The Association of Adolescent Facebook Behaviours with Symptoms of Social Anxiety, Generalized Anxiety, and Depression

Social media use and especially Facebook use is highly prevalent among adolescents. We study the association of symptoms of social anxiety, generalized anxiety, and depression with behaviours performed by adolescents when logged onto Facebook. We surveyed 102 adolescents about social anxiety symptoms using the Leibowitz Social Anxiety Scale for Children and Adolescents and symptoms of generalized anxiety, depression, and general distress using the Mini Mood and Anxiety Symptom Questionnaire. We created a comprehensive Facebook behaviour scale and a Facebook behaviour repetitive scale to measure extent of engagement on Facebook. Multivariate linear regression analyses were used to study predictors from demographics, Facebook characteristics, and symptoms of social anxiety, generalized anxiety, and depression to the outcomes of Facebook behaviour and Facebook repetitive behaviour. We found that increased total number of Facebook friends, increased time spent per day on Facebook, and increased anxious arousal symptoms were each significantly associated with increased Facebook behaviour and increased repetitive Facebook behaviour. Social anxiety symptoms, depressive symptoms, and general distress were each not associated with Facebook behaviour and repetitive Facebook behaviour. Increased adolescent generalized anxiety symptoms were associated with increased Facebook behaviour and repetitive Facebook behaviour. As adolescent Facebook use is quite prevalent, mental health and primary care health professionals should inquire about adolescent Facebook use and behaviours, particularly when treating those with generalized anxiety symptoms.