PMID- 36692929 OWN - NLM STAT- PubMed-not-MEDLINE LR - 20230209 IS - 1929-0748 (Print) IS - 1929-0748 (Electronic) IS - 1929-0748 (Linking) VI - 12 DP - 2023 Jan 24 TI - The Influence of Social Media Interactions and Behaviors on Depressive Symptoms Among Sexual and Gender Minority Young Adults in the United States: Protocol for a Mixed Methods Longitudinal Study. PG - e43627 LID - 10.2196/43627 [doi] LID - e43627 AB - BACKGROUND: Sexual and gender minority (SGM; ie, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and otherwise queer) young adults experience disparities in depression and other internalizing psychopathology. Although social media use is widespread and SGM people have more social media accounts and are more socially active on them than non-SGM individuals, few studies have examined the impact of social media on depression in this group. OBJECTIVE: The PRIDE iM study will be the first longitudinal, mixed methods research conducted to determine the impact of social media interactions and behaviors as pathways to depressive symptoms among SGM young adults living in the United States. METHODS: PRIDE iM uses a bookends variation of the longitudinal sequential mixed methods design. Participants will be recruited nationally from social media. First, between July 2019 and February 2020, we conducted a qualitative phase (T1) comprising web-based individual interviews (N=58) to inform the building and content of the quantitative survey. Second, from February 2022 to September 2022, we will conduct a series of web-based surveys (N=1000 at baseline) with 4 data points (T2-T5), each one collected every 6 to 8 weeks. Third, from October 2022 to December 2022, we will conduct a second qualitative phase (T6) of web-based interviews using outcome trajectories found in the longitudinal survey analyses to purposively sample survey participants and conduct web-based interviews to contextualize and explain survey findings. Qualitative data from T1 and T6 will be analyzed using a reflexive thematic analysis approach. As we sought to capture change over time in the association between the main predictors (ie, social media interactions and behaviors) and depressive symptoms, we propose analyzing T2 to T5 data using latent growth models with a structural equation modeling framework. Data integration at the method, interpretation, and reporting levels will be achieved through building and connecting and the use of a staged approach and joint displays, respectively. At all stages, we will assess the fit of data integration as recommended by the principles of best practice for mixed methods research in psychology. RESULTS: Data collection will be completed by December 2022. Qualitative data analyses will be completed by March 2023, and quantitative analyses of the primary outcome of interest will be completed by June 2023. CONCLUSIONS: PRIDE iM will confirm, reject, or uncover the presence of potential relationships between social media interactions and behaviors and depressive symptoms among SGM people. This study represents fundamental groundwork to develop social media-based interventions that target modifiable interactions and behaviors that are most likely to influence mental health outcomes, thus seizing the opportunity to merge the popularity of this medium among SGM people with evidence-based approaches. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/43627. CI - (c)Cesar Escobar-Viera, Robert W S Coulter, M Reuel Friedman, Brian Thoma, Galen E Switzer, Jamie Martina, James Erin Egan, Brian Primack. Originally published in JMIR Research Protocols (https://www.researchprotocols.org), 24.01.2023. FAU - Escobar-Viera, Cesar AU - Escobar-Viera C AUID- ORCID: 0000-0002-1031-499X AD - Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States. FAU - Coulter, Robert W S AU - Coulter RWS AUID- ORCID: 0000-0001-8350-0075 AD - Department of Behavioral and Community Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States. FAU - Friedman, M Reuel AU - Friedman MR AUID- ORCID: 0000-0001-6191-9799 AD - Department of Urban-Global Public Health, School of Public Health, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, United States. FAU - Thoma, Brian AU - Thoma B AUID- ORCID: 0000-0001-5531-6166 AD - Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States. FAU - Switzer, Galen E AU - Switzer GE AUID- ORCID: 0000-0001-8541-9449 AD - Division of General Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States. FAU - Martina, Jamie AU - Martina J AUID- ORCID: 0000-0001-8628-8639 AD - Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Pittburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, United States. FAU - Egan, James Erin AU - Egan JE AUID- ORCID: 0000-0003-3888-7148 AD - Department of Behavioral and Community Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States. FAU - Primack, Brian AU - Primack B AUID- ORCID: 0000-0002-5962-0939 AD - Department of Health Promotion and Health Behavior, College of Public Health and Human Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvalis, OR, United States. LA - eng PT - Journal Article DEP - 20230124 PL - Canada TA - JMIR Res Protoc JT - JMIR research protocols JID - 101599504 PMC - PMC9906309 OTO - NOTNLM OT - depression OT - longitudinal OT - mixed methods OT - sexual and gender minorities OT - social media COIS- Conflicts of Interest: None declared. EDAT- 2023/01/25 06:00 MHDA- 2023/01/25 06:01 PMCR- 2023/01/24 CRDT- 2023/01/24 11:53 PHST- 2022/10/18 00:00 [received] PHST- 2022/11/30 00:00 [accepted] PHST- 2022/11/29 00:00 [revised] PHST- 2023/01/24 11:53 [entrez] PHST- 2023/01/25 06:00 [pubmed] PHST- 2023/01/25 06:01 [medline] PHST- 2023/01/24 00:00 [pmc-release] AID - v12i1e43627 [pii] AID - 10.2196/43627 [doi] PST - epublish SO - JMIR Res Protoc. 2023 Jan 24;12:e43627. doi: 10.2196/43627.