Comparing mental health of Facebook users and Facebook non-users in an inpatient sample in Germany

Background: The present study aimed to investigate differences in variables of positive mental health (PMH, i.e., emotional, psychological and social well-being) and negative mental health (NMH, i.e., somatoform complaints, depressiveness, social stress and insomnia) between clinical inpatients who use the social platform Facebook and those who do not use Facebook. Furthermore, the link between duration of daily Facebook use and mental health should be considered. Methods: In two subsamples of inpatients of a psychosomatic rehabilitation clinic in Germany (Facebook users: N = 336, Facebook non-users: N = 265), use of Facebook, PMH and NMH were assessed via a computer survey. Results: Facebook users had significantly higher values of three variables of NMH (i.e., depressiveness, social stress and insomnia), and significantly lower values of PMH than Facebook non-users. Duration of daily Facebook use was significantly negatively associated with PMH and significantly positively with all variables of NMH. Limitations: Given the cross-sectional study design, current data do not imply causality. Conclusion: Current results indicate that Facebook use is negatively associated with PMH and positively with NMH in clinical inpatients. Thus, future research should investigate whether and how Facebook use may have a negative effect on the recovery process of the inpatients.