The relationships between mental health and social media addiction, and between academic burnout and social media addiction among Chinese college students: A network analysis

Background: The rapid growth in the use of social media applications on the internet has significant impacts on mental health, especially among university students. This study aims to explore the network characteristics and core symptoms between social media addiction, mental health issues (anxiety, depression, stress), and academic burnout. Understanding these relationships is crucial for enhancing psychological interventions and improving academic performance in the digital age. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with undergraduates and doctoral students from Air Force Medical University. Participants (n = 432) completed self-report scales, including the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale, Academic Burnout Inventory, and Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale. Network analysis was performed using R to model the relationships between study variables, employing Gaussian Graphical Models and the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator technique for robust network estimation. Results: Bridge Expected Influence results indicate that "Depression" is consistently the most central node, playing a critical role in the network connecting social media addiction, academic burnout, and psychological stress. The study reveals a significant positive correlation between social media addiction and both academic burnout and mental health issues. Particularly, excessive use of social media can distract students, leading to academic burnout, and exacerbating feelings of anxiety and depression. Conclusion: Social media addiction has a significant impact on the psychological health and academic performance of college students. This study highlights the potential risks associated with social media usage behaviors and provides a scientific basis for developing related intervention measures. These interventions aim to help college students reduce their dependence on social media, thereby restoring a healthy state of life and study.