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Research papers on Social media and adolescent mental health

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  1. A systematic review: the influence of social media on depression, anxiety and psychological distress in adolescents

    Betul Keles, Niall McCrae, Annmarie Grealish · 2019 · International Journal of Adolescence and Youth · 1,887 citations

    While becoming inextricable to our daily lives, online social media are blamed for increasing mental health problems in younger people. This systematic review synthesized evidence on the influence of social media use on depression, anxiety and psychological distress in adolescents. A search of PsycINFO, Medline, Embase, CINAHL and SSCI databases reaped 13 eligible studies, of which 12 were cross-sectional. Findings were classified into four domains of social media: time spent, activity, investment and addiction. All domains correlated with depression, anxiety and psychological distress. However, there are considerable caveats due to methodological limitations of cross-sectional design, sampl

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  5. Effects of Social Media Use on Youth and Adolescent Mental Health: A Scoping Review of Reviews

    Nadine Agyapong-Opoku, Felix Agyapong-Opoku, Andrew James Greenshaw · 2025 · Behavioral Sciences · 75 citations

    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 highlight opportunities for further research. Methods:

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  6. There is no evidence that time spent on social media is correlated with adolescent mental health problems: Findings from a meta-analysis.

    Christopher J. Ferguson, Linda K. Kaye, Dawn Branley-Bell, et al. · 2024 · Professional Psychology: Research and Practice · 58 citations

    The issue of whethersocial media use does or does not in fl uence youth internalizingmental health disorders (e.g., anxiety, depression) remains a pressing concern for policymakers, parents, and psychologists. Widespread claims suggest potentially harmful effects of social media use on youth. This was investigated in a meta-analysis of 46 studies of youth social media use and mental health. Results indicated that the current pool of research is unable to support claims of harmful effects for social media use on youth internalizing disorders. Some types of methodological weaknesses, such as evident demand characteristics and lack of preregistration, remain common in this area. It is recommende

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  7. Impact of Social Media Use on Mental Health within Adolescent and Student Populations during COVID-19 Pandemic: Review

    Marija Draženović, Tea Vukušić Rukavina, Lovela Machala Poplašen · 2023 · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · 47 citations

    The COVID-19 pandemic has drastically changed our lives. By increased screen time during the pandemic, social media (SM) could have significantly impacted adolescents’ and students’ mental health (MH). This literature review aims to synthesize the research on the impact of SM usage on MH of adolescents and students during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. A review of the published literature was conducted in April 2021, through a search of PubMed and Web of Science Core Collection databases. The search yielded 1136 records, with 13 articles selected for this review. Most of the included studies observed the negative impact of SM use on MH of adolescents and students, most noticeably o

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  8. The Impact of Social Media & Technology on Child and Adolescent Mental Health

    Tariq A. Masri-zada, Suren Martirosyan, Alexander Abdou, et al. · 2025 · Journal of psychiatry and psychiatric disorders · 38 citations

    The prevalence of mental health disorders among youth and adolescents has been rising at an alarming rate over the past few decades, with conditions such as anxiety, depression, attention deficit hyperreactivity disorder, autism spectrum disorder, and body dysmorphic disorder becoming increasingly common. One contributing factor that has received growing attention is the role of social media and technology in shaping adolescent brain development, behavior, and emotional well-being. While digital platforms provide opportunities for social connection, self-expression, and mental health support, they also introduce significant risks, including compulsive social media use, cyberbullying, unreali

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  10. Internet Use, Depression, and Anxiety in a Healthy Adolescent Population: Prospective Cohort Study

    Robyn Pauline Thom, David S Bickham, Michael Rich · 2018 · JMIR Mental Health · 22 citations

    Background: Psychiatric disorders, including conduct disturbances, substance abuse, and affective disorders, emerge in approximately 20% of adolescents. In parallel with the rise in internet use, the prevalence of depression among adolescents has increased. It remains unclear whether and how internet use impacts mental health in adolescents. Objective: We assess the association between patterns of internet use and two mental health outcomes (depression and anxiety) in a healthy adolescent population. Methods: A total of 126 adolescents between the ages of 12 and 15 years were recruited. Participants reported their typical computer and internet usage patterns. At baseline and one-year follow-

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  11. Social Media Activities With Different Content Characteristics and Adolescent Mental Health: Cross-Sectional Survey Study

    Chia-Chen Yang, Paul Hunhoff, Yen Lee, et al. · 2025 · Journal of Medical Internet Research · 15 citations

    Background Adolescent mental health concerns are rising in the United States, with social media often cited as a contributing factor, although research findings remain mixed. A key limitation is the simplistic view of social media use, which fails to consistently predict well-being. Scholars call for a more nuanced framework and a better understanding of how social media use influences adolescent mental health through various psychosocial mechanisms. Objective Using the Multidimensional Model of Social Media Use, we explored how 4 activities with various content characteristics (intimate directed communication, intimate broadcasting, positive broadcasting, and positive content consumption) a

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  12. Reexploring Problematic Social Media Use and Its Relationship with Adolescent Mental Health. Findings from the “LifeOnSoMe”-Study

    T. R. Finserås, G. J. Hjetland, Borge Sivertsen, et al. · 2023 · Psychology Research and Behavior Management · 13 citations

    Purpose Previous approaches used to assess problematic social media use risk inflating prevalence numbers and classifying unproblematic social media use as problematic. The main aim of this study was to take an exploratory view as to how different types of activities, experiences, and motivations on social media are associated with problematic mental health outcomes in adolescents. Patients and Methods This study is based on a cross-sectional survey of 2023 adolescents (mean age 17.4 years (SD 0.9), 44.4% males) from the year 2020. Exploratory graph analysis and exploratory factor analysis were performed on 28 pre-selected items assessing adolescents’ use of social media, to identify underly

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  14. Influence of Social Media on Adolescent Mental Health

    Jasseer Jabbar, Shibu Dharmarajan, Ritu Priya Raveendranathan, et al. · 2022 · International Journal of English Literature and Social Sciences · 6 citations

    Social media use during adolescence can adversely affect health and development.It could be safely assumed that social media is the most famous and preferred leisure activity among adolescents.Most teens report that social media gives positive contributions to their lives, but the modern research literature documented that social media use and adolescents' mental health are adversely connected.Social media is a double-edged sword, so it can affect their mental health in a constructive or destructive way.Hence the excess use of social media comes with some risks for adolescents.The present study found the impact of social media on adolescent mental health.Depression, anxiety, stress, and aggr

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  16. Time Out: A Scoping Review of Non‐Duration Based Social Media Use Measures and Adolescent Mental Health

    A. Sursely, Bengi Baran, Gerta Bardhoshi, et al. · 2025 · Journal of Adolescence · 4 citations

    ABSTRACT Introduction Research to understand the role of social media use (SMU) in explaining deteriorating adolescent mental health has been limited by broad, nonspecific measures of social media use, specifically ‘time spent on social media’. These measures provide insufficient detail to capture specific risk and protective factors to users. Methods We conducted a scoping review of observational and experimental studies of the relationship between non‐duration‐based SMU measures and mental health outcomes in adolescents ≤ 18 years old. Studies that measured SMU solely based on time spent on a platform were excluded. Results The initial search returned 868 articles. After inclusion and excl

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  18. The Impact of Social Media Use on Mental Health Among Adolescents

    Arshad Hussain, F. Luqman, Hashmat Ali, et al. · 2025 · Social Science Review Archives · 3 citations

    The use of social media in adolescent life was evaluated for the potential impact it might have on mental health through aspects such as depression, anxiety, and self-esteem. Because many youths around the world engage actively in using social media, their psychological impacts have to be analyzed thoroughly. A cross-sectional survey design was used, in which 165 adolescents between 18 and 25 years of age were involved. The adopted questionnaire helped in assessing usage patterns of social media and mental health status, mainly discussing depression, anxiety, and self-esteem among adolescents. The results showed that heavy use of social media (over three hours a day) was significantly associ

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  19. Impact of Social Media on Adolescent Mental Health: A Comprehensive Study

    Feroz Ahmad, Vishwdeep Mishra, Manoj M. Musale, et al. · 2025 · Journal for Research in Applied Sciences and Biotechnology · 2 citations

    In the past decade, the use of social media among teenagers has continued to gain tremendous momentum and increasingly grown to concern the potential impact on their mental well-being. Herein, we look into the positive and negative psychological outcomes associated with the use of social media by adolescents aged 13–18. Using a mixed-method approach, we view recent empirical data which emphasize the relationships between excessive social media exposure and symptoms of depression, anxiety, sleep disturbance, and body dissatisfaction. On the other side of things, we also look at studies demonstrating the use of social media for social connection, peer support, creativity, and relevant online c

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  21. The Impact of Social Media Use on Adolescent Mental Health: The Mediating Role of FOMO

    Qihan Tan · 2025 · Communications in Humanities Research · 1 citations

    As the penetration rate of social media among teenagers continues to rise (with global teenage users accounting for 87%), its potential impact on mental health has become a focal point of academic and societal attention. As "digital natives," teenagers are frequently exposed to the virtual social environments constructed by social media, leading to psychological issues such as depression and anxiety that urgently require in-depth analysis. This study focuses on "fear of missing out" (FOMO) as a core mediating variable, systematically integrating over 30 empirical studies from both domestic and international sources over the past five years. Using bibliometric and meta-analysis methods, it ex

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  22. Adolescent Mental Health in the Context of Social Media – Focus on Social Anxiety and Depression

    Hanum Retno Hanifah, Adnanto Wiweko, I Made Danuarta Wiguna, et al. · 2026 · Indonesian Journal of Health and Medical Education · 1 citations

    This literature review explores the complex relationship between social media use and adolescent mental health, with a particular focus on social anxiety and depression. In the digital era, social media plays a major role in shaping adolescents’ self-identity and emotional well-being. This review synthesizes findings from various recent studies and analyzes how excessive and uncontrolled use of social media can damage self-perception, encourage unhealthy social comparisons, and trigger psychological disorders. Using a systematic literature review method, the study identifies key internal and external factors in identity formation—such as family, peers, and role models—and how these interact

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  23. Long-term consequences of adolescent social media use on mental health in young adulthood

    Martina Zetterqvist, GS Brunborg, J. Raninen · 2025 · The European Journal of Public Health · 1 citations

    Abstract Background There are growing concerns that social media may negatively impact adolescents’ mental health. However, most studies are cross-sectional, or short-term longitudinal studies, limiting conclusions about long-term effects. This study investigates whether social media use at age 15/16 is associated with symptoms of depression and anxiety five years later. It also explores differences by gender, socioeconomic status (SES), and physical activity. Methods Data come from a nationally representative cohort of Swedish adolescents. In 2017, 5535 students in grade 9 (age 15/16) completed a self-report survey. In 2022, 3193 participated in follow-up. Social media use (hours/day) was s

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  24. The Impact of Social Media Use on Adolescent Mental Health: A Systematic Analysis of Digital Engagement, Social Comparison, and Psychological Well-being

    Atrayee Saha · 2026 · International Journal of Social Science Research Studies (IJSSRS) · 1 citations

    This study examines the multifaceted relationship between social media use and mental health outcomes among adolescents, with particular emphasis on depression, anxiety, and self-esteem. Drawing upon recent empirical research and theoretical frameworks including Social Comparison Theory and the Dual-Systems Model of socio-emotional development, this analysis synthesizes findings from multiple international studies conducted between 2020 and 2025. The research reveals that problematic social media use has increased from 7% in 2018 to 11% in 2022 among adolescents globally, with higher rates observed among girls (13%) compared to boys (9%). Adolescents spending more than three hours daily on s

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