Analysis of Social Media Behavior of Students in Colleges and Universities and Its Indicative Implications for Mental Health

The rise of social media has spotlighted the online behaviors of its users, particularly among college students in China, a key demographic. This study surveyed 1,418 undergraduates from five universities in S city, employing correlation analysis to explore the relationship between social media usage and mental health. A predictive model was developed to quantify the associations within social networks. Our study, including independent sample tests, reveals a positive correlation between social media dependency and ten mental health indicators, with a maximum correlation strength of 0.4919. The findings underscore the importance of fostering critical engagement with social media and developing strategies to mitigate its addictive aspects among college students.