A study published in Frontiers in Psychiatry examined the relationship between problematic social media use (PSMU) and self-reported memory failures in a sample of 943 young adults in Spain aged 18–35.
Key Findings
Higher PSMU scores were associated with more frequent self-reported everyday memory failures, as measured by the Everyday Memory Questionnaire (EMQ).
Everyday memory failures statistically mediated approximately 74% of the association between PSMU and prospective memory lapses (remembering intended actions) and 72% of the association with retrospective memory lapses (recalling past events).
Participants at or above the clinical cutoff for PSMU (BSMAS score ≥ 24) reported more memory difficulties than those below the cutoff.
Longer daily social media use was associated with higher reported memory problems; those using social media more than 5 hours per day reported the highest levels.
Limitations
- The study relied on self-reported measures, not objective memory tests.
- The cross-sectional design precludes causal conclusions.
- Potential confounders (e.g., sleep, stress, anxiety, depression) were not fully adjusted for.
Background
PSMU refers to uncontrolled, persistent social media use that disrupts daily functioning.
Previous research suggested links to reduced attention and multitasking, which may impact memory encoding and retrieval. This study sought to clarify how PSMU relates to specific types of memory lapses.