The Impact of Facebook Use on the Psychological Well-Being of Young Adults

Abstract

With over 2.13 billion monthly active users (2018), Facebook is one of the most extensively used social networking sites in the world. It is so extensively used among young adults that many regard it as an extension of their daily lives. A literature review was conducted to determine if Facebook use positively or negatively impacts the psychological well-being of young adults. Unlike some previous studies, the results of this research show that Facebook has a positive impact on young adults’ psychological well-being, especially for those with high emotional needs. Facebook provides an online community of support, promotes personal growth, coping strategies, and autonomy, and increases the likelihood that users will make healthy decisions. This research gives rise to the possibility of using Facebook in a controlled setting as a coping tool for those with low psychological well-being. Further research is needed on whether the social networking site could  be used to improve the psychological well-being of young adults in educational or health care settings.