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Association of Social Media Use With Social Well-Being, Positive Mental Health, and Self-Rated Health: Disentangling Routine Use From Emotional Connection to Use

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Association of Social Media Use With Social Well-Being, Positive Mental Health, and Self-Rated Health: Disentangling Routine Use From Emotional Connection to Use

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In this scholarly research article, Mesifi Bekalu, a research scientist at the T.H.Chan School of Public Health argues social media use can have both positive and negative effects on teens. Routine media use is positively associated with 3 health outcomes in the research:  social well-being, positive mental health , and self-related health.

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Are Depression and Social Media Usage Linked

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Are Depression and Social Media Usage Linked

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In this video by Banyan Treatment Centers, the creators argue that users who use social media are 2.7 times more likely to be depressed than those who do not use social media.

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Are Depression and Social Media Usage Linked?

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This article examines both positive and negative impacts when using social media.  It suggest that users take a step back from social media and turn off notifications.  Also, it suggests that we should spend more time with family and friends.

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Social Media: Friend or Foe? - There has been much debate about the use of social media and mental health issues among young people. https://t.co/ZtmvxAHiQq #socialmedia #mentalhealth #durham #durhammagazine #socialhealth #social #facebook #instagram #t…

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Social Media: Friend or Foe? - There has been much debate about the use of social media and mental health issues among young people. https://t.co/ZtmvxAHiQq #socialmedia #mentalhealth #durham #durhammagazine #socialhealth #social #facebook #instagram #t… https://t.co/wnHJ20lwgl

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Social Media: Friend or Foe? - There has been much debate about the use of social media and mental health issues among young people. https://t.co/ZtmvxAHiQq #socialmedia #mentalhealth #durham #durhammagazine #socialhealth #social #facebook #instagram #t… pic.twitter.com/wnHJ20lwgl
— Consett Magazine (@ConsettMagazine) April 26, 2019

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Social Media: Friend or Foe? - There has been much debate about the use of social media and mental health issues among young people. https://t.co/ZtmvxAHiQq #socialmedia #mentalhealth #durham #durhammagazine #socialhealth #social #facebook #instagram #t… https://t.co/wnHJ20lwgl

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Social Media: Friend or Foe? - There has been much debate about the use of social media and mental health issues among young people. https://t.co/ZtmvxAHiQq #socialmedia #mentalhealth #durham #durhammagazine #socialhealth #social #facebook #instagram #t… https://t.co/wnHJ20lwgl

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Social Media: Friend or Foe? - There has been much debate about the use of social media and mental health issues among young people. https://t.co/ZtmvxAHiQq #socialmedia #mentalhealth #durham #durhammagazine #socialhealth #social #facebook #instagram #t…

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Child Mind Institute: Does Social Media Cause Depression?

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Child Mind Institute: Does Social Media Cause Depression?

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Child Mind Institute is a non profit that works with families and children struggling with mental illness. The organization has three commitments:
1.  "Give children and adolescents access to the best, most effective  clinical care when and where they need it most."
2. "Advance the science of developing the brain to improve diagnosis and treatment."
3. "Provide useful, accurate information that empowers families and communities  to get help."

The article's central focus is investigating the relationship between growing teen use of Instagram and Facebook and increases in teen depression.  The article suggests that increased use of the social media sites leads to increases in rates of depression.  Relationships built through social media are less emotionally satisfying in teens who do not already maintain strong face to face relationships.

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Does Social Media Use Cause Depression? - Child Mind Institute

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Is using social media making our kids unhappy? Evidence is mounting that there is a link between social media and depression. How Instagram and Facebook may be negatively affecting teenagers and young adults.

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Social Media Use Among Adolescents: Benefits and Risk

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Social Media Use Among Adolescents: Benefits and Risk

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In this review of literature by Dana Reid and Paul Weigle looks at what researchers have determined to be the benefits and risk of teen social media use. Benefits include avenues for teens to practice social skills, demonstrate creativity and sharing creations with others.  Negative effects include cyber-bullying and teen sexting.

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Tech and Social Media-Houston Council on Alcohol and Drugs

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Tech and Social Media-Houston Council on Alcohol and Drugs

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This Power Point presentation is  geared to address parent concerns  for teens examining social media use by teens and the dangers they may face.  This presentation is statistically heavy when examining parent concerns and electronics by teens.

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Positive Impacts for Teens Tech Use - National Association of Independent Schools

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Positive Impacts for Teens Tech Use - National Association of Independent Schools

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In this graphic, the majority of parents surveyed argue that tech use for teens connects their children to friends and family, connects their child to information and helps their child to be more independent.

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Teens, Social Media and Technology 2018 - Pew Research Center

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Teens, Social Media and Technology 2018 - Pew Research Center

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Based on the 2018 teen social media use survey suggest that while teen smartphone ownership and social media use has increased, teens have mixed views on the impacts of social media.

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Pew Research Center: Internet, Science & Tech

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(Drew Angerer/Getty Images News via Getty Images)

For the latest survey data on social media and tech use among teens, see "Teens, Social Media, and Technology 2022."
Until recently, Facebook
had dominated the social media landscape among America's youth - but it is no longer the most popular online platform among teens, according to a new Pew Research Center survey. Today, roughly half (51%) of U.S. teens ages 13 to 17 say they use Facebook, notably lower than the shares who use YouTube, Instagram or Snapchat.

This shift in teens' social media use is just one example of how the technology landscape for young people has evolved since the Center's last survey of teens and technology use in 2014-2015. Most notably, smartphone ownership has become a nearly ubiquitous element of teen life: 95% of teens now report they have a smartphone or access to one. These mobile connections are in turn fueling more-persistent online activities: 45% of teens now say they are online on a near-constant basis.

The survey also finds there is no clear consensus among teens about the effect that social media has on the lives of young people today. Minorities of teens describe that effect as mostly positive (31%) or mostly negative (24%), but the largest share (45%) says that effect has been neither positive nor negative.

These are some of the main findings from the Center's survey of U.S. teens conducted March 7-April 10, 2018. Throughout the report, "teens" refers to those ages 13 to 17.

Facebook is no longer the dominant online platform among teens

The social media landscape in which teens reside looks markedly different than it did as recently as three years ago. In the Center's 2014-2015 survey of teen social media use, 71% of teens reported being Facebook users. No other platform was used by a clear majority of teens at the time: Around half (52%) of teens said they used Instagram, while 41% reported using Snapchat.

In 2018, three online platforms other than Facebook - YouTube, Instagram and Snapchat - are used by sizable majorities of this age group. Meanwhile, 51% of teens now say they use Facebook. The shares of teens who use Twitter and Tumblr are largely comparable to the shares who did so in the 2014-2015 survey.

For the most part, teens tend to use similar platforms regardless of their demographic characteristics, but there are exceptions. Notably, lower-income teens are more likely to gravitate toward Facebook than those from higher-income households - a trend consistent with previous Center surveys. Seven-in-ten teens living in households earning less than $30,000 a year say they use Facebook, compared with 36% whose annual family income is $75,000 or more. (For details on social media platform use by different demographic groups, see Appendix A.)

It is important to note there were some changes in question wording between Pew Research Center's 2014-2015 and 2018 surveys of teen social media use. YouTube and Reddit were not included as options in the 2014-2015 survey but were included in the current survey. In addition, the 2014-2015 survey required respondents to provide an explicit response for whether or not they used each platform, while the 2018 survey presented respondents with a list of sites and allowed them to select the ones they use. Even so, it is clear the social media environment today revolves less around a single platform than it did three years ago.

When it comes to which one of these online platforms teens use the most, roughly one-third say they visit Snapchat (35%) or YouTube (32%) most often, while 15% say the same of Instagram. By comparison, 10% of teens say Facebook is their most-used online platform, and even fewer cite Twitter, Reddit or Tumblr as the site they visit most often.

Again, lower-income teens are far more likely than those from higher income households to say Facebook is the online platform they use most often (22% vs. 4%). There are also some differences related to gender and to race and ethnicity when it comes to teens' most-used sites. Girls are more likely than boys to say Snapchat is the site they use most often (42% vs. 29%), while boys are more inclined than girls to identify YouTube as their go-to platform (39% vs. 25%). Additionally, white teens (41%) are more likely than Hispanic (29%) or black (23%) teens to say Snapchat is the online platform they use most often, while black teens are more likely than whites to identify Facebook as their most used site (26% vs. 7%).

Despite the nearly ubiquitous presence of social media in their lives, there is no clear consensus among teens about these platforms' ultimate impact on people their age. A plurality of teens (45%) believe social media has a neither positive nor negative effect on people their age. Meanwhile, roughly three-in-ten teens (31%) say social media has had a mostly positive impact, while 24% describe its effect as mostly negative.

Given the opportunity to explain their views in their own words, teens who say social media has had a mostly positive effect tended to stress issues related to connectivity and connection with others. Some 40% of these respondents said that social media has had a positive impact because it helps them keep in touch and interact with others. Many of these responses emphasize how social media has made it easier to communicate with family and friends and to connect with new people:

"I think social media have a positive effect because it lets you talk to family members far away." (Girl, age 14)

"I feel that social media can make people my age feel less lonely or alone. It creates a space where you can interact with people." (Girl, age 15)

"It enables people to connect with friends easily and be able to make new friends as well." (Boy, age 15)

Others in this group cite the greater access to news and information that social media facilitates (16%), or being able to connect with people who share similar interests (15%):

"My mom had to get a ride to the library to get what I have in my hand all the time. She reminds me of that a lot." (Girl, age 14)

"It has given many kids my age an outlet to express their opinions and emotions, and connect with people who feel the same way." (Girl, age 15)

Smaller shares argue that social media is a good venue for entertainment (9%), that it offers a space for self-expression (7%) or that it allows teens to get support from others (5%) or to learn new things in general (4%).

"Because a lot of things created or made can spread joy." (Boy, age 17)

"[Social media] allows us to communicate freely and see what everyone else is doing. [It] gives us a voice that can reach many people." (Boy, age 15)

"We can connect easier with people from different places and we are more likely to ask for help through social media which can save people." (Girl, age 15)

There is slightly less consensus among teens who say social media has had a mostly negative effect on people their age. The top response (mentioned by 27% of these teens) is that social media has led to more bullying and the overall spread of rumors.

"Gives people a bigger audience to speak and teach hate and belittle each other." (Boy, age 13)

"People can say whatever they want with anonymity and I think that has a negative impact." (Boy, age 15)

"Because teens are killing people all because of the things they see on social media or because of the things that happened on social media." (Girl, age 14)

Meanwhile, 17% of these respondents feel these platforms harm relationships and result in less meaningful human interactions. Similar shares think social media distorts reality and gives teens an unrealistic view of other people's lives (15%), or that teens spend too much time on social media (14%).

"It has a negative impact on social (in-person) interactions." (Boy, age 17)

"It makes it harder for people to socialize in real life, because they become accustomed to not interacting with people in person." (Girl, age 15)

"It provides a fake image of someone's life. It sometimes makes me feel that their life is perfect when it is not." (Girl, age 15)

"[Teens] would rather go scrolling on their phones instead of doing their homework, and it's so easy to do so. It's just a huge distraction." (Boy, age 17)

Another 12% criticize social media for influencing teens to give in to peer pressure, while smaller shares express concerns that these sites could lead to psychological issues or drama.

Vast majority of teens have access to a home computer or smartphone

Some 95% of teens now say they have or have access to a smartphone, which represents a 22-percentage-point increase from the 73% of teens who said this in 2014-2015. Smartphone ownership is nearly universal among teens of different genders, races and ethnicities and socioeconomic backgrounds.

A more nuanced story emerges when it comes to teens' access to computers. While 88% of teens report having access to a desktop or laptop computer at home, access varies greatly by income level. Fully 96% of teens from households with an annual income of $75,000 or more per year say they have access to a computer at home, but that share falls to 75% among those from households earning less than $30,000 a year.

Computer access also varies by the level of education among parents. Teens who have a parent with a bachelor's degree or more are more likely to say they have access to a computer than teens whose parents have a high school diploma or less (94% vs. 78%).

As smartphone access has become more prevalent, a growing share of teens now report using the internet on a near-constant basis. Some 45% of teens say they use the internet "almost constantly," a figure that has nearly doubled from the 24% who said this in the 2014-2015 survey. Another 44% say they go online several times a day, meaning roughly nine-in-ten teens go online at least multiple times per day.

There are some differences in teens' frequency of internet use by gender, as well as race and ethnicity. Half of teenage girls (50%) are near-constant online users, compared with 39% of teenage boys. And Hispanic teens are more likely than whites to report using the internet almost constantly (54% vs. 41%).

A majority of both boys and girls play video games, but gaming is nearly universal for boys

Overall, 84% of teens say they have or have access to a game console at home, and 90% say they play video games of any kind (whether on a computer, game console or cellphone). While a substantial majority of girls report having access to a game console at home (75%) or playing video games in general (83%), those shares are even higher among boys. Roughly nine-in-ten boys (92%) have or have access to a game console at home, and 97% say they play video games in some form or fashion.

There has been growth in game console ownership among Hispanic teens and teens from lower-income families since the Center's previous study of the teen technology landscape in 2014-2015. The share of Hispanics who say they have access to a game console at home grew by 10 percentage points during this time period. And 85% of teens from households earning less than $30,000 a year now say they have a game console at home, up from 67% in 2014-2015.

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YouTube, Instagram and Snapchat are the most popular online platforms among teenagers.

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Surprising Ways Teens Benefit from Social Media - Verywell Family

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Surprising Ways Teens Benefit from Social Media - Verywell Family

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This article examines the numerous benefits of social media use by teens. Some benefits include social media as a source of authentic support, social media as a platform to develop an online presences to attract colleges and employers, and social media as an avenue of expression.

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Almost every day there are reports of cyberbullying in the news. Combine this with the fact that victims of cyberbullying often suffer significant consequences, and it is not surprising that most parents equate social media with something that is bad for kids.

And while it is important for parents to instill healthy habits surrounding social media use-including limiting and monitoring time online-it is also important to recognize that social media is not a bad thing. It only becomes a bad thing when people misuse it for bullying, public shaming, and rumor spreading. In fact, research shows there are numerous benefits to social media use.

Benefits of Social Media for Youth

While the overuse of electronics and social media can certainly be a problem, there are also numerous potential benefits of social media for youth, including the following:

Strengthening friendships

Motivating kids to do good

Reducing feelings of isolation

Becoming a source of support

Building a platform

Encouraging personal expression

Accessing information

Social Media Can Strengthen Friendships

There is no doubt that friendships are a key component of teen life. When kids have healthy friendships, they not only feel accepted for who they are, but they also feel more empowered and connected to the world around them. Friends also can speak truth into their lives and encourage them to explore their dreams.

What's more, research has shown that having at least one solid friendship can go a long way in preventing bullying. In fact, bullies often target teens that are alone or isolated. But teens that have a core group of friends often have a built-in layer of protection from bullying.

More than half of teens believe that social media helps their friendships.

According to a survey by Common Sense Media, 52% of teens felt that social media improved their friendships and only 4% felt it hurt them. Additionally, the study found that nearly 30% of social media users believe that social networking makes them feel more confident and outgoing.

Social Media Is a Vehicle for Doing Good

Whether teens are developing fundraisers or supporting an important cause, social media can help them make an impact in their communities. Some social movements have started when teens leveraged social media to build awareness for an issue.

Whether they make YouTube videos or develop Twitter campaigns, teens have more impact on the world around them because of social media. Moreover, their voices are being heard more frequently.

Social media also exposes kids to important issues all over the world, not just those in their communities. As a result, they realize that social media is a way for them to help and support people even from far away. They can instantaneously make an impact on things like hunger in Africa, preserving the rain forest, or providing educational tools for kids without resources.

Social Media Reduces Feelings of Isolation

While social media can make adults feel lonelier, researchers are finding the opposite may be true for teens. One study found that even though teens have fewer friends than teens did a decade ago, they still report feeling less lonely than their counterparts. They also report feeling less isolated. Researchers suggest that the difference is social media and technology.

As teens find their niche, they are becoming more individualistic and more extroverted and have higher self-esteem. This increased individuality makes teens more secure in existing friendships and reduces feelings of loneliness overall. This is especially true if those friendships are healthy.

This research also suggests that teens are developing stronger social skills due to social media use. As technology becomes a bigger part of everyday life, solid online communication skills are important. Through social media, teens learn how to navigate social networking sites and other methods of online communication. This makes them better communicators in an increasingly digital world.

Social Media Is a Source of Authentic Support

Years ago, if teens were interested in a quirky subject or were grappling with who they were as a person, they often felt marginalized and alone. Today, teens can connect with others that share similar interests, desires, and concerns. This connection helps them feel validated and secure in who they are.

Another way teens are finding support is through online communities. For instance, kids struggling with issues like drug addiction and eating disorders now can find help and support online without ever having to leave their homes. This is especially helpful for teens in small communities or rural areas where resources may be limited.

Teens experiencing suicide ideation can even get immediate access to quality online support. One example of online support occurred when a Reddit Minecraft community talked a teen out of suicide. Aside from posting positive comments and messages, more than 50 of the users used voice conferencing to persuade the teen not to go through with it. This is a perfect example of how social media and technology can benefit teens today.

If you are having suicidal thoughts, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 for support and assistance from a trained counselor. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911.

Social Media Can Build a Platform

Your teen can use social media to begin developing an online presence that can attract the attention of colleges and future employers. For instance, some teens make YouTube videos or write blog posts on topics they are passionate about.

A young teen who has a passion for reading and writing might publish book reviews or film videos with their thoughts, ideas, and comments. As their work gains traction online, they may even develop a following which could include authors, literary agents, and publishers.

Then, when this teen applies for college, they can reference their social media accounts on college applications. This work demonstrates their creativity and maturity, but also shows that they are a self-starter.

Building a platform on social media can open a lot of doors for teens and help them build a positive online reputation. It also can expose them to college scholarships, college networks, and even a future career. And it can change their perspective on social media. It's no longer just a place to post silly pictures or observe digital drama. It becomes a tool they can use to share their passions and eventually find a career path.​

Social Media Allows for Personal Expression

Digital technology is the perfect tool for channeling creativity and personal expression. Whether kids enjoy singing, writing, or acting, they can share these talents with the world around them. Kids who enjoy fashion, make-up trends, or craft projects also can express themselves online. Providing this avenue of self-expression is important for teens.

Research shows that there is a direct connection between self-expression and self-confidence. When kids are given avenues for being authentic and true to themselves, they become content with who they are and happier overall.

By contrast, when they do not have many opportunities to express themselves or they do not know people with the same passions or interests, they begin to wonder if there is something wrong with them. They also question why they are not like everyone else.

Social Media Is a Tool for Gathering Information

Social media has become a source of information and news for many teens. Once they begin social networking, they can follow just about anyone with a social media account. From authors and athletes to celebrities, chefs, nonprofit organizations, and magazines, they are connected to all sorts of information.

Teens also can gather information about issues that impact them or their friends. For instance, if they are concerned a friend might have an eating disorder or a drug addiction, they can gather information about it. Or, if they want to learn more about a presidential election, climate change, or even find new ways to eat healthily, they can do so on their social media accounts.

A Word From Verywell

Overall, social media does not have to be scary. Even though it can be exploited by kids who bully others, instilling good digital etiquette and maintaining an open dialogue about online safety can go a long way in keeping kids safe online.

As a parent, make sure you are nurturing the positive aspects of social media as well as discussing the dangers. By doing so, you will help your kids develop social media savvy, a skill that will ultimately help them in the years to come.

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Why Social Media Is More Than a Vehicle for Cyberbullying With Teens

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Parents often assume social media is a bad thing. But there are some surprising benefits to its use among teenagers. Here's what you need to know.

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Managing the Effects of Social Media on Teen Girls

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Managing the Effects of Social Media on Teen Girls

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In an article from the counseling department at Northwestern University, writers argue that social media disproportionately affects teen girls mental health more so than boys.

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Before they shower, brush their teeth, and eat breakfast, many teen girls start their mornings by reaching for their phones. On the way to school, they might scroll Instagram posts from classmates, share videos from their favorite TikTok creators, or respond to late-night texts from a group chat with their best friends.

These may seem like trivial interactions-although adults are guilty of their own digital obsessions-but for many teen girls, social media platforms have significant effects on their mental and emotional health.

Researchers who studied data on more than 10,000 adolescents found frequent social media use disproportionately affects teen girls' mental health more negatively than that of teen boys. While this may seem like a side effect of a generation addicted to their phones, the answer isn't as simple as logging off. Despite the harmful consequences, many teen girls continue to use these digital platforms out of fear of missing out, said Natasha Varela, director of child, adolescent, and family services and therapist at The Family Institute at Northwestern University.

"Teens often have an untouchable, carefree attitude," Varela said. "They know cyberbullying is possible, but they'll think, 'If it happens to me, I can handle it.'"

Counselors, parents, and other care providers can encourage teen girls to develop resilience and healthy habits while browsing online and leverage their social media use to contribute positively to their mental and physical health.

"Even if they act like they're not bothered by it, teens do want us to pay attention," Varela said. "They still want to be cared for."

The Landscape of Teen Social Media Use

Screen time is an increasingly pervasive way that people of all ages spend their day-to-day lives. A 2019 report from Common Sense Media calculated the use of screens by teens and tweens from ages 8 to 18 (not including for schoolwork or homework):
Tweens (8-12 years old)
4:44 hours per day
Teens (13-18 years old)
7:22 hours per day

According to the report, the vast majority of screen time for both age groups is spent watching TV and playing games, followed by browsing social media and other websites.

"A lot of that use is happening at night," Varela said. "It takes them away from getting enough sleep, which can be problematic for their development."

When scrolling through social media, teens are looking at various types of content, including posts from their friends and family members, content posted by celebrities and influencers, and targeted ads from brands and companies who sell products and services online.

When it comes to what they themselves are posting, boys and girls differ in the type of content they're putting out into the world and their emotional attachment to the content they are posting, Varela said.

While boys lean more toward sharing things that are funny or entertaining, "girls are really using social media to connect with other people," she said. "A lot of teens use this space to present themselves how they want to be seen, but there is a pressure for girls to be worried about others going to perceive them."

A 2018 report from Pew Research indicates that girls have noticeably different behaviors when using social media and are more likely than boys to post about their personal beliefs, feelings, and problems.
Go to a tabular version of the data at the bottom of the page for information about the topics teens post about on social media.

The Negative Effects of Social Media Use

While the long-term effects of an adolescence shaped by a constant online presence can't be fully known yet, several researchers have tracked the browsing habits of young children and teens to determine if potentially negative mental health outcomes are related to online activity behaviors.

Cyberbullying

Bullying has long been a source of psychological distress for adolescents. In a 2019 report from The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health on associations between social media use and mental health and well-being, researchers found cyberbullying and lack of sleep accounted for 60 percent of the connection between social media and psychological distress. For girls, social media use was inversely proportional to well-being.

Authors of the study also suggested that effects of social media use are due mostly to what screen time takes teens away from: sleep and exercise.According to the report, "interventions to promote mental health should include efforts to prevent or increase resilience to cyberbullying and ensure adequate sleep and physical activity in young people."

"It's hard to admit when it becomes a problem, because there's pressure to go along with what their peers are doing" Varela said.

Depression

In a 2017 study published in Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, researchers found two types of reciprocal, depressive cycles related to using the social media platform Instagram: browsing and posting.

Instagram browsing was related to increases in adolescents' depressed mood. Similarly, a teen's initial depressed mood was also related to increases in Instagram posting. This makes for a painful cycle: The more you browse, the more depressed you are; the more depressed you are, the more you post.

According to the study, both cycles were similar for boys and girls and suggest the need for more research.

A 2019 cross-sectional study on teen suicide rates from 1975 to 2016 in JAMA Network Open shows the largest percentage increases in girls ages 10 to 14.

In invited commentary on the JAMA Network Open study, authors suggest that stress from social media could be a common factor associated with suicide attempts. They acknowledge that "this study was not designed ... to investigate what the sources of increasing suicide rates in youth more generally are or, even further, why these rates are increasing so rapidly in girls aged 10 to 14 years. ... [however], there has been speculation and some empirical data to suggest that the rise of social media use in youth is one factor that may be associated with increased suicidality." Authors of this commentary go on to cite several studies that reveal more about girls' social media use, including that "girls use social media more frequently and are more likely to experience cyberbullying."

When negative behaviors go unaddressed, Varela said the consequences can include "self-harm, feelings of hopelessness, suicidal ideation, and potential for wanting to harm others."

Negative Body Image

A 2017 study of adolescents' responses to social media browsing shows that negative self-comparison predicted immediate effect on emotions after browsing others' social profiles.

Researchers also stated that subjects' awareness of social media's curated nature and unrealistic highlight reels can be a helpful protective factor for teens in understanding the difference between reality and expectations.

"External pressure is emphasized more with girls," Varela said. "There's an imbalance in the pressure on them to look a certain way."

How to Build Healthy Habits on Social Media

If teens know that cyberbullying is a guaranteed part of the online experience, why not just sign off?

"There's a pressure to join in on something negative that's going on and a desire to appear a certain way to their peers," Varela said.

She said the best way to address these pressures is with self-reflection and thoughtful intention.

Varela said that when teens think more intentionally about what they're doing before they post online, they are less likely to share things they regret or that will harm others.

Counseling Teens on Social Media Use

It's OK for teens to spend time online. Creating an online presence is part of forming their identity, building social skills, and learning about the world on their own terms

"Teens are often moody and resistant," Varela said. "There's a baseline, and then there's behavior that is clinically significant."

Completely banning social media use can create rebellious and fear-based behavior while falsely instilling the idea that social media has only negative outcomes, she added. Many teens may find that it helps with social isolation, self-expression, and human connections. Instead of forbidding screen time, parents and adults can talk to teens about optimizing technology to benefit their lives.

"Counselors have an obligation to talk to clients about what their social media use is," Varela said. That includes assessing their habits, unpacking their emotions related to online behavior, and providing them with strategies for responding.

Balancing Social Isolation with Social Anxiety

Social anxiety is a key reason why young people compulsively scroll through social media apps. Seeing what others are doing, posting, saying or creating online is a means of keeping up with social groups, but it can also have detrimental effects that compound upon the negative effects of social isolation.

"Even though social media keeps us connected it's not quite the same," Varela said. "Teens are still feeling trapped and isolated."

Varela said many teen girls who have started attending a new school during the pandemic are struggling to make new connections with peers that would normally happen in person. By relying on social media for connections, girls have increased pressure to think about how peers will perceive them or judge them online.

Additionally, negative mental health outcomes such as anxiety, depression, dissociation and disrupted sleep can begin to manifest physically. Below, Varela describes several strategies for practicing mindfulness as a means of managing screen use.

"Just like if your computer is on all day without being recharged, your brain is going to shut down without any replenishment," Varela said. "We need time to rest and recharge."

Parents can play an important role in making sure their teens have the right support and resources to manage the mental health effects of social media and screen use.

"It's important to teach them about making choices and using soft discipline to set the right limits," Varela said. "Open communication can help parents be accessible to kids if something is troubling them."

Many teens have had to make difficult choices about who they want to stay connected to because of insensitive posts related to breaking public health restrictions, racial injustice and other social issues at the forefront of social media discussions. Varela said she encourages parents to offer compassion and empathy for teens' decisions.

She described several ways parents and other adults can model healthy relationships with social media and screens.

"A healthy use of screen time is something you do to fill in gaps of activities that are priorities," Varela said.

She suggested parents and teens think about what their priorities are and identify what they actually want to spend their time doing-pursuing hobbies, school work, exercising, family time, socializing, rest, exercise-and consider whether phones and social media are taking away from those priorities.

"Is it taking you away from what you actually care about?" Varela said. Re-imagining how to spend time during social isolation can be a pivotal opportunity to create a healthier lifestyle and lead to better mental health outcomes.

Resources for Further Reading

The following section includes tabular data from the graphic in the post.

Topics Teens Post About on Social Media

Source: Pew Research Center. (2018). Teens' social media habits and experiences.
Back to graphic. Citation for this content: Counseling@Northwestern, the Online Master of Arts in Counseling Program from The Family Institute at Northwestern University

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Managing the Effects of Social Media on Teen Girls

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Frequent social media use has been found to disproportionately impact teen girls' mental health more negatively than teen boys. Mental health outcomes include cyberbullying, lack of sleep and negative self-image.

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The Positive effects of Social Media on Teens - Family Insight

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The Positive effects of Social Media on Teens - Family Insight

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"Family Insights, is a cyber safety platform utilizing advanced behavioral analysis combined with evidence-based educational resources to help keep children safe online and their parents informed of their children’s online habits." This blog argues the positive effects of social media such as spreading kindness, social awareness, teaches teenagers proper digital discourse and allows teens to build and extend their identities.

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Childern and techSocial media has become interwoven into the fabric of contemporary adolescence. Young people rely heavily on social media for communication, interaction, and the dissemination of information.

Use of social media amongst adolescent children is evolving at an unprecedented pace, and with potential implications for their wellbeing. To understand these implications, there needs to be wider collective awareness of the different types and uses of social networking sites, their impacts on the wellbeing of teenagers, and an understanding of the opportunities made available by them. While conversations surrounding social media and teenagers tend to veer into negative territory, it's also worthwhile considering the many positive effects of social media on teenagers.

68% of teenagers claim that social media provides them with support during difficult times

46% of teenage girls agree that social media empowers them to speak out about the things they care about

83% of teenagers say that social media makes them feel more connected to their friends

Are you aware of how social media is affecting the mind of your children? Download our FREE eBook, 'How Social Media Affects Young Minds: A Guide For Modern Parents'.
"I am optimistic about what smartphones and social media can do for people. I am thrilled to see kids learning on smartphones, doctors using apps to diagnose diseases, and marginalized groups such as gay and lesbian students finding support they never had before through social networks." - Melinda Gates.

1. Spreading Kindness & Social Awareness

A teenager's desire to discover new information, explore new ideas, express themselves, and be interconnected has a profound impact on their social media engagement. They use various social networking sites, especially Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, as a way of giving voice to the voiceless. They can do this through starting awareness pages for minority groups, or advocating equal rights through posting or sharing supportive messages. Social media is a great platform upon which teenagers can begin to champion their own rights, and the rights of others. In fact, a report into youth mental health actively recommended use of "online initiatives to improve access, appeal, and affordability of mental health services", and collaborative online initiatives can play a major role in supporting children who are engaging in suicidal ideation.

2. Educational Benefits

Teenagers use social media platforms such as Facebook in order to complete collaborative assignments. It provides a space for them to share and discuss ideas, plan and delegate tasks, and upload and provide feedback on completed works. Also, social media itself can actually be an educational resource - with social networking sites such as YouTube and Wikipedia being heavily referenced as a source of information. Finally, sites like YouTube have an endless supply of educational videos that help teenagers to develop or refine various skills, such as cooking, fixing household items, or speaking other languages. Some YouTube videos also provide objective overviews of important contemporary issues that can help teenagers to become engaged and make informed decisions.

3. Real World Skills

Through using social networking sites, teenagers learn to confidently interact in a range of different social contexts online, which is essential to their digital development. Engaging with different people in various different environments over the internet strengthens online proficiency and gives teenagers an understanding of appropriate digital discourse. During adolescence, children are being prepared for tertiary education and their eventual integration into the workforce, and this requires a strong understanding of responsible online behaviours and an ability to constructively contribute within a collaborative online space.

4. Enhancing Creativity

Social media refers to online services that enable users to connect with other users, and create and share content. One of the positive effects of social media on teenagers is that it encourages them to think outside of the box and exercise creativity in how they engage with their audience and friends. Furthermore, given that they make up the vast majority of people using social networking sites, teenagers are at the forefront of moulding the future of social media.

5. Confidence & Independence

Engaging on social networking sites can be a new adventure for young people. It is like exploring a new place where different skills are needed. Young people learn to mould their character to be more confident and independent in order to be heard or have a positive online presence. This eventually transfers to their daily lives.

6. Interconnectivity & Identity

Social media is capable of building and extending teenagers' personal and collective identities. During adolescence, teenagers have access to newfound independence, and begin to form and experiment with new identities. Social media provides them with the necessary freedom to self-discover through trial and error. In the online world, teenagers feel safe seeking support for issues they wouldn't otherwise feel comfortable discussing, such as mental health, sexuality, and reproductive health. Today's youth rely on social media in order to raise and spread awareness, share in their experiences, and combat stigma. Teenagers who are able to be vulnerable online can establish relationships that are based on mutual trust and empathy, which can have truly positive effects on their health and wellbeing.

7. Tolerance & Diversity

Social media not only allows but encourages teenagers to connect with other teenagers from different cultural, lingual, religious, and ethnic backgrounds - and explore a range of diverse ideas. This broadens teenagers' scope of reference and teaches them tolerance.

Since its inception, social media has been the topic of contentious debate. While its popularity and prevalence has only grown, many are still dubious about its overall value to society, and to young people in particular. Yet, for some reason, teenagers themselves are often left out of the conversation about the positive effects social media can have in their life. However, contrary to popular belief...

Social media does not make all teenagers feel worse about their own lives

The majority of teenagers do not feel pressured to post images or content on social media that makes their life look good to other people

Most teenagers do see social media as a positive space that provides them with comfort and support

Social media is a space that's powered by people, and can, therefore, echo people's very best intentions, as well as their very worst; those who seek to hurt others are emboldened by the internet, yet the same can be said for those who seek only to help others. So, while there are risks associated with it, there are also numerous positive effects of social media on teenagers, and - with vigilant risk management and ongoing support and education - social media can be a fun, educational, and safe space for our children and teenagers.

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The Positive Effects Of Social Media On Teenagers

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Childern and techSocial media has become interwoven into the fabric of contemporary adolescence. Young people rely heavily on social media for communication, interaction, and the dissemination of information. Use of social media amongst adolescent children is evolving at an unprecedented pace, and with potential implications for their wellbeing.

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Examples of the Positive Impact of Social Media (Smart Social)

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Examples of the Positive Impact of Social Media (Smart Social)

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In this webinar/video from Smart Social, John Ochs discusses the positive impacts of teen social media use.  Examples include using social media to make teens experts when using older people how to use social media,  promotes the development of  positive digital footprints by creating portfolios and art to express themselves. Multiple examples of positive social media use for teens are discussed.

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Examples of the Positive Impact of Social Media (Smart Social)

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63% of parents say teens' social media use has increased during COVID-19

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63% of parents say teens' social media use has increased during COVID-19

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In this article from tech republic, parents express concerns over increased social media use by teens during Covid 19.  Based on a survey of 3,000 respondents, 58% of parents believe social media has a negative impact on their children.

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TechRepublic Premium was at Confluent's Current 2023 event, held in San Jose, California, September 26-27. Our coverage of the event comprises an analysis of data streaming, interviews, the role of stream governance and a look at Apache Flink. From the download: Confluent used the Current 2023 'next generation of Kafka Summit' event in San Jose ...

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TechRepublic Premium was at Confluent's Current 2023 event, held in San Jose, California, September 26-27. Our coverage of the event comprises an analysis of data streaming, interviews, the role of stream governance and a look at Apache Flink. From the download: Confluent used the Current 2023 'next generation of Kafka Summit' event in San Jose ...

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Teens, Social Media And The Illusion Of Perfection

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Teens, Social Media And The Illusion Of Perfection

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In this blog, posted on Twitter, written by Anna Kaminsky, teens are more vulnerable when using social media because of the need to gain peer validation. By comparing themselves to others, self- doubt grows.

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The Positive and Negative Impact of Social Media on “Education, Teenagers, Business and Society

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The Positive and Negative Impact of Social Media on “Education, Teenagers, Business and Society

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This article from IJIRSET explains that demand for static websites are on the decline. More social media users are seeking streaming information. The authors support the positive and negative effects of social media in four areas: education, teenagers, business and society.