Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication
Volume 24, Issue 2, 2019, Pages 73-89

Facebook and face-to-face: Examining the short-and long-term reciprocal effects of interactions, perceived social support, and depression among international students (Article) (Open Access)

Billedo C.J.* , Kerkhof P. , Finkenauer C. , Ganzeboom H.
  • a Department of Communication Science, VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, 1081 HV, Netherlands, Department of Psychology, University of the Philippines, Quezon City, 1101, Philippines
  • b Department of Communication Science, VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, 1081 HV, Netherlands
  • c Department of Interdisciplinary Social Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, 3584 CS, Netherlands
  • d Department of Sociology, VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, 1081 HV, Netherlands

Abstract

We investigated the proposition that among international students, face-to-face (FtF) interaction with the host-country network, and Facebook interaction with the host-and the home-country networks predict perceived social support, which, in turn, predicts psychological adjustment. We tested the model using cross-lagged and non-lagged reciprocal effects path analyses on three-wave panel data gathered via online surveys. The results indicated that whereas FtF interaction with the host-country increased perceived social support in the short-term, Facebook interaction with the host-country lowered perceived social support in the long-term. Perceived social support increased Facebook interaction with the host-country both in the short-and the long-term. At the same time, perceived social support, in the long-term, decreased depressive symptoms. In the short-term, perceived social support and depressive symptoms negatively reinforced each other. Our longitudinal study contributes to existing literature by elucidating the complex interplay of communication channels and their implications on international students’ experiences. © The Author(s) 2019.

Author Keywords

International students Facebook Social support Depression Face-to-Face (FtF) Social Network Sites (SNS) psychological adjustment

Index Keywords

depression Students social support regression analysis Face to face Facebook Social network sites( sns) psychological adjustment Social networking (online) International students
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85061553114&doi=10.1093%2fjcmc%2fzmy025&partnerID=40&md5=c30e121aa73ddeb2465c5f133ed27907
DOI: 10.1093/jcmc/zmy025
ISSN: 10836101
Cited by: 1
Original Language: English