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Social Media Perceptions in Transition-Aged Youth: A Qualitative Study
Lauren L Niles1, Robin Bartlett2, Kathleen Delaney3
1College of Nursing, The University of Alabama in Huntsville, Alabama.
Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services
|March 18, 2026
Summary
Transition-aged youth (TAY) use social media (SM) for community but acknowledge its negative mental health impacts. Despite risks, TAY perceive benefits outweighing harms and do not plan to reduce SM use.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Mental Health Research
- Sociology
Background:
- Rising rates of depression and anxiety in transition-aged youth (TAY).
- Concurrent increase in social media (SM) usage among TAY.
- Uncertainty regarding the specific effects of SM on TAY mental health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore social media perceptions of TAY with mental health disorders.
- To understand how TAY navigate mental health challenges in the context of social media use.
Main Methods:
- Interpretative phenomenological study.
- Semi-structured interviews with 10 TAY participants.
- Thematic analysis of coded interview data.
Main Results:
- Five emergent themes: community seeking, negative influences, passive use, distancing for wellness, and internalized stigma.
- TAY perceive SM as a source of community and entertainment.
- TAY acknowledge SM's role in increasing anxiety and shame, yet believe benefits outweigh negatives.
Conclusions:
- TAY perceive a duality in social media's impact, fostering community while increasing anxiety and shame.
- Despite negative influences, TAY do not intend to decrease social media use.
- Findings inform psychiatric-mental health nurses about stigma and potential impacts on care-seeking behaviors and societal development.
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