No More FOMO: Limiting Social Media Reduces Loneliness and Depression

Published online: https://doi.org/10.1521/jscp.2018.37.10.751 in December 2018

Commentary

This study aimed to investigate the potential causal role that social media use plays in the association between social media use and poor well-being.

The study will involve 143 undergraduates at the University of Pennsylvania who, after one week of baseline monitoring, will be randomly assigned to limit their use of Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat to 10 minutes per platform, per day, or to use social media as usual for three weeks.

Results showed that the limited use group showed a significant reduction in loneliness and depression over the three weeks compared to the control group. Both groups also showed a significant decrease in anxiety and fear of missing baseline, results that suggest the benefits of increased self-monitoring.

The findings suggest that limiting social media use to about 30 minutes per day may improve well-being.