4 - (SYM 59) COVID19 Media Diets: Rapid Protocol Adaptation to Understand Influence of Social Media on covid-19 Information at the Start of the Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted ongoing research studies, necessitating rapid adaptations to study designs. This presentation will examine how an observational study on childhood maltreatment and brain-based markers of psychopathology adjusted to these challenges. When lockdowns began in March 2020, the BRITE (Brain Resilience and Trauma Exposure) study had recruited 85 participants aged 18 to 20 with histories of maltreatment. Lockdowns halted recruitment and introduced funding uncertainties, prompting the research team to pivot to a longitudinal ecological momentary assessment using mobile technology. In collaboration with the institutional review board and existing participants, the team launched a 30-day assessment to monitor stress responses in individuals with varying risk factors.

Consumption of traditional and social media increased markedly at the start of the pandemic as new information about the virus and safety guidelines evolved, often focusing on restrictions on daily living activities and risks posed by the virus. The term “doomscrolling” describes the phenomenon of elevated negative affect after viewing pandemic-related media, but the magnitude and duration of this effect remain unclear. Furthermore, its impact likely varies based on prior vulnerabilities to psychopathology, such as childhood maltreatment. The study hypothesized that exposure to both social and traditional media would be associated with increased depression and PTSD, with childhood maltreatment severity moderating this relationship. Using multilevel modeling on 1,117 daily observations, results indicated that social media exposure was significantly associated with increased depression and PTSD (Depression: b = 0.03, p = .035, d = 0.44; PTSD: b = 0.11, p = .002, d = 0.36), with a stronger effect among those with more severe maltreatment histories. Additionally, individuals with higher baseline psychopathology engaged in more social media use during this period. Interestingly, no association was found between traditional media exposure and psychopathology. These findings highlight the role of doomscrolling in exacerbating mental health challenges among those with pre-existing vulnerabilities. This presentation will discuss the strategies employed to collect these data and the broader implications of these findings.