The Effect of Using Virtual Social Networks on Depression, Anxiety, and Stress among Young Adults

Background: Today, the use of virtual social networks is very common among young people. Despite the positive effects of social networks on communication there are also negative effects. Therefore, this study was done to identify the impact of virtual social networks on depression, anxiety, and stress in youth. Methods: This was a correlation study and the population of the study included all young people in Yazd who were selected by convenience sampling method. Then, 120 young people (60 males and 60 females) were selected and answered the DASS-21 and Virtual Social Network Use questionnaire. Data were analyzed by using Pearson correlation coefficient and descriptive statistics by SPSS-22. Results: The findings showed a relationship between the use of virtual social networks and stress in male users and there was a significant relationship between the use of virtual social networks and depression, anxiety, and stress in female users (P-value 0/05). Conclusion: As a result, virtual social networks can affect depression, anxiety, and stress among young people, which highlights the need for education of young people and families.