There are countless studies that claim that social media can be harmful to children; However, new research has found that there is not enough evidence that this is the case.
Recent research from Common Sense Media shows that children ages 8 to 12 spend an average of five and a half hours a day in front of screens and consuming social media. In the case of adolescents, this rate rises to more than eight and a half hours a day.
According to data published by the World Health Organization, an estimated 1 in 7 (14%) of young people aged 10 to 19 suffer from mental health problems, with depression, anxiety and behavioral disorders among them. the main causes of illness and disability among adolescents.
Yes, children spend a lot of time on social media. And the prevalence of depression among young people has increased. But there is no evidence of a causal relationship, as confirmed by research from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU).
“In short: greater use of social media was not related to more symptoms,” Silje Steinsbekk, professor in the Department of Psychology at NTNU and author of the study, told Metro.
To reach that conclusion, researchers followed 800 children in Trondheim, a city located in central Norway, over a period of six years to look for correlations between the use of social networks and the development of symptoms of mental illness.
After that exercise, the study found that greater use of social media did not lead to more symptoms of anxiety and depression. It was also not the case that those who developed more symptoms over time changed their social media habits.
“Our study concludes that if Kari or Knut likes and posts more and more on Instagram or Snapchat, they are no more likely to develop symptoms of anxiety and depression. But that doesn’t mean they don’t have negative experiences on social media, or feel addicted or excluded. “Some may be especially vulnerable and those are the ones we need to identify.”
— Silje Steinsbekk, professor at the Department of Psychology at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology.
The result of the study was similar for boys and girls. The results were the same regardless of whether children posted posts and photos through their own social media pages or liked and commented on posts posted by others.
In recent years, several studies have been carried out on the correlation between the use of social networks by children and young people and their mental health. Some of them have concluded that the use of social networks promotes mental health, while others claim that it has a negative impact. But most correlations are weak, according to Steinsbekk.
Metro spoke to the expert to find out more.
79%
of teenagers use social media and watch online videos at least once a week
Silje Steinsbekk explains that social networks have positive aspects:
-They offer a place of community and belonging.
-They facilitate contact with friends and family.
-They can be social support platforms.
-They can help protect young people with few friends from loneliness.
Interview
Silje Steinsbekk, professor at the Department of Psychology at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology
Q: Why do you think it is important to study the possible impact that social media can have on the mental health of children and young people?
– Social media is a new developmental context in which children and adolescents spend a lot of time. To promote healthy development, we need to know how social media use affects young people. There is a lot of concern and knowledge is needed. We need to know what kind of social media use is “good and bad,” and for whom.
Q: How do you explain the increase in the prevalence of anxiety and depression?
– There is a widespread assumption that social media is to blame for the increased prevalence of depression and anxiety, but even large meta-studies are unable to explain why more young people are developing these disorders. Therefore, there is currently no evidence to claim that social media is to blame.
Q: How did you come to this conclusion?
– We interviewed the participants in our study about their use of social networks when they were 10, 12, 14 and 16 years old. Anxiety and depression symptoms were assessed through psychiatric interviews. Using statistical methods, we examined the relationship between social media use and symptoms of depression and anxiety. The results revealed that if “Sam” or “Lisa” likes, comments or posts more on social media over time, they are not at greater risk of developing symptoms of anxiety and depression. Thus, increased use of social media was not related to an increase in symptoms.
Q: What could be the explanation why other studies have found that social media causes depression in children and young people?
– People believe it is an established truth that social media causes mental health problems. However, some studies conclude that social media use is related to good mental health, others that it is related to poorer mental health, and the associations are small. And like our conclusions, many studies find no association.
Q: So is social media good or bad for children and young people?
– Social media is both good and bad, it depends on who you are, what you are exposed to on social media and how you use it. For example, if you feel lonely, social media can increase your feeling of belonging, but it can also make you feel lonelier. Additionally, in a previous study, we found that girls who liked and commented on others’ posts on social media became less satisfied with their own appearance over time, and their self-esteem decreased. The same did not happen with the boys, and the publications on their own social networks did not affect the self-esteem of either the girls or the boys.