Does Social Media Use Differ Among Adolescents With or Without Mental Health Difficulties?

Social media has revolutionized how youth engage with their peers and communities. However, its effect on youth mental health remains unclear, especially amid the growing prevalence of mental health diagnoses among adolescents. U.K. researchers examined the differential use of social media between youth with and without mental health conditions in a survey of self-reported social media use; participants underwent standardized diagnostic assessments for mental health conditions.

Among 3340 adolescents (mean age, 15), 16% met diagnostic criteria for mental health conditions. Compared with their peers who didn't have mental health conditions, adolescents with mental health conditions reported significantly higher overall social media usage (abo…