Can All Social Support be Beneficial? Moderating Effects of Online Social Network Use on the Relationship between Employment Status and Mental Health in Young Adulthood

Background/Purpose: Young adults (ages 18-39) report anxiety and depression at twice the rates of teenagers. Pursuing a career is a key milestone of young adulthood, and employment status is linked to mental health during this period. While much research focuses on unemployment, less attention has been paid to underemployment which young adults often experience. Social media use, a form of social network and support, has been also associated with mental health among young adults. Social comparison—evaluating oneself against others—tends to increase during young adulthood. Social media can intensify this tendency, as it often features idealized portrayals of one’s life, which can negatively affect young adults’ mental health. Existing research often overlooks the interplay between these two factors present in young adults’ lives, although they can collectively affect young adults' mental health. To address these critical gaps, this study distinguishes part-time (i.e., underemployment) from full-time employment to explore the relationship between employment status and mental health in young adults, as well as the moderating role of social media use.

Methods: Data were from the Understanding America Study (UAS), a survey of a representative panel of U.S. adults, collected from December 1 to December 31, 2023. The analytic sample (N = 2,380) included participants aged 18-39 (M = 31.5). Mental health was assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire for Depression and Anxiety (PHQ-4). Employment status was categorized as unemployment, part-time, and full-time employment. Primary use of online groups (e.g., Facebook, Discord, Reddit) was categorized into: (1) no use, (2) using for social purposes (e.g., friends and family), and (3) using for non-social purposes (e.g., buying/selling, fitness, sports, travel). Linear regression models examined the relationship between employment status and mental health, with an interaction term added to assess the interplay between employment status and online group use.

Results: Compared to full-time workers, those who were unemployed had significantly higher PHQ-4 scores (b = 0.56, p < .01). Individuals using online groups for non-social purposes also had higher PHQ-4 scores compared to those who were not members of online groups (b = 0.32, p < .05). Interaction findings regarding the online group use suggest that the differences between unemployment and full-time workers in mental health exacerbated for young adults who used online groups for social purposes compared to those who were not members of online groups (b = 1.35, p < .01).

Conclusions/Implications: These findings highlight the need for targeted mental health support for young adults experiencing unemployment. Social work policies and intervention strategies should be designed to help unemployed young adults navigate the impact of social media on their mental health. Providing guidance on the constructive use of online groups, such as engaging with career development groups, may also be beneficial. When working with unemployed young adults, social work practitioners should be mindful of the potential negative impact of online social networks. In particular, practitioners may consider suggesting young adults, particularly when they are experiencing job insecurity, limiting their use of platforms in order to mitigate negative mental health outcomes.