Use of Social Networks and Depressive Symptomology in University Students

Abstract

The inadequate use of social networks is considered as a category of internet addiction. Nowadays, social networks are one of the main communication systems worldwide and the number of users is increasing every year by teenagers and young people being the main consumers. The objective of the present study was to determine the relationship between the use
of social networks and depressive symptoms in university students. The research methodology is quantitative, correlational level, descriptive and comparative, thus constituting a cross-sectional study. 219 students participated, who answered the social media addiction questionnaire and the Beck- II Depression Inventory. The results indicate that 12% of the participants present a moderate level of misconduct to social networks and 6% a high level of depressive symptomatology. Significant relationships between both constructs and dimensions are evident. There are no differences between men and women. In the same way, the coefficients epsilon indicates that the size of variability of misconduct to social networks and the depressive symptomatology can be attributed to students who are between 17 and 21 years old, being the age group with the greatest score.