2023-04-19 09:52:38
The number of young people with mental illness has increased significantly over the past 20 years, and social media has often been cited as a reason. However, according to a British study, there is little evidence of this.
The long-term study, in which the use of social media was recorded in 3,228 young people aged 12 to 13, did not provide any evidence of lower self-esteem or less social ties (friendships) one year later. A year later, there were still no signs of worsening mental health from social media use, the authors write in the Journal of Medical Internet Research.
dr Ruth Plackett, of the University of London, said: “Social media may not be as damaging to young people’s mental health as previously thought. We should be careful about interpreting them as a cause of mental health problems. Social media can have both positive and negative effects on young people’s mental health, and many unanswered questions remain. For example, our study shows that it is important to consider factors such as self-esteem when trying to improve the mental well-being of young people.”
According to the World Health Organization, one in seven adolescents between the ages of 10 and 19 has a mental disorder, and half of all mental illness begins by age 14.
Which:DOI 10.2196/43213
1681904724
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