Social media and mental health in adolescents from the public education system of Alberdi

Abstract

Introduction. Excessive use of social media has been associated with symptoms of anxiety and depression in adolescents; however, evidence from rural areas of Paraguay remains limited. Objective. To analyze the relationship between intensive socialmedia, use and the presence of anxiety and depression symptoms among students in the public education system of Alberdi. Materials and Methods. An observational, cross-sectional, and analytical study was conducted among adolescents aged 12 to 18 years from the public school system of Alberdi, Ñeembucú. A structured questionnaire was applied, which included sociodemographic variables, patterns of social media use, and the PHQ-9 and GAD-7 scales to assess depressive and anxiety symptoms, respectively. Descriptive analyses, Pearson’s chi-square test, and prevalence ratios (PR) with 95% confidence intervals were performed. Results. A total of 283 adolescents participated, with a mean age of 14.4 ± 1.7 years. The prevalence of moderate to severe depression (PHQ-9 ≥10) was 32.2%, while the prevalence of moderate to severe anxiety (GAD-7 ≥10) was 27.6%. Both prevalences were significantly higher among those who used social media more than 4 hours per day (depression: 43.5%; anxiety: 41.2%) and among those who used it after midnight (p<0.05). Conclusions. Intensive social media use is associated with a greater burden of depressive and anxiety symptoms among adolescents in the public school system of Alberdi. These findings underscore the need for school and community-based interventions, as well as improved access to mental health specialists in rural communities.