Negative Emotions Associated With Recent National/International Traumatic Events,Links to Internalizing Symptoms,and Exacerbation by Frequent/Intense Social Media Use

Abstract

Using a socio-historic lens, we hypothesized that negative emotions (e.g., feeling tense, worried, or terrified) about recent national/international traumatic events (e.g., mass or school shootings, police violence, climate change, war) would be associated with increasingly common internalizing symptoms (depressive, anxiety, somatic) at a sensitive turning point in early emerging adulthood (the first year of college). Given the 24-hour news cycle and frequent exposure to such events via social media networks, we further hypothesized that social media use frequency/intensity would exacerbate such effects. A diverse sample of first-year college students (N = 195, 81.0% Black, Indigenous, and Other People of Color, 53.3% female; 20.0% LGBTQ+, M_age = 19.1 years) completed an online survey. Structural equation model results supported the hypotheses. Results held after accounting for other known risk factors, including trait negative affect and experiences of racial discrimination. Therefore, national/international traumatic events matter to the mental health of young emerging adults.