Women With Depression, Social Anxiety Symptoms Use More Dating Apps: Study

Pic Courtesy: Mike Sorrentino/CNET

Toronto: Are dating apps connected to symptoms of depression and social anxiety in women? Researchers in Canada seem to believe so.

A study, conducted in Ryerson University in Canada, showed that depression symptoms and social anxiety are associated with greater use of mobile dating applications like Tinder, Bumble, among women, IANS reported.

The research published in the journal ‘Cyberpsychology, Behaviour, and Social Networking’ studied “associations between symptoms of social anxiety and depression with participants’ extent of dating app use, self-reported motivations for dating app use, and the likelihood of initiating interaction with dating app matches”.

“With increased symptoms of social anxiety and depression, women maybe even more likely to turn to technology for social connection, especially if alternative forms of social contact are reduced due to social avoidance,” study author Martin Antony said.

374 participants completed an online array of surveys that examined psychopathology and dating app use, the news agency said.

There was a positive relationship between participants’ extent of dating app use and social anxiety and depression symptoms.

However, among men, it was found that the greater their social anxiety and depression symptoms, the less likely they were to initiate contact with matches on mobile dating apps.

“With mobile dating apps increasingly figuring into today’s dating landscape, research studies are vital to understanding their merits as well as their shortcomings,” the study authors commented.

Bumble, Hinge, Tinder, OkCupid, Her, Match are some of the popular dating sites among the netizens.