The relationship between social support and social negativity on social media for virtual socializing and college students’ anxiety levels during the COVID-19 pandemic

Objective During the COVID-19 pandemic, people were forced to socialize virtually. As virtual socializing proliferated during the COVID-19 pandemic, both social support and social negativity for virtual socializing on social media increased. This study examines how social support and social negativity on social media for virtual socializing are related to college students’ anxiety level during the pandemic. Methods Some 772 college students from a university on the west coast of the United States responded to an online Qualtrics survey from December 2020 to May 2021, when students were required to take all classes online. Descriptive analysis and multiple regressions were performed. Results Social support and social negativity on social media for virtual socializing were negatively and positively associated with anxiety level among college students during the pandemic. Discussion Future interventions could promote social support on social media for virtual socializing that can benefit mental health while providing guidance on how college students can socialize virtually in a healthy way.