Research on the Impact of Social Media on Children and Adolescents

A recent review article in the Journal of Datta Meghe Institute of Medical Sciences University found that social media affects school-age children and teenagers in various ways. It has both benefits and drawbacks.

As for the benefits, social media can grant children easy access to educational resources. However, it poses risks such as cyberbullying, privacy issues, and negative impacts on their mental health. For instance, receiving negative comments or engaging in social comparison on platforms like Facebook can decrease their self-esteem.

Social media usage among children and teens has increased, with about 22% of teenagers interacting with social media more than ten times a day. Pew Research Center surveys show that only about one in five teens believe their parents are very concerned about their social media use.

Understanding the Research

The review conducted by Santosh Kumar Swain involved a comprehensive search of databases like Scopus, PubMed, and Google Scholar, which identified 65 relevant articles, including case reports, case series, and original studies.

These were the trends revealed by the research:

Benefits of Social Media:

• Social media allows students to quickly find resources for learning, and it makes learning more interactive and engaging. Platforms like blogs help students with their English language skills and ability to think creatively.
• Relationships are maintained or strengthened since students can stay connected with their close friends and family. The study also mentioned social media being a tool for getting involved in charitable causes.

Drawbacks of Social Media:

• Social media may be used for harassment or spreading embarrassing information, which can lead to anxiety, depression, and in severe cases, suicide.
• Depression is linked to excessive use of social media platforms like Facebook. There are also concerns regarding oversharing of personal information and an increased risk of scams and privacy violations.
• As for self-esteem, negative comments can lower self-esteem, encourage narcissistic tendencies, and result in jealousy (for users who frequently compare themselves to their friends).
• Spending a lot of time on screens is linked to poorer sleep quality as kids and teens are more likely to have trouble falling asleep at night.

Practical Strategies for Parents and Caregivers

As parents, we can help our children have a healthier relationship with social media and keep them safe by implementing these tips:

• Help your child balance screen time with other activities such as outdoor play and reading print books. These diverse activities prevent children from overly relying on screens for learning, entertainment, and connection.
• Teach them about screen time guidelines, such as limiting screen time to 2 hours per day and removing distracting apps (those that impact their productivity). Here’s a handout that discusses ways to regulate screen time.
• Educate your child about the effects of excessive screen time on their physical health, including their sleep and mental health. Moreover, explain how a balance of activities reduces stress and promotes personal development. Here are ideas to unplug for stress relief and healthy tech habits for stress relief.
• Set and discuss family values regarding age-appropriate social media use and content restrictions in your home. Consider the use of parental apps to set age-appropriate social media content and use restrictions on childrens’ devices. Be sure to sit with your child to explain the purpose and rationale behind the restrictions.
• Try to maintain a general awareness of your child’s social media use without being overbearing. This might include maintaining an open dialogue regarding their engagement on social media platforms. Have regular discussions with your children about their online social interactions, and provide education regarding healthy and unhealthy interactions.

Don’t forget to lead by example! Be conscious of how much time you spend on social media. Show your child that you can use social media purposefully and not excessively.

“Because social media can strongly affect how school-age children and teens behave, parents, teachers, and friends have a big impact on how they handle social media misuse,” the author wrote.

Along with healthy use of social media, encourage young people to adopt additional healthy habits that benefit them long-term with our Healthy Habits Posters.