The development of the Internet has popularized online communication among youth, which, while increasing convenience, may lead to poor interpersonal interactions and increased psychological stress due to the lack of non-verbal messaging. This study investigated the relationship between communication styles, psychological load, and well-being in 384 youth aged 18-25. The results showed that of the four communication styles, online text communication, voice chat, telephone and face-to-face communication (including video call), the largest number of participants, 299 (77.86%), chose online text communication. The chi-square test showed that the mode of communication was significantly correlated with psychological load (p < .001), with 166 (55.52%) of the participants who chose online text-based communication exhibiting moderate or severe psychological load. Further analysis using emotion regulation style as a criterion variable for psychological load revealed that the highest percentage of the four communication modes that used inhibition or avoidance for emotion regulation was among the participants who opted for online text communication. Meanwhile, analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed that both psychological load and emotional regulation were significantly associated with well-being (p < .001). Based on this, in the survey of the reasons for choosing online text communication, the main reasons included “reducing the mental energy consumption of human interaction” and “preferring to be alone”. Therefore, encouraging forms of interaction that are more information-rich and emotionally expressive is important for reducing psychological load and enhancing psychological well-being in youth groups, which also informs the construction of healthier digital communication.

Wuman Hong is a psychological counselor who is currently pursuing a doctoral degree at Sains Malaysia with a research area of Educational Psychology & Counselling. She serves as a reviewer for several reputable journals and has been involved in education related to mental health.