Social Media and Youth Mental Health
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Abstract
Youth engagement in SMU has increased dramatically in recent years, concurrent with increases in prevalence of depression and anxiety. The relationship between SMU and mental illness is complex and depends on characteristics of the user (e.g., social comparison and fear of missing out (FOMO) and their SM habits and experiences (e.g., cyberbullying, and sexting,). SM engagement has distinct impacts on anxiety, depression, and suicidality. Growing evidence documents how SM may be a medium for psychiatric contagion. Research findings are largely correlational and dependent on subjective report, limiting their interpretation. The mental health of youth is increasingly tied to their SMU, depending greatly on how youth engage with SM and resultant feedback. Future research must look to establish causality in relationships between SM and mental illness.