Clinical Depression Research Study: Tandoc, Ferrucci, Duffy (2015) – a study into Facebook use, envy, and depression among college students: Is Facebooking depressing? Flashcards
Background
The transition between school and university is a
difficult time for young adults, according to Wright et al.
(2012). They propose that many of the factors involved
in this transition can lead to depression. These can
include: leaving home for the first time; making new
friends, both platonic and romantic; learning to be more
independent and increased pressures on studying.
A study by the Centre for Disease Control and
Prevention (2011) found that young people aged
between 18 and 24 years were most likely to suffer
from depressive disorder symptoms.
Another study (AP, 2010) found that five times as many
high school and college students are experiencing
symptoms of anxiety and other mental health issues
compared to young people of the same age who were
studied during the Great Depression in America.
The Great Depression took place between 1929 –1939
and was a time of a great and long-lasting recession
that had a huge economic impact worldwide with high
levels of unemployment and many people suffering
financially. These factors were likely to contribute to
people becoming depressed.
Tandoc et al. suggest that there are many factors that
may have contributed to the significant increase in
incidents of depression among young people in more
recent times. These include:
better diagnostics (doctors finding it easier to
diagnose depression)
attention paid by those working in higher education
to student well-being
heavy use of social media such as Facebook and
other mobile technologies.
Facebook allows its users to express themselves, but
also to observe other people such as friends, family and acquaintances (Ellison et al. 2007). Facebook can
promote happiness (Kim and Lee, 2011), however,
some studies have questioned whether or not it can
lead to depression. Jelenchick et al. (2013) found
no correlation at all between Facebook use and
depression. On the other hand, Wright et al. (2012)
found a significant positive correlation between the
number of hours spent on Facebook and depression.
The social rank theory of depression suggests that
when humans compete for the same resources, those
who are unsuccessful can feel ‘subordinated’. Tandoc
et al. suggest that feelings of subordination are
similar to feelings of envy and can make people more
vulnerable to depression.
Aim
Tandoc et al. aimed to see whether depression
(using the social rank theory) could be predicted
by Facebook usage. They also aimed to see if using
Facebook can lead to subordination (feelings of envy),
which in turn can lead to depression.
Hypotheses
1 Heavy Facebook users would report feeling higher
levels of envy than light Facebook users.
2 Users with a large network of friends would also
report feeling higher levels of Facebook envy than
users with a small network.
3 Those who report feeling higher levels of Facebook
envy would also report more symptoms of
depression than those who felt lower levels of
Facebook envy.
Research method/design
The method was self-report using an online survey.
The online survey collected participants’ responses to
questions and coded them into numerical form so that
the researchers could statistically analyse them.
sample
854 students from a large Midwestern university
in the USA were invited to participate in the
research. 736 chose to participate. 68 per cent of
the participants were female. The average age of the
participants was nineteen.
Materials
The online questionnaire asked participants about a
number of different variables.
Facebook
Participants were asked to:
report the average hours per day they spent on
Facebook
rate using a five-point scale (1 = never, 5 = very
frequently) how often they: write a status; post
photos; comment on a friend’s post; read the
‘newsfeed’; read a friend’s status update; view
a friend’s photo; and browse a friend’s timeline
(Tandoc et al. called the last four items ‘Facebook
surveillance’ because the users were looking at
friends’ statuses but not commenting or posting
their own information).
Envy
Participants were asked to rate the following eight
different items relating to envy using a five-point
Likert scale (where participants had to rate how much
they agreed with each statement):
1 I generally feel inferior to others.
2 It is so frustrating to see people always having a
good time.
3 It somehow doesn’t seem fair that some people
seem to have all the fun.
4 I wish I could travel as much as some of my friends do.
5 Many of my friends have a better life than me.
6 Many of my friends are happier than me.
7 My life is more fun than those of my friends.
8 life is fair
Materials
Depression
Participants completed the Centre for Epidemiology
Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) which consists of
twenty items asking participants to respond about
symptoms associated with depression, such as the
quality of their sleep, appetite and their feelings.
Procedure
Participants completed and then submitted the online
survey/questionnaires.
Results
Hypothesis 1 was supported. Results showed that
heavy Facebook users did show stronger feelings
of envy.
Hypothesis 2 was not supported. The size of the
network of Facebook friends was not related to envy.
Hypothesis 3 was supported. Facebook envy was a
significant positive predictor of depression among
college students.
No direct significant relationship was found
between frequency of Facebook use and
depression among the college students.
Facebook surveillance is not a predictor of depression.
Surveillance does however have an indirect effect
on depression as it can lead to envy which leads to
depression.
conclusion
The use of Facebook does not directly lead to
depression.
Facebook envy can lead to depression.
Surveillance on Facebook can lessen feelings of
depression if it does not lead to envy.
Social rank theory offers a useful basis on which to
understand how depression can occur in college-
aged students.
2 Criticisms
The study had cultural bias. The sample was only
based on students from one university in the USA. It
might be that these students all come from a similar
background or upbringing which affects that way they
interact with Facebook. Therefore the results may not
be generalisable to other universities in the USA or
in other countries. Also, the samples of journalism
students are likely to have an interest in Facebook.
The study had age bias. The sample consists
of only college-aged students. Therefore the
results may not represent how Facebook use and
depression correlates in people of a different age.
2 criticism
Participants might have given socially desirable
answers which would have affected the
reliability of the study. The study used self-report
measures. People do not always respond honestly
when answering surveys – even when they are
conducted online. They may have not been honest
about how envious they felt of their peers on
Facebook and may have given socially desirable
answers instead, i.e. those that made them look
good. This could have biased the results.
The results lack construct validity as complex
phenomena was measured using simple number
scales. Scores do not necessarily give the full
picture of participants’ depression or envy.
