Frequent use of social media is harmful to high school students, research shows

Research shows that frequent social media use is potentially harmful to adolescent mental health among American high school students published in a supplement to the Oct. 10 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Weekly Morbidity and Mortality Report.

Emily Young, MPH, of the CDC in Atlanta, and colleagues estimated the prevalence of frequent social media use and experiences of bullying victimization, persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness, and suicide risk using data from the Youth Risk Behavior Survey.

The researchers found that 77.0 percent of students reported frequent social media use, with differences observed based on gender, sexual identity, and racial and ethnic identity.

Both overall and in stratified models, frequent social media use was associated with higher prevalence of bullying, school and electronic victimization, persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness, and some suicide risk (predominantly attempting suicide and having a suicide plan).

“While additional research is needed to understand exactly how social media use differentially affects adolescents’ risk for bullying victimization, poor mental health, and suicide, existing evidence-based prevention strategies by families, schools, and communities can are used to promote the mental health of adolescents. prevent injury and violence,” the authors write.

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