Grant: Master's Award: Canada Graduate Scholarships

"According to the World Health Organization, depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide and more than 300 million people (4% of the global population) are suffering from it. Empiric research does suggest that social media and depression are linked, but the details of that connection have not been sufficiently researched. Through a digital survey of social media users, a content analysis of these users' posts and their respective engagement metrics, and the creation of an analytics algorithm, I aim to investigate the link between the two. Specifically, I plan to better understand how the human needs of love and belonging (Maslow's hierarchy) are met through social media usage and explore if/how the reliance on these platforms is affecting users' abilities to connect with others and have this need met, since negative effects would lead to varying levels of depression. Ultimately, I aim to provide insightful information that can lead to predictive, management, and/or preventative solutions."