SOCIAL MEDIA USAGE AND MENTAL WELL-BEING: A BIBLIOMETRIC ANALYSIS OF RESEARCH TRENDS AND COLLABORATION NETWORKS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.29121/JISSI.v2.i1.2026.71Keywords:
Social Media, Mental Well-Being, Mental Health, Anxiety, Depression, Bibliometric Analysis, Co-Authorship Analysis, Research Collaboration, Digital Behavior, Psychological Well-BeingAbstract
Purpose:The present study aims to examine the evolution of research on social media usage and mental well-being through a comprehensive bibliometric analysis. The study investigates publication growth, co-authorship patterns among researchers, institutional collaborations, and country-level research contributions in order to understand the intellectual structure and global development of this research domain.
Methodology:The study is based on bibliometric analysis using data retrieved from the Scopus database. A total of 1,304 journal articles published in English were selected after applying subject area, document type, publication stage, and source type filters. The collected data were analyzed using bibliometric techniques such as publication trend analysis, co-authorship analysis, organizational collaboration analysis, and country-level collaboration mapping through visualization tools. In addition, the TCCM (Theory–Context–Characteristics–Methodology) framework was applied to identify major research trends, existing gaps, and future research directions within the literature.
Findings:The findings reveal a significant growth in research on social media usage and mental well-being, particularly after 2018, with a sharp rise during and after the COVID-19 pandemic period. The co-authorship analysis indicates that the collaboration structure among researchers is relatively fragmented, although certain authors such as Mark D. Griffiths occupy central positions within the network. Institutional analysis highlights the important contribution of organizations such as South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust and The Alan Turing Institute. At the country level, the United States emerges as the leading contributor, followed by the United Kingdom, China, and India. The overlay visualization further suggests a gradual shift in research activity from Western nations toward emerging Asian economies.
Research Limitations:The study is limited to journal articles indexed in the Scopus database and published in the English language. Other databases, publication types, and non-English studies were not included, which may limit the overall coverage of the research domain. Research Implications:The study provides valuable insights for researchers, policymakers, healthcare professionals, and educational institutions by identifying major research trends, collaboration patterns, and emerging areas in the field. It also offers a foundation for future interdisciplinary research related to digital behavior and mental well-being. Originality:This study contributes to the literature by providing a systematic and comprehensive bibliometric overview of research on social media usage and mental well-being. It highlights the evolution of the field, identifies major contributors and collaboration networks, and proposes future research directions for advancing knowledge in this rapidly growing domain.
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