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Associations Between Social Media Use and Anxiety Among Adolescents: A Systematic Review Study
Bradley Kerr1, Amrutha Garimella2, Lekha Pillarisetti3
1Department of Pediatrics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin.
Summary
Most studies link adolescent social media use to increased anxiety, particularly problematic use and screen time. Future research should focus on more accurate social media measurement tools.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
- Public Health
Background:
- Existing research presents mixed findings on the relationship between adolescent social media engagement and anxiety levels.
- This systematic review aims to synthesize current evidence, examining the directionality, measurement, and quality of studies investigating this association.
Approach:
- A comprehensive literature search was conducted for English-language articles published before 2021, focusing on studies examining social media use and anxiety in adolescents.
- Data extraction and screening were performed by two independent reviewers, assessing study quality using the Strengthening of Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) criteria.
Key Points:
- Out of 32 included studies, 56.3% reported a positive association between social media use and anxiety.
- Problematic social media use (31.4%) and screen time were most frequently linked to increased anxiety.
- A wide range of 18 different anxiety measures were utilized across studies, with limited stratification by gender identity (12.5%).
Conclusions:
- The majority of studies indicate a positive correlation between adolescent social media use and anxiety.
- Current methodologies often rely on 'problematic use' metrics, highlighting a need for more nuanced and accurate measures of social media engagement.
- Further research should prioritize developing and employing refined social media assessment tools to better understand its impact on adolescent mental health.
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