Abstract
Using a cross-sectional survey study with undergraduate students (
N
=
1257;
M
age = 20; 908 women) in the United States, this paper examined
college students’ use of social media for coping and its association with COVID-19-related
worries (loneliness, interpersonal stress, anxiety) and mental health outcomes
(depression, generalized anxiety, and life satisfaction). Undergraduate students were
found to use social media frequently during the pandemic to socially connect with others
online and to modulate negative emotions. Structural equation modeling revealed that
COVID-19-related worries were positively related to social media use for coping and that
coping using social media was negatively related to general mental health concerns
(depression, generalized anxiety) and positively associated with general mental health
wellness (i.e., life satisfaction). Implications of using social media for coping during
the pandemic for college student mental health are discussed.
