Study Reinforces That , Social Media Is Not , a Reliable Source of Information.<br />According to research published in 'Psychology of Popular <br />Media,' individuals who look to social media for information<br />tend to have lower knowledge regarding anxiety.<br />'Psypost' reports that those who tend to <br />turn to social media also exhibit an <br />indiscriminate use of coping strategies.<br />'Psypost' reports that those who tend to <br />turn to social media also exhibit an <br />indiscriminate use of coping strategies.<br />I became heavily interested <br />in this topic throughout the early <br />stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, Rebecca Wolenski, Study author and doctoral student in <br />clinical psychology at Florida International University.<br />Folks in need had more limited options <br />to gain services due to quarantine and <br />illness, which exacerbated this issue <br />and also brought the need for anxiety-<br />related aid to the forefront of my attention, Rebecca Wolenski, Study author and doctoral student in <br />clinical psychology at Florida International University.<br />Participants were asked how often <br />they sought out information regarding <br />anxiety via seven different sources.<br />Those sources were: social media, <br />friends/family, books, internet websites, <br />podcasts, television/movies and therapy.<br />Then participants were asked to complete a 35-question <br />test of knowledge about anxiety and how often they used <br />advice or coping strategies suggested on social media.<br />Ultimately our data supports our original <br />hypothesis, which is that emerging adults <br />do in fact seek this type of information <br />on social media platforms like TikTok, <br />Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram, Rebecca Wolenski, Study author and doctoral student in <br />clinical psychology at Florida International University.<br />Therefore, we conclude that while these <br />sites provide plentiful and accessible <br />information, they might not be the best <br />primary sources to rely solely on, Rebecca Wolenski, Study author and doctoral student in <br />clinical psychology at Florida International University
