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The Impact of Social Media on Adolescents’ Mental Health

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Mental Health among Adolescents 2

The Impact of Social Media on Adolescents’ Mental Health

For almost two decades, early social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook have

become a routine of adolescents’ lives. While social media sites provide numerous gains, like

enhanced communication, increased connectivity, and knowledge sharing, they also significantly

adversely affect users’ mental health. More specifically, research shows that social media

increases anxiety, loneliness, depression, and low self-esteem among teenagers (Bozzola et al.,

2019). A constant pressure to attain and maintain a curated and admirable online presence, self-

comparisons, exposure to distressing content, and cyberbullying are some of the primary factors

that research has linked to the undesirable impact of social media usage on adolescents’ mental

health (Bozzola et al., 2019). These effects indicate the negative impact of this technology. The

growing concern about social media's influence on adolescents’ mental health necessitates

understanding the severity of this issue and what studies suggest could be viable possible

interventions.

Patterns of Social Media Use Among Adolescents

Adolescence is a susceptible delicate period that marks an individual social development.

Research shows these changes are similar to the biological and hormonal transformation during

puberty (Orben et al., 2020). There is peer interaction and the social world during adolescence,

and most people in this age group prefer to stay away from their families. Some seek ways to

handle rejection, which rarely occurs among children or adults. Orben et al. (2020) write that

adolescents prioritize obtaining "peer social approvals," and the influence is also often strong (p.

634). Failure to get peer approval amounts to social deprivation, leading to isolation and

increased depression, aggression, and distress (Orben et al., 2020). As a result, adolescents find

solace in social media platforms. Orben et al. (2020) posit that young people are large-scale
Mental Health among Adolescents 3

adopters of digital technologies, including smartphones. Most of the innovations they use are

communicative. A 2020 research showed that the social media rate among adolescents was over

97% in America (for ages 13-17) and 69% in British (for ages 12-15) (Orben et al., 2020). All

these populations have at least one social networking profile.

The usage pattern of social media among adolescents varies significantly from one region

and country to the other. Research shows that over 85% of Italian adolescents (ages 11 to 17)

have regular access to their smartphones (Bozzola et al., 2019). The same study also found that

over 72% of these Italian adolescents use their digital phones to browse the internet. Over 71%

of young people use more than one application of social networks (Bozzola et al., 2019).

Adolescents spend most of their time online. In America, a more significant percentage of

teenagers spend four hours (minimum) daily on social media (Orben et al., 2020). Over half of

the 97% of American adolescents are usually engaging. 81% of 743 young participants (aged 13

to 17 years) report using social media as a way of making them "feel more connected with their

friends) (Orben et al., 2020, p. 637). Other use it to interact with people from diverse social and

cultural backgrounds. Another 68% of the 743 respondents indicated that social media platforms

facilitate their access to social support (Orben et al., 2020). They note that it occurs during

challenging experiences and times.

Moreover, unlike the four hours of average time spent online revealed by Orben et al.

(2020), Coyne et al. (2020) found that some adolescents spend more than 8 hours on Facebook

and Instagram daily. The rate was for a typical day, which could increase or reduce. The finding

of Coyne et al. (2020) came after their longitudinal study that took over eight years. The

researchers did not record any significant change in the more than 8 hours daily for adolescents
Mental Health among Adolescents 4

using social media. The only difference was the popularity of the networking platform, based on

what was trending within a given period.

Mental Health Outcomes Linked to Social Media Use

Evidence exists twofold on the correlation between technology and individual mental

health and represents the causal and effects perspective. First, Jensen et al. (2019) found that the

time users spend on these networking platforms instead of engaging in real-life cognitive and

social enriching results in a loss of mental wellness. The perspective suggests that being socially

and cognitively active in actual activities often improves a person's psychological well-being.

Secondly, individuals (adolescents) going through mental health challenges leverage and use

social media platforms to compensate for the perceived social skills deficit (Jensen et al., 2019).

The authors add that from this dual perspective of technology and mental wellness, there are

noticeable advantages and disadvantages. Increased social support and capital, perceived

improved self-esteem, an opportunity to disclose, and a safe identity experimental are some

benefits of social media usage among adolescents (Jensen et al., 2019). However, there are also

undesirable implications. Jensen et al. (2019) found that those who use technology excessively

experience increased depression, social isolation, and bullying. In a similar study, Bozzola et al.

(2019) noted that the wide availability and use of smartphones, mobile devices, and the internet

is a precedent for cyberbullying, leading to low self-esteem. These studies show that social

media affects users' psychological well-being.

However, Coyne et al. (2020) dispute the association between mental health and social

media use among adolescents. These scholars argue that the causal connection between

adolescents changing one social networking platform to another and its psychological impact

lacks predictive reliability. According to Coyne et al. (2020), even though adolescents are
Mental Health among Adolescents 5

generally avid users of this technology, the individualized fluctuation in their usage does not

align with changes in mental health. Thus, these researchers note that there are other extraneous

factors at play. For example, Coyne et al. (2020) write that mental health is a multi-process that

does not have one stressor which can cause significant depressive symptoms. They add that

depression and anxiety develop as multifactor involving person-centered characteristics. Coyne

et al. (2020) did not find evidence linking the average time spent on social media to mental

health. However, a more recent study provides differing results. Boer et al. (2021) reveal that

social media use negatively impacts adolescents' satisfaction with their lives and happiness, and

they are likely to have emotional problems. These scholars also found that the intensity of using

this technology results in depressive symptoms as one fails to spend more time in offline

activities, which could boost their mental health.

Risk Factors for Social Media Use and Mental Health

Research has two viewpoints that emanate from the frequency of use that enables

understanding of social media use risk factors. According to Thorisdottir et al. (2019), active use

involves sharing pictures, chatting, and updating the status for a specific audience. It is also the

act of posting personal content. Research shows that the objective of these posts from an active

user's perspective is to gain "likes" (Thorisdottir et al., 2019, p. 3). Social media users also share

their content to attract comments from friends and followers. However, active use reflects an

individual's self-concept, thoughts, or words for initiating engagement with others (Thorisdottir

et al., 2019). The second viewpoint is passive use. Research confirms that it entails scrolling,

browsing, and looking at content without reacting to them (Thorisdottir et al., 2019). It is about

consuming information only. Active and passive use of social media is a risk factor for poor

mental health because they cause emotional distress (Thorisdottir et al., 2019). However, the
Mental Health among Adolescents 6

extent of the impacts differs, with average usage time acting as a determinant. Poor body image

is a risk to mental health among adolescent girls (Thorisdottir et al., 2019). These scholars find

that adolescents internalize unrealistic ideals and engage their peers in appearance comparisons,

where some develop low self-esteem if not acknowledged by online friends.

Moreover, active users use upward social comparisons, creating room for emotional

distress. People are likely to post positive content about and from their lives and downplay the

negative ones (Thorisdottir et al., 2019). The researchers further observed that these actions

result from feelings of helplessness, hopelessness, and guilt, all early signs of mental health

disorders. In another study, Craig et al. (2020) found that cyber security is a risk factor for using

social media when adolescents interact with online strangers with harmful intentions. According

to these scholars, engaging strangers is more pleasant than face-to-face communication, but its

downside is addictive behaviors. Cyberbullying exposes adolescents to aggression, impaired

social functioning, and social withdrawal (depression symptoms) (Craig et al., 2020). The online

attack makes a behavior seem acceptable. Insufficient adult monitoring of adolescents is another

risk factor for excessive social media use (Craig et al., 2020). These researchers add that it

includes negligence from parents, teachers, or family members, hence failure to address stress or

depression on time.

Academic Outcomes of Adolescents’ Social Media Use and Mental Health

Boer et al. (2021) propose a bidirectional pathway to social media use and underlying

behaviors related to mental health. Excessive use of platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and

Instagram significantly impacts students' academic performance. Boer et al. (2021) observed that

adolescents addicted to these platforms attach excess usefulness to the technology. As a result,

they perceive the online world as a social reality despite the heavy bias it portrays toward ideal
Mental Health among Adolescents 7

self-presentation (Boer et al., 2021). They are likely to perceive their peers as superior to

themselves. Concerning academic performance, adolescents with social media use issues view

their actions as the "most important activity," and abstaining from it could cause anxiety or stress

(Boer et al., 2021, p. 2). In the end, they replace schoolwork with online engagement hence

dismal academic performance due to minimal commitment to studies.

A recent study from Türel & Dokumaci (2022) links too much time spent on social media

to academic procrastination. These behaviors involve the needless postponement of school work

or tasks with specific deadlines. Adolescents who use social media more frequently procrastinate

academically by postponing getting ready for homework, term papers, or exams (Türel &

Dokumaci, 2022). These scholars also found that rescheduling academic work and preparations

result in anxiety about such actions. Adolescents with regular internet use behavior devote little

to no time to their academic responsibilities (Türel & Dokumaci, 2022). As a result, this study

affirms that technology and the internet decrease an individual’s academic performance due to

constant distractions.

Intervention and Prevention Strategies for Adolescents’ Social Media Use

Instead of social media causing mental health, it can act as a source for preventing these

disorders. The finding of O’Reilly et al. (2019) indicate that adolescents successfully use these

platforms to learn about mental illness, including promoting and implementing them. However,

the authors advise users to be cautious with how they use online information. O’Reilly et al.

(2019) suggested that appropriate adult support (parents and teachers) makes the internet and

social media an educational tool for improving and preventing distress and anxiety from social

pressure. The scholar added that the intervention is effective for adolescents who rarely seek help

when feeling stressed, sad, or angry.

Treatment-based interventions can also address this healthcare problem. Abi-Jaoude et al.

(2020) recommend that clinicians treating adolescents with mental illness and those at higher

risks should advocate for harm-reduction approaches such as minimal use. According to this

study, advising users to abstain or refrain from these platforms may make them look for other

means that are hard to monitor. Furthermore, prolonged use of social media leads to poor mental

health (Abi-Jaoude et al., 2020). Another researched-based intervention is media literacy for

parents or guidance of adolescents. Sound appreciation creates a positive school and home

environment for girls with poor body image and perception (Abi-Jaoude et al., 2020. The

approach encourages self-acceptance, thus reducing depression, social isolation, and upward

comparison among adolescents.

Conclusion

Social media use is a problem that increases upward social comparisons where

adolescents prefer posting positive things about their lives. It also facilitates cyber-victimization,

affirming the adversity of issues arising from this technology (Türel & Dokumaci, 2022). Social

media provides a reliable source of mental health prevention and awareness. It gives adolescents

anonymity to express their feelings, search for information, and participate in community

initiatives (O’Reilly et al., 2019). However, internet help requires prior assessment of the sources

to show credibility and trustworthiness. Therefore, knowledge of good smartphones and internet

use, parental support, and appreciation reduce mental health problems assisted with unhealthy

social media use routines.

References

Abi-Jaoude, E., Naylor, K. T., & Pignatiello, A. (2020). Smartphones, social media use and

youth mental health. Canadian Medical Association Journal, 192(6), E136-E141.

https://doi.org/10.1503/cmaj.190434

Boer, M., Stevens, G. W., Finkenauer, C., de Looze, M. E., & van den Eijnden, R. J. (2021).

Social media use intensity, social media use problems, and mental health among

adolescents: Investigating directionality and mediating processes. Computers in Human

Behavior, 116, 1-17. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2020.106645

Bozzola, E., Spina, G., Ruggiero, M., Vecchio, D., Caruso, C., Bozzola, M., Staiano, A.,

Agostiniani, R., Del Vecchio, A., Banderali, G., Peroni, D., Chiara, A., Memo, L., Tura,

R., Corsello, G., & Villani, A. (2019). Media use during adolescence: The

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https://doi.org/10.1186/s13052-019-0725-8

Coyne, S. M., Rogers, A. A., Zurcher, J. D., Stockdale, L., & Booth, M. (2020). Does time spent

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Craig, W., Boniel-Nissim, M., King, N., Walsh, S. D., Boer, M., Donnelly, P. D., Harel-Fisch, Y.

Malinowska-Cieślik, M., de Matos, M, G., Cosma, A., den Eijnden, R., Vieno, A., Elgar,

F. J., Molcho, M., Bjereld, Y., & Pickett, W. (2020). Social media use and cyber-

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Jensen, M., George, M. J., Russell, M. R., & Odgers, C. L. (2019). Young adolescents’ digital

technology use and mental health symptoms: Little evidence of longitudinal or daily
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linkages. Clinical Psychological Science, 7(6), 1416-1433.

https://doi.org/10.1177/2167702619859336

O’Reilly, M., Dogra, N., Hughes, J., Reilly, P., George, R., & Whiteman, N. (2019). Potential of

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Orben, A., Tomova, L., & Blakemore, S. J. (2020). The effects of social deprivation on

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634-640. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2352-4642(20)30186-3

Thorisdottir, I. E., Sigurvinsdottir, R., Asgeirsdottir, B. B., Allegrante, J. P., & Sigfusdottir, I. D.

(2019). Active and passive social media use and symptoms of anxiety and depressed

mood among Icelandic adolescents. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social

Networking, 22(8), 535-542. https://doi.org/10.1089/cyber.2019.0079

Türel, Y. K., & Dokumaci, O. (2022). Use of media and technology, academic procrastination,

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