Instagram use and depression: a cross-sectional study among students at a South African university

Abstract

Introduction The prevalence of mental health conditions is rising globally, with depression being a significant concern in South Africa, affecting over 20% of the population. Depression, characterized by persistent sadness, low motivation, and hopelessness, is linked to maladaptive behaviours and suicide risk. The incidence of depression among young adults (18–35 years) has increased over the past two decades, potentially due to improved diagnostic tools and increased accessibility. However, modern behavioural changes, such as the impact of social media, may also contribute. Social media, particularly Instagram, has become a popular communication tool in South Africa. Instagram’s algorithm promotes curated and engaging content, which has raised concerns on its effects on mental health. Studies have found contradicting results on how the type of social media use contributes towards mental health. Some studies have found a benefit to social media use on mental health, while others have found social media use can lead to negative mental health outcomes. Understanding Instagram’s impact on depression severity is crucial. Limited information exists on the description and understanding of Instagram Use (IU) and Type of Instagram Use (TOIU) in South Africa. This study aimed to identify the prevalence of depression, depression severity, IU, TOIU, and potential associations among university students. Methods A quantitative cross-sectional design was used. Ethical approval was obtained from the university, and participants provided informed consent before completing the survey. The university email server sent out an email with all the information and the questionnaire to a total of 32 000 registered university students. The questionnaire gathered demographic data, Instagram usage patterns, and self-reported depression severity using the PHQ-9 scale, TOIU and attitudes toward Instagram (ATI) which was managed and analysed using RedCap and Stata 18. Results The total number of completed entries was 383, of which 85% had used Instagram before. Among users, 88% engaged passively, while 12% were active users. Regarding participants iv ATI, 49% held negative views, 23% were neutral, and 27% viewed it positively. A significant association was found between active use of Instagram and positive attitudes toward the platform (p = 0.019). Regarding depression, 58% of participants had minimal to mild depression while 9% were severely depressed. Critically, there were no significant associations between gender, age, level of study, IU, or TOIU and depression severity. Conclusion The data indicates that ATI and TOIU influence how people view Instagram’s impact on mental health. While most ATI was negative, there was no association found between IU and depression severity or prevalence. More data is needed to understand how IU and TOIU affect depression severity and prevalence. The findings of this study could be used to create future studies to explore the association of IU on depression.