Abstract
Social media provides college students an information platform for learning, communicating, sharing their opinions, and other facets. However, while gaining the perks of such accessibility, social media has also aggravated mental health issues among young adults. This study aimed to investigate the relationships between different types of social media use and internalizing disorders (anxiety/depression) among college students and the moderation effects of cultural orientation in this correlation. A sample of 203 students from colleges in the U.S. was analyzed. Bivariate correlation and structural equations modeling analysis showed that passive social media use was positively correlated with anxiety and depression. Horizontal collectivism and vertical collectivism moderate the relationship between passive social media use and depression. This study partially supported previous understandings of passive social media use among college students. One reason is that, social media can expose college students to unconstructive information, leading to misconceptions that may prompt negative psychological consequences, including low self-esteem and feelings of inadequacy. Thus, it is important to investigate the psychological effects of social media on college students. Furthermore, this study extends past research by demonstrating the particular sensitivity individuals with collectivist social identities may have to social media use. Future work in this field can explore possible mechanisms of this relationship, to better inform interventions that address internalizing symptoms among college students of all cultural identities.