Social Media Addiction Predicts Compromised Mental Health as well as Perceived and Objective Social Isolation in Denmark: A Longitudinal Analysis of a Nationwide Survey Linked to Register Data

Social media addiction has previously been linked to compromised mental health and social isolation; however, most studies are cross-sectional or based on convenience samples. The objective of the current study was to assess the extent to which social media addiction predicts compromised mental health and social isolation (including bi-directionality) in a large prospective sample of Danish adults. Data stem from a nationwide longitudinal Danish survey of 1958 adults (aged 16+) conducted in 2020 and 2021. The Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale (BSMAS) was used. Validated scales were used to assess depression, mental wellbeing, and loneliness. A total of 2.3