Impact of social media on the psychological well-being of adolescents and young adults in Delhi

Abstract

Background: Social media has become an integral part of the daily life of adolescents and young adults. With access to smartphones and social media beginning at younger ages, there are concerns regarding their potential impact on psychological well-being and cognitive functioning. However, evidence from an urban Indian setting remains limited. This study aimed to assess the distribution of psychological distress and examine its association with smartphone use, social media engagement, and cognitive failure among individuals aged 15-25 years in Delhi. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 50 participants selected through purposive sampling. Digital media behaviour was assessed using a semi-structured proforma, while cognitive failure and psychological distress were evaluated using standardised and validated questionnaires. Oral and informed written consent were obtained before data collection. Results: Anxiety was the most common form of psychological distress. Two-thirds of participants reported extreme anxiety. Both early smartphone ownership (<16 years) and early social media adoption (<15 years) showed statistically significant association with higher psychological distress across all domains (p<0.01-0.001). Those who reported more than five hours of daily usage on social media were more in an extreme psychological distress state. Higher cognitive failure was significantly associated with severe psychological distress, while greater social media usage correlated with increased cognitive impairment. Conclusions: These findings highlighted the importance of age-appropriate digital media practices and effective screen time regulation to protect the psychological well-being of youth.