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The Influence of Depression on Doom Scrolling and Climate Change Engagement : A Mixed-Methods Study

Pas, Lisanne te (2023) The Influence of Depression on Doom Scrolling and Climate Change Engagement : A Mixed-Methods Study.

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Abstract:Doom scrolling is a relatively new term and can be understood as a vicious cycle of seeking negative information to conform with one’s negative beliefs about a certain topic, decreasing one’s mental well-being. Elevated levels of depression could be an indicator for the need to get stuck in the vicious cycle of doom scrolling in general and doom scrolling on the specific topic of climate change. Young adults were expected to be more vulnerable for this effect. This study used the sequential explanatory mixed methods design. Qualitative data was gathered through interviews (N = 15), followed creating 13 themes related to climate change doom scrolling through thematic analysis. This led to the development of the Climate Change Doom Scrolling Scale (CCDS). Quantitative data was collected via a survey which included the CCDS, Doom Scrolling Scale (DSS) and Beck’s Depression Inventory (BDI) (N = 130). Results showed a relationship between elevated levels of depression and the need to doom scroll in general (β = 0.13, SE = 0.034, p = <.001), however, no relationship was found between elevated levels of depression and the need to doom scroll on the topic of climate change (β = .02, SE = .038, p = .55). Additionally, age was not considered as an initiator for both of the effects (β = .002, SE = .005, p = .7) and (β = .01, SE = .004, p = .18). The implications for these findings are discussed and future recommendations are proposed.
Item Type:Essay (Bachelor)
Faculty:BMS: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences
Subject:77 psychology
Programme:Psychology BSc (56604)
Link to this item:https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/95217
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