Effects Of Social Media Use On Youth And Adolescent Mental Health A

Background: The impact of social media on adolescent mental health has become a critical area of research as social media usage has surged among youth. Despite extensive research, findings on this relationship remain inconsistent, with various studies reporting both negative and positive effects. This scoping review aims to clarify the multifaceted nature of this relationship by analyzing the recent literature. Objective: This review aims to analyze the current evidence regarding the effects of social media use on adolescent mental health, identify consistent patterns and discrepancies in the findings, identify gaps in our knowledge, and... Methods: A scoping review was conducted following Arksey and O'Malley's five-stage approach. Searches were performed in PubMed, MEDLINE, Web of Science, and Scopus for articles published between July 2020 and July 2024.

Inclusion criteria were systematic reviews, umbrella reviews, narrative reviews, and meta-analyses written in English focusing on youth/adolescents' mental health and social media. The search strategy identified 1005 articles, of which 43 relevant articles survived the reviewer selection process, from which data were extracted and analyzed to inform this review. Results: The majority of studies linked social media use to adverse mental health outcomes, particularly depression and anxiety. However, the relationship was complex, with evidence suggesting that problematic use and passive consumption of social media were most strongly associated with adverse effects. In contrast, some studies highlighted positive aspects, including enhanced social support and reduced isolation. The mental health impact of social media use, specifically during the COVID-19 pandemic, was mixed, with the full range of neutral, negative, and positive effects reported.

Conclusions: The nature of social media's impact on adolescent mental health is highly individualistic and influenced by moderating factors. This review supports the notion that social media's effects on adolescent mental health can be context specific and may be shaped by patterns of usage. A focus on longitudinal studies in future research will be useful for us to understand long-term effects and develop targeted interventions in this context. Enhancing digital literacy and creating supportive online environments are essential to maximizing the benefits of social media while mitigating its risks. Keywords: adolescent; mental health; review; social media; youth. The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

The funder had no role in the design and conduct of the study; collection, management, analysis, the interpretation of the data; preparation, review, or approval of the manuscript or the decision to submit the... PRISMA diagram detailing the study identification and selection process. PRISMA, Preferred Reporting Items… [Originally published: Jan. 8, 2024. Updated: June 17, 2024.]

Mental health issues among teens have been rising for more than a decade, and some experts wonder how much social media use is to blame. If you’re a parent questioning if—and how—you should monitor the way your teenager uses social media, you’re not alone. In the spring of 2023, United States Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, MD, MBA, released an advisory called Social Media and Youth Mental Health, in which he says there is growing evidence that social media... Soon after, the American Psychological Association (APA) issued its own health advisory. A year later, in June 2024, Dr. Murthy called for a surgeon general’s warning label on social media platforms, which would require an act of Congress to implement.

The issue is complicated, however. While there are indicators that it can have a profound risk of harm to teens (more on that below), social media use aimed at making healthy connections with others may actually be beneficial to... Dr. Murthy’s report indicates that more research is needed to fully understand the impact of social media. For parents, this means there are no easy answers. “The issues we face now with social media are similar to those we faced when television came out,” says Linda Mayes, MD, chair of the Yale Child Study Center (YCSC).

She explains that, as with TV watching, there are pros and cons to social media for young people. “So, how do we help parents filter out the parts that may be detrimental?” Pew Research Center conducted this study to understand teens’ experiences and attitudes around teen mental health and social media. Part of this study also examines parents’ perspectives. The Center conducted an online survey of 1,391 U.S. teens and parents from Sept.

18 to Oct. 10, 2024, through Ipsos. Ipsos recruited the teens via their parents, who were part of its KnowledgePanel. The KnowledgePanel is a probability-based web panel recruited primarily through national, random sampling of residential addresses. Parents were asked to think about one teen in their household (if there were multiple teens ages 13 to 17 in the household, one was randomly chosen). At the conclusion of the parent’s section, the parent was asked to have this chosen teen come to the computer and complete the survey in private.

The survey is weighted to be representative of two different populations: 1) parents with teens ages 13 to 17 and 2) teens ages 13 to 17 who live with parents. For each of these populations, the survey is weighted to be representative by age, gender, race and ethnicity, household income and other categories. Here are the questions among teens and among parents used for this report, along with responses, and the survey methodology­­­. This research was reviewed and approved by an external institutional review board (IRB), Advarra, an independent committee of experts specializing in helping to protect the rights of research participants. In recent years, the conversation around social media and youth mental health has become urgent and deeply personal for many families. Parents are increasingly wary of the role smartphones and social media play in their children’s lives, fueled by the spotlight on growing evidence linking excessive screen time to rising rates of anxiety, depression, and...

Bestsellers like Jonathan Haidt’s The Anxious Generation, initiatives such as Wait Until 8th for social media adoption, and school districts debating cell phone bans reflect a growing societal reckoning with how digital engagement impacts... At the same time, social media offers benefits that cannot be ignored—it provides community, educational resources, and mental health support, particularly for marginalized youth (Naslund et al., 2020). Understanding this complex relationship requires a thoughtful approach, balancing risks with opportunities while equipping families with strategies to navigate the digital landscape effectively. Experts from the U.S. Surgeon General’s office, the American Psychological Association (APA), and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) have all raised concerns about the potential harm excessive or unregulated social media use can pose to youth. Research increasingly points to negative psychological, developmental, and neurological effects, with certain populations—such as BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ youth—experiencing unique vulnerabilities (Anderson & Jiang, 2018).

Numerous studies have linked excessive social media use with heightened anxiety and depression among adolescents (Keles et al., 2020). The definition of “excessive” social media use varies across studies, but it is generally characterized by the volume of daily screen time (often exceeding 3–4 hours). However, other definitions focus on behavioral patterns, such as difficulty controlling use, compulsive, or problematic use that interferes with daily life (e.g., neglecting responsibilities or experiencing distress when unable to access social media). The mechanisms behind these associations include disrupted sleep, increased social comparison, and exposure to cyberbullying (Orben et al., 2019). Adolescents who spend more than three hours per day on social media are at a significantly higher risk for mental health issues compared to their peers who engage less frequently (Abi-Jaoude et al., 2020). Adolescents who use social media before bedtime often experience sleep disturbances, as the blue light emitted from screens interferes with melatonin production, delaying sleep onset and reducing overall sleep quality (Leone & Sigman, 2020).

This, in turn, can contribute to emotional dysregulation, increased stress, and poor academic performance (Carter et al., 2016). Over the past decade, there has been a substantial increase in social media engagement among children and adolescents. This trend has been further amplified during the COVID-19 pandemic, as social media and online gaming became the default method of socialization. Social media use is nearly universal among young people; up to 95% of teenagers are active online. Despite a minimum age requirement of 13 years on most U.S. platforms, nearly 40% of children aged 8-12 are on social media.

In parallel with increasing social media engagement, rates of depression and anxiety among youth have surged, although this relationship is not fully understood. Given its ubiquitous nature, and the particularly important period of brain development between childhood and young adulthood, the impact of social media usage on youth mental health remains an important topic. Children and adolescents are affected by social media in different ways depending on individual factors as well as trait strengths and vulnerabilities. Social media platforms do offer benefits to youth—they often serve as avenues for forging connections, receiving, and offering emotional support and expressing creativity. Youth in crisis are more likely to share suicidality on social media than directly to caregivers, concerned peers often alert adults, which frequently leads to vital referrals to emergency services and child and adolescent... However, children and adolescents are also prone to experiencing adverse effects of social media, including disruptions of sleep which increase susceptibility to depression, fostering unrealistic social comparisons damaging self-esteem, adopting avoidant coping, cyberbullying, encouragement...

For example, experimental research confirms that viewing idealized social media images can lead to body dissatisfaction among youth. At this time, there is enough evidence to conclude that social media can negatively impact the mental health of youth. To protect against the potential harmful effects of social media exposure on child and adolescent mental health, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) recommends: The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry promotes the healthy development of children, adolescents, and families through advocacy, education, and research. Child and adolescent psychiatrists are the leading physician authority on children’s mental health. ©2025 The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Contact

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