Psychology
Social media use, online experiences, and loneliness among young adults: A cohort study
T. Matthews, L. Arseneault, et al.
An online survey of 1,632 UK young adults found that overall time spent online was linked to greater loneliness, yet mainstream social media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter) showed no association. Instead, Reddit and dating app use—and experiences of compulsive technology use or online victimization—were tied to higher loneliness, while WhatsApp use was linked to lower loneliness; results held after accounting for prior depression/anxiety and across the COVID‑19 transition. This research was conducted by the authors listed in the Authors tag: Timothy Matthews, Louise Arseneault, Bridget T. Bryan, Helen L. Fisher, Rebecca Gray, Joanne Henchy, Terrie E. Moffitt, and Candice L. Odgers.
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