Stay up to date with notifications from The IndependentNotifications can be managed in browser preferences.Jump to contentThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged inAllNewsSportCultureLifestyleThe public discourse often links rising youth mental health problems to increased social media use, but scientific evidence on this correlation is mixed and inconsistent. While some studies report negative effects of social media on teenagers, particularly girls, others provide evidence of positive outcomes or no significant impact. New research, using specification curve analysis on nearly 3,000 Irish teenagers, found a link between time spent on social media and poorer health outcomes. However, this study concluded that the strength of these associations is small, with social media being one of the least powerful predictors of adolescent health compared to factors like school safety or parental support. The findings challenge the popular narrative that social media is the primary cause of mental health issues, suggesting interventions should instead focus on safe school environments, family support, and tackling bullying. In fullDoes social media impact mental health? Here’s what the evidence saysThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in
What we actually know about youth mental health and social media use
Stay up to date with notifications from The IndependentNotifications can be managed in browser preferences.Jump to contentThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged inAllNewsSportCultureLifestyleThe public discourse often links rising youth mental health problems to increased social media use, but scientific evidence on this correlation is mixed and inconsistent. While some studies report negative effects of social media on teenagers, particularly girls, others provide evidence of positive outcomes or no significant impact. New research, using specification curve analysis on nearly 3,000 Irish teenagers, found a link between time spent on social media and poorer health outcomes. However, this study concluded that the strength of these associations is small, with social media being one of the least powerful predictors of adolescent health compared to factors like school safety or parental support. The findings challenge the popular narrative that social media is the primary cause of mental health issues, suggesting interventions should instead focus on safe school environments, family support, and tackling bullying. In fullDoes social media impact mental health? Here’s what the evidence saysThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in
