Religion and Social Media Use: Protective Factors for Youth Well-Being in the Digital Age?

Although numerous studies have linked social media use with lower well-being, little is known about the ways in which social psychological resources might mitigate the psychopathology. In this study, we examine the intersection of social media use, religion/spirituality, and well-being. Drawing on data from a sample of over 4,500 respondents from the United States (ages 13–25), we find that each additional hour of reported social media use is associated with lower levels of flourishing. Although identifying as religious or spiritual failed to attenuate this association, religious participation and religious cognitions (believing in God’s plan, perceiving a sacred presence, and maintaining a close divine relationship) were found to buffer against the adverse psychological consequences of social media use. We outline the contributions of our analyses and explore important directions for future research on the ways in which concepts related to religion and spirituality may help to advance our understanding of the toxic effects of social media use.