The Better You Blog

I recently created a survey asking UCF students how social media made them feel. 

1. List your age:

 2. How many times a day would you say you use social media? (Circle One)

   Never         Once or Twice   Three or four times             More than five

 3. What kinds of social media website do you use and how often do you use each one daily?(Check the circles if you use them and circle the time).

O     Facebook – <30 minutes   one hour     two hours       three or more

O     Twitter - <30 minutes        one hour     two hours       three or more

O     Instagram - <30 minutes   one hour     two hours       three or more

O     Tumblr - <30 minutes         one hour     two hours       three or more

O     Other: _______________________________________

 4. In the past week has social media impacted your self esteem negatively?

   Never           Once or Twice             Three or four times            More than five

 5. In the past week have you compared yourself negatively to another social media user?

     Never           Once or Twice             Three or four times         More than five

 6. If you did compare yourself negatively to someone else why did you compare yourself? (Please check all that apply)

O     Job/Grades

O     Boyfriend/Girlfriend/ social life

O     Material items (car, purse, shoes, vacations, etc.)

O     Physical Appearance

O     Other:______________________________________________

 7. Has social media ever… (Please check all that apply)

O     Affected the way you feel about your body negatively

O     Affected the way you see yourself negatively

O     Affected your mood negatively (write your emotion) _____________________

O     Made you want to change your eating habits

O     Made you have suicidal thoughts/self harm

The results were: 

50 hard copies, 100 emailed. 150 total.

1. 120/150 (80%) age 18, 30/150 (20%] age 19.

2. 2/150 [2%] Never, 46/ 150 [30.6%] Once or Twice, 63/150 [42%] Three or Four, 39/150 [26%] More than five

3. 97/150 [64.6%] use Facebook, <30 minutes [39/97 [40.2%]], one hour [32/97 [32.9%]], two hours [21/150 [14%]], Three or more [5/150, [3%]]

 128/150 [85.3%] use Twitter <30 minutes [55/128 [42.9%]], one hour [43/128 [33.6%]], two hours [21/128 [16.4%]], more than three hours 9/123 [7%]]  

 136/150 [90.66%] use Instagram <30 minutes [47/136 [34.56%]], one hour [52/136 [38.2%]] Two hours [30/136 [22%], More than three hours [7/136 [5%]]

 84/150 [56%] use Tumblr <30 minutes [41/84 [48.8%]], one hour [27/84 [32.1%]], two hours [12/84 [14.28%]] More than three hours [4/84 [4.8%]]

 4. In the past week has social media impacted your self esteem negatively? Never [49/150 [32.66%]], Once or Twice [56/150 [37.33%]], Three or four times [27/150 [18%]], More than five [18/150 [12%]]

 5. In the past week have you compared yourself negatively to another social media user?  Never [62/150 [41.33%], Once or Twice [55/150 [36.67%], Three or Four [24/150 [16%]], More than five [9/150 [6%]]

 6. If you did compare yourself negatively to someone else why did you compare yourself? (Please check all that apply) Job/Grades 35/88 [39.8%], Boyfriend/Girlfriend/Social life 50/88 [56.8%], Material Items 32/88 [36.3%], Physical Appearance [64.8%], Other: Family 2/88 [2%]

 7. Has social media ever… (Please check all that apply)

Affected the way you feel about your body negatively [131/150 [87.33%]]

Affected the way you see yourself negatively [127/150 [84.67%]]

Affected your mood negatively (write your emotion) Stressed [57/150 [38%]], Depressed [88/150 [58.67%]], Angry [5/150 [3%]]

Made you want to change your eating habits [72/150 [48%]]