Social Media: A Help or a Hindrance to Adolescent Mental Health?

By Christine Morin, COTA/L

The rise of technology has led to an increase in the amount of time children spend accessing social media. Social media is an online interactive space where users can create and share content. Commonly used social media include video games, text messaging, and social networks such as Facebook or Twitter. This might sound like a great tool for many, however there has been discussion in the media that has claimed social media is risky for adolescents. Children in the adolescent stage, between ages 10-19, are growing up spending hours a day accessing social media sites. Adolescence is a vulnerable stage for many and with the added social pressures of the Internet, children have the potential to experience low self-esteem and depressive symptoms from use. 

In Netflix’s popular documentary, The Social Dilemma, NYU Professor Jonathan Haidt discusses the negative effects of social media on today’s teenagers:

Are These Claims Accurate?

As Haidt states, there is a growing risk for anxiety and depression in teenagers that use social media platforms, especially teenage girls. There has been research done that shows there is a difference in the effects of social media on each gender. Boys on social media were more likely to experience an increase in self-esteem whereas girls on social media were more likely to experience lower self-esteem and higher levels of depression (Blomfield-Neira and Barber, 2013). Although research shows girls are primarily at risk for the negative effects of social media, it is important to note that any individual can share a similar, negative experience.

Signs of Depression in Children

  • Behavioral issues in school
  • Low energy levels
  • Lack of interest in previously enjoyed activities
  • Change in eating or sleeping habits

Signs of Anxiety in Children

  • Refusal to engage in activities
  • Fear of the future
  • Avoidance of social situations
  • Constant worry

Is This a Sign of the Times?

Tufts University released this informational video addressing the concern over what can be called the ‘Digital Depression’:

In this clip, Dr. Nassir Ghaemi suggests that the reason why adolescents have been experiencing higher depression and suicide rates is because of the increase in social media use in today’s society. Consider this, approximately 86% of adolescents have devices with Internet access directly in their room (Woods & Scott, 2016). This is a major difference from generations in the past. This direct access to social media not only is likely to result in poor sleep habits but also encourages an emotional attachment with feeling connected to others. This emotional attachment has been linked to lower levels of self-esteem and higher levels of depression and anxiety (Woods & Scott, 2016). Today’s adolescents are growing up with an unhealthy dependance on technology. 

What About Social Media Can Create a Negative Experience?

In the video above, student Katanu Mbevi states in a TED talk that social media exposure at a young age has the potential to cause insecurity due to constant comparison, the fear of missing out, and the currency of likes. Previous studies have found that increasing levels of social media correlated to an increase in personal body concerns (Tiggemann & Slater, 2013). This is because, as Mbevi stated, it is easy to get trapped into comparing yourself to another individual’s best moments. Individuals are more likely to share favorable posts to the Internet which can mislead young viewers into an unrealistic comparison. 

Healthy Social Media Habits for Families

Since today’s generation is growing up with increased access to social media, it is worth staying up to date with the evolving recommendations from healthcare professionals. Nurse practitioner Maggie R. Guinta and Columbia University Associate Professor Rita M. John have published these following recommendations in the Pediatric Nursing Journal for parents, teachers, healthcare providers, and other supportive individuals:

Create a family media plan- When social media is overused, it can take away from beneficial daily activities such as face-to-face interaction with others, outdoor play, physical activity, and sleep. Using the American Academy of Pediatrics Family Media Plan, you can create a healthy balance between online time and offline time. Click here for more information.

Model appropriate social media use- Because many adults are connected to social media just as much as the adolescent population, it is important to model appropriate usage. Challenge yourself to limit your own time online. This is likely to increase household interaction among each other. 

Encourage healthy sleep habits- Previous studies have shown that social media use before bed results in poorer sleep habits such as going to bed later, having a hard time falling asleep, and waking up earlier (Woods & Scott, 2016). To prevent this, consider limiting screen time at least 30 minutes before bedtime.

Have conversations about content- Many adolescents face the negative effects of social media because of improper use. Individuals can experience issues about privacy concerns, sexting, and cyberbullying. For example, Adolescents might not understand the severity of telling strangers where they live or the name of the school they go to. Furthermore, there are also dangers within the interactions made with familiar classmates. Approximately 18%-28% of adolescents have engaged in sending sexual content to other peers (Guinta & John, 2018). This information is likely to become distributed rapidly without the original sender’s permission. The speed of information and opportunity to remain anonymous provides children with the opportunity to partake in and be a victim of cyberbullying. It is valuable to discuss social boundaries regarding Internet use. If these boundaries are crossed, it is recommended that the adolescent is stripped of that particular social media. 

References

Blomfield-Neira, C. J., & Barber, B. L. (2013). Social networking site use: Linked to adolescents’ social self-concept, self-esteem, and depressed mood. Australian Journal of Psychology, 66(1), 56-64. doi:10.1111/ajpy.12034

Guinta, M. R., & John, R. M. (2018). Social media and adolescent health. Pediatric Nursing Journal, 44(4), 196-201.

Ross, P. (Producer). (2020). The social dilemma – Influence of social media on teen depression and behavior [Video file]. United States: Netflix. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ui0UNXsEGJ8

TEDx Talks (Director). (2020, January 14). Impact of Social Media on Youth | Katanu Mbevi TEDxYouth@BrookhouseSchool [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=soHn6t_jjIw

Tiggemann, M., & Slater, A. (2013). NetGirls: The Internet, Facebook, and body image concern in adolescent girls. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 46(6), 630-633. doi:10.1002/eat.22141

Tufts University (Producer). (2020, February 25). Social Media Depression [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffbur3in1Jc&feature=youtu.be

Woods, H. C., & Scott, H. (2016). #Sleepyteens: Social media use in adolescence is associated with poor sleep quality, anxiety, depression and low self-esteem. Journal of Adolescence, 51, 41-49. doi:10.1016/j.adolescence.2016.05.008