Engagement, Attitudes, and Perceptions of Social Media Use: Associations with Adolescents’ Mental Well-Being

This study seeks to explore the relationship between mental well-being and engagement, attitudes, and perceptions of social media use across adolescents. This study is based on a survey of adolescents ( n = 3,568, mean age = 17.3) conducted in 2020 and 2021. Mental well-being was assessed using the Warwick–Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (WEMWBS) and categorized into low, mid-range and high mental well-being. Social media activity was measured using 11 statements related to engagement, attitudes, and perceptions of social media use. Bayesian cumulative ordinal regression models were employed to estimate the association between each of these statements and mental well-being. Adolescents with high mental well-being were more likely to report increased engagement in social media activities related to social orientation and group chatting than those with mid-range well-being. The results suggest that engaging in social behavior on social media may be indicative of healthy online activities.