Studies suggest that more 30% of college students are currently depressed. A small but growing body of literature suggests that young adults’ social media use correlates with their depressive and anxious symptomology. As many as 90% of young adults use social media currently, compared to just 12.5% in 2005. Further, more than a quarter of college students report spending at least six hours per week on social media, compared to only 18.9% in 2007. Smartphone use within young adult populations also is extremely high: estimates of undergraduate smartphone ownership appear to be as high as 97%. Collectively, these trends suggest that social media and smartphones play an integral role in the routines and culture of young adults. The authors present the existing research linking social media use with depression and anxiety and utilize a case study to illuminate the relationship between young adult depression, anxiety, and social media use. The article provides clear recommendations for the assessment and treatment of social media use in depressed and anxious young adults.

研究表明，目前有超过 30% 的大学生处于抑郁状态。少量但不断增长的文献表明，年轻人使用社交媒体与他们的抑郁和焦虑症状相关。目前多达 90% 的年轻人使用社交媒体，而 2005 年这一比例仅为 12.5%。此外，超过四分之一的大学生表示每周至少在社交媒体上花费 6 小时，而 2007 年这一比例仅为 18.9%。年轻人中的智能手机使用率也非常高：大学生智能手机拥有率的估计似乎高达 97%。总的来说，这些趋势表明社交媒体和智能手机在年轻人的日常生活和文化中扮演着不可或缺的角色。作者介绍了将社交媒体使用与抑郁和焦虑联系起来的现有研究，并利用案例研究阐明了年轻人抑郁、焦虑和社交媒体使用之间的关系。这篇文章为评估和治疗抑郁和焦虑的年轻人使用社交媒体提供了明确的建议。