Perceptions of health changes and support for self-limiting social media use among young adults in Finland : A qualitative study.

Abstract

Despite increasing research attention given to problematic technology use, the perceptions of individuals who experience related issues remain largely unknown. In particular, qualitative insight into actual help-seekers’ experiences of problematic social media use, which currently holds a subdiagnostic status, is lacking. The present study responds to this research gap with an inductive content analysis of 11 semistructured interviews with young people in Finland—the most active local age group in social media use—who self-diagnose their use of social media as problematic and, as a consequence, have tried to self-limit their use and/or seek clinical help for their problems. Studies reveal numerous self-limiting strategies being applied, yet regaining control over one’s social media use is found to depend largely on dynamic factors in the environment as well as personal traits. In general, the participants perceived a lack of knowledge of the potential risks associated with social media use as the key challenge for improving their problematic behaviors. Nonetheless, the data remain limited and other age as well as culture groups may have different experiences. A better understanding of help-seekers’ evolving needs and problems should be pursued in diverse contexts, and the findings should be disseminated efficiently to facilitate the development of both self-help and professional support services.