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Living Between Screens: Rhodes College Students, Short-Form Media, and Mental Health in a Digital Age

Barnett, John
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Barnett, John
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College students—Mental health—United States, Internet addiction—Psychological aspects, Social media—Psychological aspects, Attention—Physiological aspects, Time perception—Psychological aspects
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Rhodes Institute for Regional Studies
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2025_rirs_barnett.pdf
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https://hdl.handle.net/10267/36862
Abstract
The widespread use of smartphones and algorithm-driven platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts has raised significant concerns about their impact on mental health, especially among young people. Short-form media platforms offer highly personalized, rapidly changing content designed to maximize user engagement, which often results in extended and compulsive viewing. Research indicates strong connections between short-form media use and various mental health issues, including anxiety, depression, addictive behaviors, cognitive overload, and emotional exhaustion. Oxford University’s choice of “brain rot” as its 2024 Word of the Year highlights the increasing awareness of the mental and emotional effects of constant media exposure. While studies from the Pew Research Center emphasize the broader implications of short-form media, less is known about how these effects develop within specific groups, particularly college students balancing academic demands, social pressures, and personal growth in an era of nonstop digital consumption. This study, "Living Between Screens: Rhodes College Students, Short-Form Media, and Mental Health in a Digital Age," addresses that gap through a mixed-methods approach, combining a campus-wide survey with seven semi-structured interviews. The findings reveal recurring patterns of time distortion, procrastination, attention fragmentation, emotional fatigue, and social comparison. Using behavioral addiction models, reinforcement theory, and flow theory, the research explains how short-form content mimics variable-reward conditioning, changing perceptions of time and self-worth. This study offers a localized, qualitative perspective that complements existing quantitative data and highlights the importance of more deliberate and mindful engagement with digital media. It also highlights the importance of developing both institutional and individual strategies to promote digital wellness in college settings.
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This document was received from the Rhodes Institute for Regional Studies and uploaded to Dlynx by Rosie Meindl during fall 2025.