Facebook Usage and Depressıon Levels of Selected Filipino College Students

Abstract

This study examined the relationship of sociodemographic characteristics and Facebook usage to the depression level of college students. A total of 347 respondents were purposively selected and completed a self-administered questionnaire. Results showed that: sex has a weak positive association with depression level (r=0.0962); age did not vary much across depression level; there is a moderate positive association between sexual orientation and depression level (r= 0.2794); socioeconomic status has an inverse relationship with depression level (r= -0.2126); and relationship status has a moderate positive association with depression level (r= 1.365). Further, there is a moderate positive association between the number of minutes spent on Facebook and depression level (r= 0.4229); there is a weak positive association between frequency of Facebook visits and depression level (r= 0.3052); and Facebook activities are positively correlated to depression. Young social media users are encouraged to use it moderately to avoid negative mental health outcomes.