Many American teenage girls are now spending more time on social media than they spend on sleep or ... [+]
According to the latest research from psychologist Jean Twenge, many American teenage girls are now spending more time on social media than they spend on sleep or in school. Twenge, who researches generational trends at San Diego State University, has studied mental health metrics for teens for more than a decade and has warned that a mental health crisis was on the horizon.
She has tracked how rates of depression, anxiety, and loneliness have been on the rise, and in her new book Generations warned that social media remains a major factor. Twenge explained to NPR last month that time spent on social media began to soar in 2009, just as smartphones were becoming more widespread.
Her data is in line with a poll from Pew Research that found by 2017, 85% of teens used social media daily; while by last year, 95% of teens were on the platforms, with one-third saying their use was nearly constant.
Some other experts are now warning that this could unlimited access to social media could be a serious problem if left unchecked.
"Due to this incredibly high usage of social media, in the future, we are likely looking at a significant portion of this generation facing a long-term mental health crisis," explained Dr. Leilani Carver, director of Graduate and Undergraduate Communication and an associate professor of Strategic Communication and Leadership at Maryville University.
The crisis could even be here.
"In 2022, data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that 60% of 9th-12th grade girls had depressive symptoms in the past year," Carver added. "Nearly one in three teenage girls reported seriously considering suicide in the past year – a 60% increase from ten years ago."
At issue is that the teen years are often a time of self-discovery and exploration and the heavy use of social media can interfere with the natural exploratory process and increase the act of comparison.
"Constantly viewing social media, which includes seeing comments, the number of likes, and followers a person has, can cause negative messaging in a teen's brain. These messages may cause teens to endorse harmful practices and develop a skewed sense of personal value, leading to lower self-esteem," noted Dr. Mallory Gary, assistant professor in the University of Tennessee online Master of Public Health program.
The high or even constant use of social media seems to be correlated to the mental health crisis of teenage girls, but direct causation is difficult to prove because there are numerous factors to consider.
"The data is conflicting on the level of impact social media use has on students' learning and academic performance," said Carver.
Carver recommended that parents should look for opportunities to have greater engagement with their teens, including identifying ways to connect with them and help them build their sense of purpose. Another way to address the overuse of social media among younger users could be to provide many opportunities to teens to get them involved in activities of interest.
"The challenge is finding ways to help teens associate their interests with activities that will help them develop and improve upon skills they believe will be helpful in their future endeavors," said Carver.
Social Media Isn't All Bad
It would also be all too easy to jump to the conclusion that social media has no positive benefits, but that is also far from the case.
"Social media in moderate doses can be enjoyable and increase connection," said Gary.
"Teens report that social media provides a deeper connection to their friends' lives, allows them to show their creativity, provides support through tough times, and makes them feel more accepted," said Carver.
There is also no "one size fits" approach to social media.
"It is all about balance and knowing the individual. Social media use can negatively affect learning when students spend too much time on devices and neglect studying and sleep," suggested Stacie Pettit, associate professor of Teacher Education at Augusta University.
In most cases, teens don't need 24/7 access to their devices; and the experts recommend that boundaries should be put in place to ensure adolescents are getting the sleep they need and have opportunities to study without distractions.
"Social media does have positive effects such as social connections and allowing for creative expressions, and students need to learn skills to cope with temptations, such as excessive screen time," said Pettit.
In many ways, the smartphone has just replaced the telephone that many teens may have seemed tethered to in the 1970s or 1980s. Social media is now part of the daily connection.
"Long term, these young women are going to figure out who they are, who their friends are, what they value, and who they love, largely through a screen," Carver continued. "Communication theorist Marshall McLuhan stated, 'The medium is the message' long before Tik Tok dances were a thing."
