How social media-induced secondary traumatic stress affects depression: a moderated mediation model of self-compassion and problematic social media use in college students.

Background: Social media use has grown rapidly among college students, who constitute one of the most active user groups. However, exposure to negative and traumatic content on social media may lead to secondary traumatic stress (STS-SM), which may be linked to depression. This study examines the psychological mechanisms underlying the relationship between STS-SM and depressive symptoms among Chinese college students. Methods: A total of 1080 Chinese college students (382 females and 698 males; mean age = 19.07 years, SD  = 1.08) completed web-based questionnaires i