A four-level meta-analytic review of the relationship between social media and well-being: a fresh perspective in the context of COVID-19

Joax Wong; Poh Xin Yi; Frosch Y X Quek; Verity Y Q Lua; Nadyanna M Majeed; Andree Hartanto

doi:10.1007/s12144-022-04092-w

A four-level meta-analytic review of the relationship between social media and well-being: a fresh perspective in the context of COVID-19

Curr Psychol. 2022 Dec 14:1-15. doi: 10.1007/s12144-022-04092-w. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Joax Wong¹, Poh Xin Yi¹, Frosch Y X Quek¹, Verity Y Q Lua¹, Nadyanna M Majeed¹, Andree Hartanto¹

Affiliation

¹ School of Social Sciences, Singapore Management University, 90 Stamford Road, Level 4, Singapore, 178903 Singapore.

Abstract

Social media, one of the most pervasive forms of technology, has been widely studied in relation to the mental health and well-being of individuals. However, the current literature on social media and well-being has provided mixed and inconclusive findings, thus creating a polarizing view of social media. These mixed findings continue to extend into the pandemic, with researchers debating over the effects of social media in the new norms of social isolation. In light of these inconclusive findings, the aim of our meta-analysis was to synthesize previous research data in order to have a holistic understanding of the association between social media and well-being, particularly in the present context of COVID-19. The current meta-analysis systematically investigated 155 effect sizes from 42 samples drawn from 38 studies published during the COVID-19 pandemic (N = 43,387) and examined the potential moderators in the relationship between social media and well-being, such as the different operationalizations of social media usage and demographics. Overall, our study found that the relationship between social media usage and well-being was not significant in the context of COVID-19. Additionally, the impact of various moderators on the relationship between social media and well-being was found to vary. We discuss the various theoretical, methodological and practical implications of these findings and highlight areas where further research is necessary to shed light on the complex and nuanced relationship between social media and well-being.

Keywords: Covid-19; Meta-analysis; Social media; Well-being.

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