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Is Social Media a New Type of Social Support? Social Media Use in Spain during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Mixed Methods Study

Author

Listed:
  • Aviana O. Rosen

    (Department of Allied Health Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA)

  • Ashley L. Holmes

    (Department of Allied Health Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA)

  • Nekane Balluerka

    (Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, and Research Methods, Faculty of Psychology, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, 20018 Donostia, Spain)

  • Maria Dolores Hidalgo

    (Department of Basic Psychology and Methodology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain)

  • Arantxa Gorostiaga

    (Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, and Research Methods, Faculty of Psychology, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, 20018 Donostia, Spain)

  • Juana Gómez-Benito

    (Group on Measurement Invariance and Analysis of Change (GEIMAC), Institute of Neuroscience, University of Barcelona, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
    Department of Social Psychology and Quantitative Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Barcelona, 08035 Barcelona, Spain)

  • Tania B. Huedo-Medina

    (Department of Allied Health Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA)

Abstract

This study examines Spanish adults’ social media use during the COVID-19 pandemic using mixed-methods to assess and understand frequency, context, and changes in social media use during two critical time points in Spain. We conducted semi-structured interviews in April 2020, and two waves of surveys (April 2020, April 2021) among Spanish adults. We coded and analyzed qualitative data related to social media use during the first lockdown period in Spain using Dedoose software; and ran descriptive statistics and chi-square tests to assess changes in social media use over the two survey waves related to perceived social support and loneliness. Participants ranged in age from 18–92 and were representative of the Spanish population’s sociodemographics. Interview data show that WhatsApp was most commonly used, and that social media allowed for social support and engaging in healthy behaviors. Survey data show that women and individuals aged 18–34 had the greatest increases in social media use. Statistically significant associations were found between social support and loneliness with social media use. Our results show that promoting social media use as an emotional resource for social support in times of crisis or isolation can minimize loneliness and can be a beneficial tool for general worldwide crises.

Suggested Citation

  • Aviana O. Rosen & Ashley L. Holmes & Nekane Balluerka & Maria Dolores Hidalgo & Arantxa Gorostiaga & Juana Gómez-Benito & Tania B. Huedo-Medina, 2022. "Is Social Media a New Type of Social Support? Social Media Use in Spain during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Mixed Methods Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(7), pages 1-20, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:7:p:3952-:d:780171
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. María Dolores Hidalgo & Nekane Balluerka & Arantxa Gorostiaga & José Pedro Espada & Miguel Ángel Santed & José Luis Padilla & Juana Gómez-Benito, 2020. "The Psychological Consequences of COVID-19 and Lockdown in the Spanish Population: An Exploratory Sequential Design," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(22), pages 1-17, November.
    2. Efstratia Arampatzi & Martijn J. Burger & Natallia Novik, 2018. "Social Network Sites, Individual Social Capital and Happiness," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 19(1), pages 99-122, January.
    3. Benjamin Saunders & Julius Sim & Tom Kingstone & Shula Baker & Jackie Waterfield & Bernadette Bartlam & Heather Burroughs & Clare Jinks, 2018. "Saturation in qualitative research: exploring its conceptualization and operationalization," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 52(4), pages 1893-1907, July.
    4. Amy Orben & Andrew K. Przybylski, 2019. "The association between adolescent well-being and digital technology use," Nature Human Behaviour, Nature, vol. 3(2), pages 173-182, February.
    5. Bruno Arpino & Marta Pasqualini & Valeria Bordone, 2021. "Physically distant but socially close? Changes in non-physical intergenerational contacts at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic among older people in France, Italy and Spain," European Journal of Ageing, Springer, vol. 18(2), pages 185-194, June.
    6. Anna Baranowska-Rataj & Anita Abramowska-Kmon, 2019. "Number of children and social contacts among older people: the moderating role of filial norms and social policies," European Journal of Ageing, Springer, vol. 16(1), pages 95-107, March.
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    Cited by:

    1. Joel Oommen George & Suzanne Elayan & Martin Sykora & Marin Solter & Rob Feick & Christopher Hewitt & Yiqiao Liu & Ketan Shankardass, 2023. "The Role of Social Media in Building Pandemic Resilience in an Urban Community: A Qualitative Case Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(17), pages 1-18, September.
    2. Huan Yang & Qingyun Zhao & Zhengkai Zhang & Wenxiao Jia, 2022. "Associations between Lifestyle Changes, Risk Perception and Anxiety during COVID-19 Lockdowns: A Case Study in Xi’an," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(20), pages 1-13, October.

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