Passive Social Media Use, Depressive Symptoms, and Mindfulness Among College Students

Emerging evidence indicates that passive social media use is linked to adverse mental health outcomes, particularly elevated depressive symptoms. This study examined the relationship between passive social media use and depressive symptoms and explored whether mindfulness, often linked to improved psychological well-being, could buffer this effect. A total of 325 college students (ages 18–28) from local colleges in the Negros Island Region completed standardized measures of passive social media use (SMAQ), depressive symptoms (PHQ-8), and mindfulness (MAAS). Descriptive results indicated that most respondents reported moderate passive social media use (78%; M = 3.01, SD = 0.54), moderate mindfulness (68%; M = 3.64, SD = 0.81), and none to minimal depressive symptoms (M = 1.36, SD = 0.55). Inferential analysis showed that passive social media use was positively associated with depressive symptoms (β = 0.12, p = 0.038), while mindfulness was negatively related to depressive symptoms (β = –0.37, p < .001). However, mindfulness did not mediate the relationship between passive social media use and depressive symptoms (β = 1.96e-5, p = 0.999), as there was no statistically significant relationship observed between passive social media use and mindfulness (β = –5.34e-5, p = 0.999). The absence of a mediating effect reflects the need for further investigation. This discrepancy may be due to limitations in the study design, such as its cross-sectional nature, or other unmeasured confounding variables. Nonetheless, the findings highlight two key implications: (1) passive social media use independently predicts depressive symptoms, even when symptom levels are minimal, and (2) mindfulness independently supports well-being, although it does not mitigate the effects of passive social media use. These results underscore the importance of interventions in higher education that support student mental health by addressing excessive passive social media use and promoting mindfulness practices as separate but complementary strategies.