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Stephanie Levy
Mrs. Gracesqui
English Information and Research
3 February 2022
The Impact of Social Media on Youth Mental Health
Nesi, Jaccqueline. “The Impact of Social Media on Youth Mental Health: Challenges
and Opportunities. NCMedicaljournal” Vol 81, No.2, 2020. pp. 116-120.
https://www.ncmedicaljournal.com/content/ncm/81/2/116.full.pdf. Accessed 3,
Feb. 2022
p. 116 Recent nationally representative statistics suggest that 95% of adolescents
aged 13-18 have access to a smartphone and 88% have access to a desktop or laptop at
home. In 2018, 45% of US adolescents reported that they were online “almost
constantly,” up from 24% only three years prior.
p. 116 Social media offers a prime context for navigating these tasks in new,
increasingly complex ways: peers are constantly available, personal information is
displayed publicly and permanently, and quantifiable peer feedback is instantaneously
provided in the form of “likes” and “views”.
p.117 Adolescents’ peer experiences play a critical role in the onset and maintenance
of psychopathology. Within the social media environment, peer interactions can occur
with increased frequency, immediacy, and intensity. Specific online peer experiences
have been identified in prior work as potential risk factors for mental health concerns.
Cybervictimization, or the experience of being a victim of bullying by peers online,
has been consistently found to be associated with higher rates of self-harm and
suicidal behavior, as well as internalizing and externalizing problems. Other types of
social media peer experiences, such as social exclusion and online conflict or drama,
also may put youth at risk.
p.118 Content related to suicide and self-injury may also be readily available
online, potentially increasing suicide risk among youth who are already
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vulnerable. In a recent study of over 400 youth who were psychiatrically
hospitalized due to risk of harm to self or others, a small but meaningful
proportion of youth reported viewing online content that promoted suicide
(14.8%) or self-injury (16.6%) during the two weeks prior to their admission
youth who are already vulnerable.
Mathewson, McKenzie. “The Impact of Social Media Usage on Students’ Mental
Health. Journal of Student Affairs” Vol. XXIX, 2019 – 2020.pp. 146-
149.https://sahe.colostate.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2020/08/The-
Impacts-of-Social-Media-Usage-on-Students-Mental-Health-
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Mathewson.pdf .Accessed 3 Feb. 2022
p. 148 Findings indicate that individuals frequently compare themselves to what
they see on social media and seek approval leading to depression and lower life-
satisfaction (Radovic et al. recovered in Mathewson, McKenzie, 2020).
p. 149 Both studies suggest that social media provides an opportunity for
individuals to portray themselves in any manner that they wish, subjecting the
individual to objectification and comparison (Festinger,1954; Stapel, 2007; Stapel &
Koomen, 2000 recovered in Mathewson, McKenzie, 2020). Because college students
can be impressionable and rely on external validation (Baxter Magolda, 2008), social
media can impact their mental health.
p. 149 Festinger’s Social Comparison Theory and The Interpretation Comparison
Model are related to the current study through the connection between social media
and comparison because social media allows for students to put themselves on a
platform, open to criticism and approval,potentially influencing perceived mental
health.
p. 150 To elaborate, a study conducted by Chou and Edge (2012) found that the
more time a student spends on Facebook, the more likely the student feels as though
others are doing better than themselves. Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and Snapchat
have all been noted as social media platforms that increase anxiety and depression
(MacMillan, 2017). The perception that others are doing consistently better can be
challenging to one’s mental state (Chou & Edge, 2012).
O´Dair, Millie. “The impact of social media on adolescent mental health: positive
or negative? Inspire Student Health Sciences Research Journal” | , 2020,
pp.1-3.https://inspirestudentjournal.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/0
5/Millie-ODair-INSPIRE-SUMMER-2020.pdf Accessed 3 Feb. 2022.
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p. 1 Data from the UK Millennium Cohort Study indicate that compared with the
millennial generation, levels of depression are two-thirds higher and levels of self-
harm are one-fifth higher in Generation Z and this is linked, in part, to the associated
increase in social media use.
p.1 Multiple studies identified clear potential for harm resulting from online activity
and highlighted associations between social media use and depression. They found
social media use could contribute to sleep disturbances, low self-esteem and body
image problems, all of which can contribute to mental health problems in their own
right. There also appears to be a greater detriment to the health of teenagers who are
more “emotionally invested” in social media a group defined as feeling distressed or
“disconnected” when unable to access social media.
