Social media dependency, depression and self-esteem for Cymraeg and English-speaking adolescents

Richard Jones, Irene Reppa and Phil Reed

Behaviour and Information Technology, 2025, vol. 44, issue 16, 3921-3934

Abstract: The current study examined the effects of speaking a minority language (i.e. speaking the Welsh language in Wales) on the relationship between social media usage, social media dependency [SMD], depression and self-esteem for adolescents using both cross-sectional and longitudinal designs. 1709 pupils (844 primary Cymraeg-speakers [i.e. people who primarily speak the Welsh language]; 865 primary English-speakers) at secondary schools in Wales were compared. Moderation analysis found depression exerted a stronger influence upon the relationship between social media usage and self-esteem for primary Cymraeg-speakers than for primary English-speakers. A longitudinal analysis over 9 months found the association between earlier SMD and later worse self-esteem was greater than that between earlier lower self-esteem and later SMD for primary Cymraeg-speakers, which was true for lower-depressed and higher-depressed participants. However, for English-speakers, earlier lower self-esteem was related to later greater SMD for lower-depressed participants. For higher-depressed primary English-speakers, this pattern became more pronounced, and there was a positive relationship between earlier SMD and later self-esteem. Implications are discussed within a linguistic context.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1080/0144929X.2025.2455395

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