A Research Paper on: The Impact of Social Media on Adolescent Mental Health: A Longitudinal Study
Introduction
Even while social media is extremely
popular among teenagers, it has been connected to a rise in symptoms of
depression, with up to 20% of young people reporting detrimental consequences
on their mental health (Puukko et al., 2020). Teenagers find social media to be
irresistibly alluring in an age where digital connectedness rules, yet beyond
the glossy surface of social media lurks a negative undercurrent that affects
their mental health. it's critical to recognize the detrimental effects of
social media on teenage mental health and to put measures in place to lessen
these negative consequences. The detrimental effect of social media on
adolescent mental health (Puukko et al., 2020; Abi-Jaoude et al., 2020, and
Plackett et al., 2022), underscores the urgency for proactive measures to
mitigate negative outcomes and ensure a healthier online environment for the
future generations.
Literature Review
Introduction
to Literature Review
Social media use among adolescents
has been a subject of longitudinal investigation, revealing its significant
association with depressive symptoms (Puukko et al.,2020). To better understand
and reduce any detrimental impacts on mental health and well-being, it is
imperative to address the topic of how social media use affects depressive
symptoms in adolescence. The study of the literature is limited to research
publications, with the most common theme being the examination of the
connection between teenage mental health outcomes and social media use.
Examining the complex relationship between teenage mental health—which includes
factors of depression, anxiety, and general well-being—and social media
usage is the central focus of the research articles that are featured. The
research was carried out using databases from the Monroe College Library,
including Academic Search Complete, PsycINFO, and PubMed. The keywords searched
for encompassed “social media," "adolescents," "teenagers,"
"mental wellness," "depression," "anxiety,"
"longitudinal research," "cross-sectional study,"
"social media use," "smartphone use," "cell phone
use," "teenagers mental health," "gender differences,"
"UK," "Finland," "Canada," as well as variations
thereof.
Review
of Literature
The Longitudinal Relationship Between
Social Media Use and Teenage Depressive Symptoms: A Gendered Perspective
Puukko et al. (2020) focused on
Finnish teenagers between the ages of 12 and 14 at baseline and followed them
yearly for four years to perform a longitudinal study investigating the
relationship between teenage depression symptoms and social media use. Self-report
questionnaires were used in the study to gauge individuals' use of social media
and depression symptoms. For data analysis, multilevel growth curve modeling
was used. The results showed a strong correlation between rising social media
usage and progressive deterioration of depression symptoms. The study also
found a gender difference, with girls showing a higher association than boys
between social media use and depression symptoms. The study did, but, admit a
few drawbacks. Reliance on self-report measures exposes researchers to
potential biases such as remembering problems and social desirability. The
limited sample size of Finnish teenagers limits the results' applicability to
other demographic groups. The observed relationship between social media use
and depressed symptoms may have been affected by the omission of confounding
variables such as offline social interactions and underlying mental health
conditions. To have a more thorough comprehension of the intricate connection
between social media and adolescent mental health, the authors recommended
conducting additional studies with a range of demographics and using objective
metrics of social media usage. This would improve the findings'
generalizability to many populations and lessen the drawbacks of using
self-report measures (Puukko et al.,2020).
Social
Media Impact and Smartphone Usage on Teenage Mental Health: Insights from a
Canadian Cross-Sectional Study
Similar to this, a cross-sectional
study by Abi-Jaoude et al. (2020), which was
published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, examined the connection
between adolescent mental health, social media use, and cell phone usage. The
purpose of the study was to find out how teenagers' use of smartphones and
social media affected their mental health. Using a sample of 3,826 Canadian
youths between the ages of 12 and 17, the researchers used self-report
questionnaires to evaluate mental health outcomes, including feelings of
anxiety and depression. Participants also disclosed details about how they use
smartphones and social media. The results of the research showed a strong link
between teens' elevated sentiments of anxiety and hopelessness and their growing
use of social media and smartphones. Particularly, it was shown that excessive
screen time, frequent social media checks, and usage at night were risk factors
linked to worse outcomes for mental health. It's crucial to recognize the
study's limitations, though. It is not possible to establish a causal
association between the use of social media and smartphones and outcomes
related to mental health because of the cross-sectional design used. It is yet
unknown if increased technology use causes mental health problems or if people
who are mentally ill are more likely to spend too much time in front of a
screen. The use of self-report measures raises the possibility of biases and
mistakes in the data. Because cultural and environmental factors may affect the
relationship between technology use and mental health outcomes differently in
other communities, the study's conclusions may not be as generalizable outside
of Canada. To have a more thorough comprehension of the intricate relationship
between technology use and teenage mental health, the authors suggested that
future studies utilize longitudinal designs and impartial evaluations of
smartphone and social media usage. These methods would improve the
generalizability of results across a range of demographics and clarify the
temporal dynamics and causal links involved (Abi-Jaoude et al.,2020).
Exploring
the Relationship Between Social Media Use and Teenage Mental Health in the UK
The impact of social media use on
teenage mental health in the UK was the subject of a longitudinal study by
Plackett et al. (2022), which gave unique insights not seen in earlier studies
by Puukko et al. (2020) and Abi-Jaoude et al. (2020). Using information from
the UK Longitudinal Household Study, the researchers followed a group of
British teenagers for several years, evaluating their use of social media and
mental health outcomes at various intervals. They examined the complex
association between social media use and mental health using sophisticated
statistical approaches and confounding variable correction. The study's
conclusions provide insight into the different aspects of social media use,
such as its duration, content intake, and interaction patterns, and how these
elements may affect teenagers' long-term mental health outcomes.
Notwithstanding its advantages, the study has several drawbacks. Response
biases and errors are a potential risk factor in self-reported assessments of
social media use and mental health consequences. Although temporal connections
can be examined using longitudinal designs, causality cannot be established
since social media use and mental health outcomes may be influenced by other
unmeasured factors. The results might only apply to the UK and not apply to
other countries or cultural contexts. While Plackett et al. (2022) offer
significant insights into the longitudinal relationship between teenage mental
health in the UK and social media use, more research employing a variety of
methodologies and taking contextual factors into account is required to fully
understand the intricacy of this correlation. Future research can improve our
comprehension of how social media affects the mental health of adolescents in
diverse groups by utilizing a variety of methodologies and considering cultural
variables (Plackett et al.,2022).
Analysis
of Literature
Abi-Jaoude et al. (2020), like Puukko
et al. (2020), used self-report questionnaires to measure mental health
outcomes while examining the effect of teenage social media use on mental
health. Puukko et al. (2020) carried out a longitudinal study that provided
insights into how this relationship develops over time, whereas Abi-Jaoude et
al. (2020) used a cross-sectional methodology to provide a snapshot of the
relationship between social media use and mental health at a single point in
time.
Similar to Puukko et al. (2020),
Plackett et al. (2022) investigated the long-term impact of social media use on
teenage mental health. But while Puukko et al. studied Finnish teenagers,
Plackett et al. concentrated only on British teenagers using data from the UK
Longitudinal Household Study. Furthermore, even though both studies used
longitudinal designs, Plackett et al.'s approach—which was different from
Puukko et al. (2020)—used sophisticated statistical techniques to investigate
the relationship between social media use and mental health, offering detailed
insights into a variety of social media use dimensions.
The research conducted by Abi-Jaoude
et al. (2020) and Puukko et al. (2020) revealed a noteworthy association
between elevated levels of anxiety and depression in adolescents and increasing
usage of social media. In a similar vein, Plackett et al. (2022) discovered a
correlation between teenage mental health changes and social media use.
However, each study provided fresh perspectives on particular facets of social
media use and mental health consequences, adding to our understanding of this
intricate relationship.
Concerning recommendations, each
of the three studies emphasized the need for more investigation to
completely understand the complex connection between teenage mental health and
social media use. While Abi-Jaoude et al. (2020) underlined the significance of
taking contextual factors into account and using a variety of approaches,
Puukko et al. (2020) emphasized the need for longitudinal designs and
objective assessments of social media use. Plackett et al. (2022) similarly
stressed the significance of further research employing diverse methodologies
to clarify the intricacy of this link, highlighting the significance of
tackling this problem as a whole.
Discussion
Introduction
to Discussion
Evidence-Based
Recommendations
Recommendations from Literature
Review
As stated by (Puukko et al.,2020),
encouraging teens to use social media responsibly can help reduce the symptoms
of depression. Interventions targeted at fostering pleasant online
relationships and teaching young people about appropriate social media use can
help improve mental health outcomes. (Abi-Jaoude et al., 2020) recommend the
adoption of educational programs aimed at parents and teenagers to increase
knowledge of the possible negative effects of excessive smartphone and social
media use on the mental health of young people. These programmers can offer
useful methods for controlling screen usage and encouraging positive digital
behaviors. (Placket al.,2022) emphasize the importance of long-term observation
of social media usage and its impact on the mental well-being of teenagers.
Long-term research can offer insightful information about how social media use
and mental health are changing, which can help with the creation of focused
interventions and regulations. Promoting good mental health outcomes for
teenagers requires the creation of supportive settings both offline and online.
To mitigate the harmful impacts of excessive social media use, families,
communities, and schools can be extremely important in promoting a sense of
resilience, belonging, and social support (Puukko et al., 2020; Abi-Jaoude et
al., 2020). Incorporating digital literacy initiatives into educational
environments can enable teenagers to use social media platforms responsibly and
critically. These initiatives can give young people the tools they need to
assess online material, recognize possible threats, and decide how they want to
behave when they're online (Abi-Jaoude et al., 2020; Plackett et al., 2022). By
putting these recommendations into practice, interested parties can contribute
to the development of healthy digital environments for teenagers, fostering
their resilience and general well-being in the face of increasing social media
use.
Program Recommendation
In a long-term study, Puukko et al.
(2020) discovered a link between teenage depression symptoms and excessive
social media use. Similar to this, Abi-Jaoude et al. (2020)
emphasized the harm that social media and cell phones cause to young
people's mental health. Thus, it is advised to limit screen time as well as
social media use, particularly for teenagers, to reduce the likelihood of
developing symptoms of depression along with other mental health problems.
According to Plackett et al. (2022), social media's detrimental effects on
teenage mental health may be lessened by fostering appropriate online behaviors
and advancing digital literacy. Adolescents can be taught the value of critical
thinking, internet privacy, and social media responsibility by leaders through
the implementation of various educational initiatives. One possible approach to
promote healthy online habits at home is by integrating digital literacy
programs into school curricula and offering parents and carers tools.
Leaders should work with educators,
medical professionals, and technology specialists to create all-encompassing
interventions to put these methods into practice going forward (Puukko et al.,
2020; Abi-Jaoude et al., 2020; Plackett et al., 2022). This might entail
incorporating training in digital literacy and mental health into curricula for
schools, offering seminars and workshops to parents and carers (Puukko et al.,
2020; Abi-Jaoude et al., 2020), and collaborating with social media companies
to incorporate features that encourage positive interactions online (Plackett
et al., 2022).
It is anticipated that the suggested
tactics will improve the current issue of excessive social media usage and
teenage mental health. Teenagers may see a decrease in depressive symptoms and
an improvement in their general well-being by restricting their screen time and
encouraging safe online conduct (Puukko et al., 2020; Abi-Jaoude et al., 2020).
Also, better digital literacy can enable teenagers to navigate the internet
world sensibly and safely, which lowers their vulnerability to online
harassment, cyberbullying, and other adverse outcomes (Plackett et al., 2022).
All things considered, these tactics may help create a more positive online
experience for teenagers and help avoid the mental health problems linked to
excessive social media use.
Conclusion
Proactive steps including encouraging balanced screen time,
improving digital literacy, creating support networks for victims of
cyberbullying, and encouraging healthy online behaviors are essential to
lessening the negative effects of social media on teenage mental health. To
ensure a safer and healthier online environment for adolescents in the future,
researchers must work in conjunction with policymakers, educators, and
technology corporations to create policies and interventions that are effective
(Puukko et al., 2020; Abi-Jaoude et al., 2020; Plackett et al., 2022).
Teenagers are captivated by social media's glossy exterior in this age of
digital connectivity, but underlying it all is a dark underbelly that
negatively affects their mental health. Recognizing this fact is essential
because it drives the adoption of policies aimed at reducing the negative
impact of social media on the mental health of adolescents and creating a safer
online environment for the next generation. Teenagers' increasing usage of
social media belies a worrying trend: an increasing amount of research, by
Puukko et al. (2020), shows a direct link between excessive social media use
and a rise in depressive symptoms in young people. This link emphasizes the
possible harm that extended use of social media platforms can do to teenagers'
mental health. These results highlight the necessity of identifying and
mitigating the possible negative effects of social media use, and they support
policies that encourage teens to adopt healthy digital habits to protect their
mental health.
References
Abi-Jaoude, E., Naylor, K. T., &
Pignatiello, A. (2020). Smartphones, social media use, and youth mental health.
Canadian Medical Association Journal, 192(6), E136-E141. https://doi.org/10.1503/cmaj.190612
Plackett, R., Sheringham, J., &
Dykxhoorn, J. (2022). The longitudinal effect of social media use on adolescent
mental health in the UK: findings from the UK Longitudinal Household Study. The
Lancet, 400, S71. https://doi.org/10.14288/1.0166817
Puukko, K., Hietajärvi, L.,
Maksniemi, E., Alho, K., & Salmela-Aro, K. (2020). Social media use and
depressive symptoms—A longitudinal study from early to late adolescence. International
Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(16), 5921. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17165921
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