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Impact of Social Networking Sites on the Mental Health and Social development of Adolescents

Deeya Biswas


Teenagers today are the most copious users of social networking sites. Modern day teens and adolescents are being nurtured such an environment where numerous aspects of their lives and existence are mediated largely by social media. Therefore, doubts and arguments have emerged on the repercussions it has on the development of adolescents owing to how immersed and crucial social media has become in their lives. A study conducted at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine concluded that there stood to be an increase in problems sleeping and complaints about symptoms of depression as adolescents spent more time on social media.

Since the existence of technology in society, social media and its use has been on a rise. Reports display that 92% of adolescents report using social media everyday, while 24% of that percentage are online “almost constantly”. Only 12% of teenagers between the ages 13 to 17 report that they do not have any cellphone. Lenhart (2015).

Social media is heavily exploited by teens and has become the primary means of communication amongst most of them and it has become a way today’s youth form their identity. Social development occurs in relation to peers, family, school, work, and the community (American Psychological Association, 2002). Relationships  and associations formed during this time in the life of adolescents are extremely crucial, and any negative occurrence has the potential to critically impact their social development. Any negative effects could result in issues with regard to peer pressure, self-esteem, and cyberbullying, which can further possibly lead to suicide and depression (APA, 2002)

Koutamanis, Valkenburg, and Vossen’s (2015) research studies the relationship between social and emotional development in adolescence and social media. They came to a conclusion that it is likely that there will be negative feedback through social media, which in turn may negatively effect the social development of adolescents mainly due to social acceptance and approval in a peer group which plays an imperative role in the development the self-concept of adolescents. Numerous other studies offer compelling proof that what one puts on one’s social media profile is judged by others and the attributes of friends are highly related to how one is perceived. 

Another study conducted by Boyd Cowley in 2015 showed that adolescents also lose out on the capacity to engage and interact with others face to face in a public setting. He believes that although socializing in the online world is helpful and widely connected, social media limits the ability  in teens to hone the skills to communicate face-to-face which is an imperative tool for daily life. Boyd also discusses that the usage of social media has impaired teens consciousness of their surroundings and has hampered with their observation skills due to the continuously staring down at the screen of  their cellphones.

The misuse and overuse of social media could also potentially have detrimental effects on a teenagers mental health. The psychological coincidences that emerge from the usage of social media are actual and have the potential to be acute depending on factors like the context, environment and the individual. Some teens experience anxiety from social media that has to do with the fear of missing out, which makes the them try to reply instantly and constantly check all of their friend’s post and messages. The fear of being absent from conversations and missing out may also affect the self-esteem of adolescents and in turn disturb the sleep cycle, which can further result in sleep deprivation, anxiety, and in certain situations even depression (Filucci, 2016). 

There are numerous and uncountable beneficial facets to social media, including the capacity to stay in touch with family and friends, educate oneself and learn about developments in the  current headlines and news, and to connect and create connections with people from all over the world. But, due to numerous other factors, social media can in turn also be a very dangerous and hazardous platform in the life of adolescents. Social media entails the risk of many instances where there can be negative consequences, which can also lead to issues entailing their development. Social media may affect an adolescent’s development physically, cognitively, or socially, which can possibly lead to issues with their overall psychological well-being, such as stress, anxiety or depression. Social media users, parents and educators must fully be aware of  and understand the positive and negative implications of social media in order to develop and encourage healthy development of the youth in today’s society.


Works Cited:

Kelly, Y., Zilanawala, A., Booker, C., & Sacker, A. (2018). Social Media Use and Adolescent Mental Health: Findings From the UK Millennium Cohort Study. EClinicalMedicine, 6, 59–68. doi: 10.1016/j.eclinm.2018.12.005

Ortiz, R. V., & Garrido, C. C. (2019). Use and abuse of social media by adolescents: a study in Mexico. Pixel-Bit, Revista De Medios y Educación, (54), 7–28. doi: 10.12795/pixelbit.2019.i54.01

Social Media and Adolescents' and Young Adults' Mental Health. (2018, October 17). Retrieved from http://www.center4research.org/social-media-affects-mental-health/.

Bryant, Aaron, "The Effect of Social Media on the Physical, Social Emotional, and Cognitive Development of Adolescents" (2018). Honors Senior Capstone Projects. 37.
https://scholarworks.merrimack.edu/honors_capstones/37

Christofferson, Jenna Palermo. (2016). How is Social Networking Sites Effecting Teen’s Social and Emotional Development: A Systemic Review. Retrieved from Sophia, the St. Catherine University repository website: https://sophia.stkate.edu/msw_papers/650

Lenhart, A., Madden, M., Purcell, K., Smith, A., Zickuhr, K. (2010). Social Media and Mobile Internet Use Among Teens and Young Adults. Pew Internet and American Life Project, 1-37.
Retrieved from: http://pewinternet/reports/2010/social-media-and-young-adults.aspx

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