Social media use and mental health in deaf or hard-of-hearing adults—Results of an online survey

This paper presents the results of an online survey on digital participation through the use of social media of n = 38 German deaf or hard-of-hearing (DHH) adults. In addition, information about the respondents' mental health is collected with four different scales: the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Sc...

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Main Authors: Karolin Schäfer, Felix Miles
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2023-08-01
Series:Frontiers in Communication
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2023.1175461/full
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author Karolin Schäfer
Felix Miles
author_facet Karolin Schäfer
Felix Miles
author_sort Karolin Schäfer
collection DOAJ
description This paper presents the results of an online survey on digital participation through the use of social media of n = 38 German deaf or hard-of-hearing (DHH) adults. In addition, information about the respondents' mental health is collected with four different scales: the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES), the Fear of Missing Out Scale (FoMoS), the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Social Isolation Scale (PRO-MIS SI-S) and the Social Media Disorder Scale (SMDS). Correlation analyses using Pearson correlation and Spearman rank correlation tests were conducted to identify relationships between mental health and use of social media. The results indicate that the DHH adults have 4.13 social media accounts on average and use social media 3.78 h per day. This is consistent with other research findings, so that the DHH individuals in this study do not differ from other DHH adults or hearing adults in the number of their social media accounts and in their media usage time. However, there are differences in usage of social media that concern, for example, the social media platforms that are used and time of usage due to communication modality (spoken language, sign language, bimodal bilingualism, and mixed forms). DHH individuals who use sign language use social media less overall compared to DHH people who use spoken language. In terms of mental health, it was found that, as expected, addictive social media behavior and high usage time are interrelated. Addictive behavior, in turn, is often associated with low self-esteem, a sense of social isolation, and a fear of missing out. In general, many participants in the study score high in scales for self-perception of social isolation and loneliness. Nevertheless, there are also positive effects and opportunities of using social media, especially in terms of digital participation, for DHH people, which are also discussed in the article.
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spelling doaj.art-0c848741cf294fe7876a80c9a7d436802023-08-18T02:04:13ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Communication2297-900X2023-08-01810.3389/fcomm.2023.11754611175461Social media use and mental health in deaf or hard-of-hearing adults—Results of an online surveyKarolin SchäferFelix MilesThis paper presents the results of an online survey on digital participation through the use of social media of n = 38 German deaf or hard-of-hearing (DHH) adults. In addition, information about the respondents' mental health is collected with four different scales: the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES), the Fear of Missing Out Scale (FoMoS), the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Social Isolation Scale (PRO-MIS SI-S) and the Social Media Disorder Scale (SMDS). Correlation analyses using Pearson correlation and Spearman rank correlation tests were conducted to identify relationships between mental health and use of social media. The results indicate that the DHH adults have 4.13 social media accounts on average and use social media 3.78 h per day. This is consistent with other research findings, so that the DHH individuals in this study do not differ from other DHH adults or hearing adults in the number of their social media accounts and in their media usage time. However, there are differences in usage of social media that concern, for example, the social media platforms that are used and time of usage due to communication modality (spoken language, sign language, bimodal bilingualism, and mixed forms). DHH individuals who use sign language use social media less overall compared to DHH people who use spoken language. In terms of mental health, it was found that, as expected, addictive social media behavior and high usage time are interrelated. Addictive behavior, in turn, is often associated with low self-esteem, a sense of social isolation, and a fear of missing out. In general, many participants in the study score high in scales for self-perception of social isolation and loneliness. Nevertheless, there are also positive effects and opportunities of using social media, especially in terms of digital participation, for DHH people, which are also discussed in the article.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2023.1175461/fulldeafhard-of-hearingsocial mediamental healthdigital communication
spellingShingle Karolin Schäfer
Felix Miles
Social media use and mental health in deaf or hard-of-hearing adults—Results of an online survey
Frontiers in Communication
deaf
hard-of-hearing
social media
mental health
digital communication
title Social media use and mental health in deaf or hard-of-hearing adults—Results of an online survey
title_full Social media use and mental health in deaf or hard-of-hearing adults—Results of an online survey
title_fullStr Social media use and mental health in deaf or hard-of-hearing adults—Results of an online survey
title_full_unstemmed Social media use and mental health in deaf or hard-of-hearing adults—Results of an online survey
title_short Social media use and mental health in deaf or hard-of-hearing adults—Results of an online survey
title_sort social media use and mental health in deaf or hard of hearing adults results of an online survey
topic deaf
hard-of-hearing
social media
mental health
digital communication
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2023.1175461/full
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