Dive Brief:
- U.S. teens are growing more aware of social media's potential harms, with 48% reporting in a recent Pew Research Center survey that social media has had a mostly negative effect on their peers — a 16-percentage-point increase from 2022.
- Despite the potential adverse impact on mental health, 34% of teens reported using social media at least sometimes to access mental health information. They also reported some more positive outcomes, with 74% saying these platforms make them feel more connected to their friends and 63% saying they provide an opportunity to show off their creative side.
- The Pew Research Center surveyed 1,391 parents and their teenage children aged 13 to 17 and found that parents are more likely to recognize the connection between social media and young people’s mental health.
Dive Insight:
The nation — and young people specifically — is currently facing a mental health crisis, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and attention to the issue has been heightened following the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the Pew survey, 44% of parents believe social media has had the biggest negative impact on teens today, but teens cite a broader range of factors.
Of teens who said they are at least somewhat concerned about mental health, 22% said social media is the primary factor impacting young people’s mental health, and 17% cited in-person and online bullying. Some 16% said the pressures and expectations placed on teens are what most negatively impact their mental health.
The Pew Research Center survey noted that open communication can ensure that teens feel supported, but while 8 in 10 parents said they would be extremely or very comfortable talking about mental health, only about half of surveyed teens are.
The survey found that teens' openness to these conversations depends on who they are talking to. Students are the most comfortable speaking about their mental health with a parent or a friend, but 54% of teens said they would not be comfortable discussing mental health with a teacher. Only 12% reported they would be extremely or very comfortable doing so.
Heather Schwartz, a practice advisor at the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning, explained that teens need both independence and support, which can make navigating these conversations a bit more challenging.
“Adults have valid concerns about social media, but it can backfire if we get too didactic,” Schwartz said in an email. “Providing teens with opportunities to learn from and with their peers can boost student's voice and help them feel more in control.”
Teens’ concerns about mental health also differ by gender. Not only did 42% of girls report they are highly concerned about teen mental health compared to 28% of boys, but teen girls are also more comfortable talking about their mental health with friends.
The survey also found that teens saying they spend too much time on social media increased to 45% from 36% in 2022. However, teens who report spending too much time on social media are also more likely to report cutting back on it, with almost half saying they’ve attempted to.
Dive Awards
