Associations between positive and negative social media experiences and sleep disturbance among young adults

Abstract

Objectives: We sought to examine the association of positive and negative experiences using social media (SM) and sleep disturbance in a national survey of U.S. young adults.

Methods: Experiences using SM were assessed with 2 items asking participants about the percentage of time using SM that involved a negative/positive experience that they were personally involved in. Sleep disturbance was assessed using the validated PROMIS 4-item short form. Ordinal logistic regression was used to examine associations between positive and negative SM experiences and high sleep disturbance, while controlling for relevant covariates.

Results: Although reporting high levels of negative experiences was significantly associated with greater odds of high sleep disturbance (AOR = 1.49, 95%CI = 1.18-1.89), reporting high levels of positive experiences was not associated with sleep disturbance.

Conclusions: These findings suggest that more robust examinations of negative SM experiences-especially as they relate to sleep disturbance-may be warranted.

Keywords: Negative experiences; Positive experiences; Sleep disturbance; Social media.