar to the proportion in the U.S. general population (72%). 61.5% of participants used Facebook, 40% used Instagram, and 4.6% used Twitter. 81% of participants had consistent internet access. 58.3% of respondents expected to encounter challenges when planning follow-up appointments. Challenges included difficulty with transportation (26.2%), trouble taking time off work (9.8%), and forgetting to schedule (9.8%). Participants were asked if they were interested in receiving post-discharge education, care team outreach, and follow-up reminders via social media. 36.5% of patients were very or moderately interested, 27% were slightly interested, and 36.5% were unsure or not at all interested.20% of patients both expected follow-up challenges and were moderately or very interested in social media engagement. While controlling for social media use, the odds of having moderate or greater interest in the post-discharge engagement program were estimated to be 2.6 times higher for patients older than 39 (OR 3.64; 95% CI 1.03-14.24; P=.044). There was a pattern of lower interest in social media engagement with higher %TBSA, while controlling for age or social media use, though P values were higher than .05.ConclusionsOver half of the burn patients surveyed expected to face challenges when planning follow-up appointments, a third of whom were moderately or very interested in social media engagement. Social media may be an alternative form of outreach with older patients in particular. Observed overlap between follow-up difficulty and outreach program interest may suggest such a program could ameliorate follow-up challenges.

Social media platforms, designed to facilitate connectivity, have a complex impact on psychological well-being. This study investigates the relationship between social media usage, loneliness, and the fear of missing out among young people in Slovakia, focusing on gender differences. Using a quantitative cross-sectional design, data was collected from 225 university students (70.2% female, 29.8% male) through the UCLA Loneliness Scale, the Social Media Engagement Questionnaire (SMEQ), and the Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) Scale. Statistical analyses conducted included linear regression and correlation analyses; the results showed no significant correlation between social media use and loneliness (r = 0.08, p = 0.11), although a weak to moderately strong positive correlation was found between loneliness in women and FOMO (r = 0.24, p = 0.001). Additionally, a significant positive correlation was identified between FOMO and social media use (r = 0.27, p &lt; 0.001), with FOMO predicting increased social media engagement. The study concludes that while social media use does not directly predict loneliness, FOMO significantly influences social media engagement among young people. These findings underscore the importance of considering psychological factors like FOMO in understanding students’ social media behaviour and point to the need for gender-specific approaches to digital wellness.

The increasing prevalence of social media use among university students has raised important questions about its relationship with psychological well-being, particularly regarding experiences of loneliness and Fear of Missing Out (FoMO). This study investigated gender differences in social media engagement, FoMO, and loneliness among university students, examining three key hypotheses concerning gender variations in these dimensions. Data were collected from 450 students across Slovak universities using standardized instruments: the UCLA Loneliness Scale, Social Media Engagement Questionnaire (SMEQ), and FoMO Scale. Statistical analyses revealed significant gender differences in both social media use and FoMO, with female students demonstrating higher levels in both dimensions. Notably, while female participants showed more intensive social media engagement and higher FoMO scores, no significant gender-based differences emerged in loneliness levels. These findings suggest a complex relationship between digital engagement and psychological well-being that varies by gender. The study contributes to the growing body of research on digital behaviour and mental health among young adults, highlighting the need for gender-specific interventions to promote healthier social media usage patterns. Furthermore, the results emphasize the importance of developing targeted support strategies for university students navigating the challenges of digital social connection.

This study investigates the patterns of social media use and choice among voters in Sarawak, Malaysia, and examines their impact on online political participation. By focusing on a geographically and culturally unique setting, the research aims to uncover the nuanced ways in which social media platforms facilitate or hinder political engagement across different age groups. Employing a survey and questionnaire research approach, the study gathers data from a diverse sample of Sarawak's electorate to analyze social media engagement trends and their implications for political discourse and participation through a survey and questionnaire research methodology. Key findings reveal a predominant preference for Facebook across all demographics, with younger voters diversifying their social media usage to include platforms like Instagram and TikTok, indicating a trend towards more visually oriented and interactive forms of political engagement. The study identifies a positive link between active engagement on social media (productive use) and the level of political participation, highlighting the significance of content creation and interaction in fostering political involvement. Moreover, differences in social media use and engagement patterns based on age groups suggest varying strategies for political communication and mobilization. The implications of this research are multifold, offering insights for political strategists, policymakers, and civic organizations on leveraging social media to enhance democratic engagement and political literacy, particularly among the youth. Additionally, the study contributes to the broader discourse on digital media and political participation, providing a foundation for future research in the context of Malaysia and beyond. Keywords: Social media choice, social media use, Sarawak state election, online political participation, Sarawak.