Exploring Relationships Between Social Media Use, Perceived Social Support, Direct Social Interaction, and Subjective Mental Health Among Young Adults in the United States

Candidate

• Dana M. Smiles, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center New OrleansFollow

Examination Date

4-2026

Degree

Dissertation

Degree Program

Community Health Science

Examination Committee

Michael D. Celestin Jr., PhD, MA, CHES, CTTS; Stephen Phillippi Jr., PHD, LCSW, CCFC; Stephanie Broyles, PhD; Tung-Sung Tseng, DRPH, MS, CHES/MCHES; Elizabeth R. Walker, PhD, MPH, MAT

Abstract

Background: Young adults in the U.S. experience increased mental health challenges alongside rising social media use during significant life transitions. However, little is known about how social media interacts with social support processes to influence how young adults perceive their mental health. This dissertation presents three studies using a mixed methods approach to examine how social media fits within young adults’ broader systems of social interaction and support, and how these dynamics shape subjective mental health.

Methodology: Data were analyzed from a national cross-sectional web-based survey conducted between January and February 2023 (n = 706). Measures included social media use, direct social interaction (texts, phone calls, in-person), perceived social support, and self-rated mental health. Mediation analyses tested whether direct social interaction explained the relationship between social media use and self-rated mental health, and moderated mediation models assessed whether these associations varied by perceived social support. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 18 young adults (ages 20–34) to explore experiences of social media-based social support, with attention to sexual orientation and social displacement through social media. Interview data were analyzed using codebook thematic analysis.

Results: Quantitative results indicated that social media use was not associated with self-rated mental health in adjusted models, whereas perceived social support demonstrated a significant positive association. Direct social interaction did not mediate the relationship between social media use and self-rated mental health, and perceived social support did not moderate these associations. Qualitative findings revealed that social media often functioned as a supplementary source of social support, enabling connections with broader networks while lacking the emotional depth of direct social interaction with close ties. Participants described routinely turning to social media when direct support felt inaccessible, using it as a convenient coping mechanism that provided temporary escape but often left fundamental issues unresolved. However, these experiences varied by identity; LGBQ+ participants emphasized the benefit identity affirmation, while heterosexual participants frequently used social media for pragmatic sensemaking around broader life stressors.

Conclusion: Findings highlight the importance of public health and policy approaches that foster supportive relationships and online communities while recognizing the nuanced role of social media within young adults’ social ecosystems.

Recommended Citation

Smiles, Dana M., "Exploring Relationships Between Social Media Use, Perceived Social Support, Direct Social Interaction, and Subjective Mental Health Among Young Adults in the United States" (2026). School of Public Health. 16.
https://digitalscholar.lsuhsc.edu/etd_sph/16