Social Media Influence on Mental Health: TikTok Usage and Depression Among Youth (A Case Study of Universityof Malakand Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pakistan)

Abstract

TikTok is a well-known social media platform designed by the Chinese Byte-Dance Company, letting its users edit and then upload 15-60 second videos. TikTok can add music, filters, stickers, and background music to pictures. This study tends to draw on the convoluted relationship of TikTok usage and mental health of the Pashtoon youth of Malakand University in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pakistan, utilizing Beck's Depression Inventory. This paper is going to explore the psychological effects of TikTok on depression. The sample size was 226, while the stratified proportionate sampling technique that was used in this research managed to return a representation of 62% males and 38% females. The primary objectives are to examine the psychological impacts of TikTok usage on the youth in terms of depression. The findings point toward a significant relationship between high TikTok usage and increased symptoms of depression, thus supporting the hypothesis that excessive use of TikTok correlates with bad mental health. It concludes with certain recommendations for parents, educators, and policymakers to inculcate healthy social media habits. It, in essence, calls for future studies involving non-TikTok users to present a comprehensive understanding of TikTok's effect on mental health.