Date of Award

2026

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

MS in Pharmacy Administration

Department

Pharmacy Administration and Public Health

First Advisor

Jagannath Muzumdar

Second Advisor

Taehwan Park

Third Advisor

Somnath Pal

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the ways that social media affects stress and anxiety levels within college students. A self-administered, anonymous survey was used to assess college students’ perceptions of social media’s impact on mental health. The 14- item survey included questions on social media use, stress, anxiety, social interaction, and demographics. Data were collected both online and in person at St. John’s University. Online surveys were shared through student groups using Google Forms. In-person surveys were conducted at campus locations such as the cafeteria, student lounge, library, and events. Each survey took about 5–10 minutes to complete. Survey data were collected between February and March 2025. Data were analyzed using SAS. Descriptives and regression analyses were conducted. A total of 399 completed surveys were analyzed. Of these, 50.38% of participants were male, 45.61% were female, and 4.01% identified as another gender. Seniors made up the largest academic group (27.07%), followed by juniors (23.06%), sophomores (22.56%), and graduate students (17.29%). The racial/ethnic breakdown was 39.6% White, 27.32% Asian or Pacific Islander, 17.54% Hispanic or Latino, 15.04% Black or African American and 0.5% American Indian or Alaskan Native. All survey items were measured on a 7-point Likert scale. Cronbach’s alpha values ranged from 0.695 to 0.776, indicating acceptable internal consistency. The mean scores were social media use (M = 6.01), user perception (M = 3.64), stress and anxiety (M = 3.08), and social interaction (M = 2.59). Hierarchical regression showed that social media use was a significant negative predictor (β = -0.212, p < 0.001), and the final model explained 8.46% of the variance in perceived impact. Overall, these findings highlight the complex relationship between social media use and mental health among college students, emphasizing the need for increased awareness and targeted support strategies.

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