Summary
This scoping review synthesised evidence on social media use and adolescent mental health, finding that approximately three-quarters of included studies focused on pathological outcomes rather than positive associations. The authors note that few studies differentiated between distinct types of social media interactions, which likely have differential effects on well-being. The review highlights a gap in the literature regarding positive mental health outcomes and more granular measurement of specific social media behaviours.
UK applicability
The findings are directly relevant to UK policy and practice around adolescent digital wellbeing and online safety. The identified research gap suggests a need for UK-based studies that examine both protective and harmful effects of social media use amongst British adolescents.
Key measures
Proportion of included studies examining social media and mental health pathology versus positive outcomes; categorisation of different forms of social media interactions and their associations with mental health
Outcomes reported
The review examined associations between social media use and mental health and well-being outcomes in adolescents, documenting the prevalence of studies focusing on pathological versus positive outcomes.
Topic tags
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