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One-shot intervention reduces online engagement with distorted content.
Eeshan Hasan1,2, Gunnar Epping1,2, Lorenzo Lorenzo-Luaces1
1Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA.
PNAS Nexus
|March 19, 2025
Summary
Individuals with depression engage more with distorted social media content. A brief awareness intervention effectively reduces this engagement for all users, highlighting social media
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Social Media Studies
- Mental Health Research
Background:
- Depression is a leading global cause of disability.
- Cognitive distortions contribute to maladaptive behaviors in depression.
- Social media's role in mental health is a growing concern, potentially spreading distorted thinking.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how individuals interact with distorted content on social media.
- To assess the impact of depression symptoms on this interaction.
- To evaluate the effectiveness of an intervention in mitigating engagement with distorted content.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a simulated social media environment resembling Twitter (X).
- Recruited participants to interact with content within the simulation.
- Assessed participants' depression symptoms and interaction patterns with distorted content.
Main Results:
- Individuals with higher depression symptoms showed a greater preference for distorted content.
- A single awareness intervention significantly reduced interaction with distorted content across all depression levels.
- The intervention proved effective in mitigating engagement with negative online content.
Conclusions:
- Social media may disproportionately amplify distorted thinking for individuals with depression.
- Simple awareness training is a viable strategy to reduce engagement with harmful online content.
- Findings offer insights into mitigating the societal impact of mental health disorders amplified by social media.
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