Social Media and Adolescent Mental Health: A Practical Approach

Abstract The vast majority of youth use social media, which plays an important role in the lives of adolescents. Concerns around social media and mental health closely follow a previous pattern of concerns and cross-sectional studies that examined internet use and mental health. Social media and mental health study findings can be sorted into 3 categories: negative association, no population-level association, and a more complex association. Several critical mechanisms can be applied to understand the risks and benefits of social media for adolescents. Mechanisms explaining negative outcomes include problematic internet use (PIU) and exposure to negative content or experiences. Mechanisms to explain positive outcomes include social support, identity development, learning, and civic engagement. Screening for PIU and social media use with validated instruments and nonjudgmental approaches is critical. Prevention and management include ongoing communication and providing resources for families. In summary, population-level concerns about social media and adolescent health are not scientifically supported. However, pediatricians are charged with caring for individual adolescents who may experience a variety of positive and negative outcomes from their social media use that pediatricians can positively impact through communication and resources.