Impacts of digital media use on children and young people's mental health and wellbeing: evidence review
This rapid evidence review synthesises 141 sources published between August 2023 and July 2026 on the impacts of digital media on children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing.
References
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Beyens, I., Pouwels, J. L., Van Driel, I. I., Keijsers, L. & Valkenburg, P. M. (2024) Social Media Use and Adolescents' Well-Being: Developing a Typology of Person-Specific Effect Patterns. Communication Research, 51, 691-716.
Bibby, W. & Piazza, G.(2026) Planet Youth Scotland National Survey 2025: An analysis of outcomes, predictors, and inequalities among Scotland’s young people [Online]. [Accessed 30 September 2026].
Bird, K., Simpson, V. L., Mathews, P. D., Swartz, H., Mantey, D. S. & Esquenazi-Karonika, S. (2026) Findings from the 2023 YRBSS: Examining the risk factors of social media use, alcohol use, bullying and adolescent suicide. Journal of Affective Disorders, 400.
Bitran, A. M., Dalack, M. N. & Hamilton, J. L. (2026) Social Media Experiences and Mood Among Sexual and Gender Minority Youth: A Double-Edged Sword. Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology, 1-15.
Blackwell, C. K., Mansolf, M., Rose, T., Pila, S., Cella, D., Cohen, A., Leve, L. D., Mcgrath, M., Neiderhiser, J. M., Urquhart, A. & Ganiban, J. M. (2025) Adolescent Social Media Use and Mental Health in the Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes Study. Journal of Adolescent Health, 76, 647-656.
Blanchard, L., Conway‐Moore, K., Aguiar, A., Önal, F., Rutter, H., Helleve, A., Nwosu, E., Falcone, J., Savona, N., Boyland, E. & Knai, C. (2023) Associations between social media, adolescent mental health, and diet: A systematic review. Obesity Reviews, 24, 1-15.
Boniel-Nissim, M., Marino, C., Galeotti, T., Blinka, L., Ozoliņa, K., Craig, W., Lahti, H., Wong, S., Brown, J., Wilson, M., Inchley, J. & Van Den Eijnde, R. (2024) A focus on adolescent social media use and gaming in Europe, central Asia and Canada. Health Behaviour in School-aged Children international report from the 2021/2022 survey. World Health Organisation (WHO) Regional Office for Europe.
Brand, C., Fochesatto, C. F., Gaya, A. R., Schuch, F. B. & López-Gil, J. F. (2024) Scrolling through adolescence: unveiling the relationship of the use of social networks and its addictive behavior with psychosocial health. Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health, 18, 1-11.
Bruneel, S., Sjöblom, J., Lagerström, M. & Alanko, K. (2026) Exploring the Mediating Role of Social Media and Gaming in the Relationship between Adolescents’ Feelings of Loneliness, Ostracism and Internalizing and Externalizing symptoms. Child Psychiatry & Human Development, 1-13.
Cabezas-Klinger, H., Fernandez-Daza, F. F. & Mina-Paz, Y. (2025) Associations Between Social Media Use and Mental Disorders in Adolescents and Young Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Recent Evidence. Behavioral Sciences, 15, 1450-1450.
Campos‐Castillo, C., Groh, S. M. & Laestadius, L. I. (2025) Latino adolescents' experiences of residential risks on social media and mental health implications. Sociology of Health & Illness, 47, 1-18.
Carlander, A., Cassel, S., Höök, M. J. S., Lundgren, O., Bagge, A. S. L. & Löf, M. (2026) Survey Showed That Limiting Daily Screen Time Could Help to Avoid Mental Health Issues in Children Aged 8–17 Years. Acta Paediatrica, 115, 1538-1544.
Carlén, K., Nordström, S., Wilhsson, M., Larsson, V., Knez, R., Haglund, K., Eriksson, I. & Larsson, M. (2026) Digital media use—a magnifying glass for mental health in adolescents: a qualitative systematic review. BMC Digital Health, 4, 1-14.
Carvalho, C. A., Ravindran, N., Howard, C., Oshri, A. & Hale, L. (2026) Sociodemographic Associations With Early Smartphone Ownership in US Adolescents. Pediatrics, 157, 1-4.
Cheng, Q., Panayiotou, M., Finserås, T. R., Andersen, A. I. O. & Humphrey, N. (2026) How do social media use, gaming frequency, and internalizing symptoms predict each other over time in early-to-middle adolescence? Journal of Public Health, 48, 59-69.
Choi, E. J., Christiaans, E. & Duerden, E. G. (2025) Screen time woes: Social media posting, scrolling, externalizing behaviors, and anxiety in adolescents. Computers in Human Behavior, 170.
Choukas-Bradley, S., Kilic, Z., Stout, C. D. & Roberts, S. R. (2023) Perfect Storms and Double-Edged Swords: Recent Advances in Research on Adolescent Social Media Use and Mental Health. Advances in Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, 3, 149-157.
Clayborne, Z. M., Wong, S. L., Roberts, K. C., Prince, S. A., Gariépy, G., Goldfield, G. S., Janssen, I. & Lang, J. J. (2025) Associations between social media use and positive mental health among adolescents: Findings from the Canadian Health Behaviour in School-aged Children Study. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 181, 333-339.
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Díaz-Moreno, A., Bonilla, I. & Chamarro, A. (2026) Suicide risk in the digital age: exploring the associations of upward comparison and problematic social media use among Spanish youth. Psychology, Society & Education, 18, 55-64.
Engel, E., Gell, S., Heiss, R. & Karsay, K. (2024) Social media influencers and adolescents' health: A scoping review of the research field. Social Science & Medicine, 340.
Falcón-Linares, C., González-Yubero, S., Mauri-Medrano, M. & Cardoso-Moreno, M. J. (2023) Impact of Social Media on Adolescence: Mapping Emerging Needs to Build Resilient Skills. Societies, 13, 238-238.
Feng, S., Liu, R., Jung, Y., Barry, A. & Park, J. H. (2024) Sex differences among U.S. high school students in the associations of screen time, cyberbullying, and suicidality: A mediation analysis of cyberbullying victimization using the Youth Risk Behavioural Surveillance Survey 2021. Journal of Community & Applied Social Psychology, 34, 1-11.
Finserås, T. R., Andersen, A. I. O., Hjetland, G. J., Panayiotou, M., Davies, J. & Skogen, J. C. (2026) Do you believe social media is good for you? Associations between adolescents’ beliefs about social media and mental health. Journal of Affective Disorders, 394.
Finserås, T. R., Hjetland, G. J., Sivertsen, B., Colman, I., Hella, R. T., Andersen, A. I. O. & Skogen, J. C. (2023) Reexploring Problematic Social Media Use and Its Relationship with Adolescent Mental Health. Findings from the “LifeOnSoMe”-Study. Psychology Research and Behavior Management, 16, 5101-5111.
Fisher, C. B., Tao, X. & Ford, M. (2024) Social media: A double-edged sword for LGBTQ+ youth. Computers in Human Behavior, 156.
Fortunato, L., Gullo, S., Muscolino, A., La Tona, A., Rodgers, R. F. & Lo Coco, G. (2026) Relation Between Social Media Use and Body Image Concerns and Disordered Eating in Adolescence: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Adolescent Research Review, 11, 433–453.
Francisquini, M. C. J., Silva, T. M. D. S., Dos Santos, G. C., Barbosa, R. D. O., Dias, P. H. G., Ruiz, A. B., Da Silva, J. M. & Stabelini Neto, A. (2025) Associations of screen time with symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression in adolescents. Revista Paulista de Pediatria, 43, 1-6.
Frielingsdorf, H., Fomichov, V., Rystedt, I., Lindstrand, S., Korhonen, L. & Henriksson, H. (2025) Associations of time spent on different types of digital media with self-rated general and mental health in Swedish adolescents. Scientific Reports, 15, 1-14.
García-Manglano, J., Fernández, A., Serrano, C., López-Madrigal, C., Fernández-Duval, G., De La Rosa Fernández-Pacheco, P. & Sádaba, C. (2024) Social media and mental health: The role of interpersonal relationships and social media use motivations, in a nationally representative, longitudinal sample of Spanish emerging adults. Journal of Social & Personal Relationships, 41, 1157-1182.
Gaspar, T., Carvalho, M., Noronha, C., Guedes, F. B., Cerqueira, A. & De Matos, M. G. (2023) Healthy Social Network Use and Well-Being during Adolescence: A Biopsychosocial Approach. Children, 10, 1649.
Gath, M., Horwood, L. J., Gillon, G., Mcneill, B. & Woodward, L. J. (2026) Trajectories of screen exposure from infancy to age 8 and early school age developmental outcomes. Applied Developmental Science, 1-18.
Grund, T. U., Krüger, H. & Pascu, I. (2025) Social Media Use and Adolescent Depressive Symptoms: The Moderating Roles of Gender and Parental Monitoring. International Journal of Mental Health & Addiction, 1-17.
Hamilton, J. L., Dalack, M., Boyd, S. I., Jorgensen, S., Dreier, M. J., Sarna, J. & Brent, D. A. (2024) Positive and negative social media experiences and proximal risk for suicidal ideation in adolescents. Journal of Child Psychology & Psychiatry, 65, 1580-1589.
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Herrmann, L., Bindt, C., Hohmann, S. & Becker-Hebly, I. (2024) Social media use and experiences among transgender and gender diverse adolescents. International Journal of Transgender Health, 25, 36-49.
Hoertel, N., Olfson, M., Blanco, C., Biscond, M., Limosin, F., Sánchez-Rico, M., Blachier, M. & Leleu, H. (2025) Impact of excessive social media use on adolescent depression and its consequences in France: An individual-based microsimulation model. PLoS Medicine, 22, 1-22.
Inchley, J., Mabelis, J., Brown, J., Willis, M. & Currie, D. (2023) Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) 2022 Survey in Scotland: National Report. MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, University of Glasgow. [Accessed 1 October 2026].
Ipsos Uk and Tonic Research (2024) Experiences of children encountering online content relating to eating disorders, self-harm and suicide. Ofcom. [Accessed 1 October 2026].
Jackson, J., Hamwey, M., Stratton, N. & Vasan, A. (2025) Persistent Sadness, Violence, and Bullying and Associations With Screen Time Among New York City Public High School Students, 2021. American Journal of Public Health, 115, 1397-1407.
Jalanko, P., Leppänen, M. H., Bond, B., Laukkanen, J. A., Lakka, T. A. & Haapala, E. A. (2026) Associations of Physical Activity and Sedentary Time From Childhood to Adolescence With Cognition in Adolescence: The PANIC Study. Pediatric Exercise Science, 38, 268-283.
Kar, S. S., Dube, R., Goud, B. K. M., Gibrata, Q. S., El-Balbissi, A. A., Al Salim, T. A. & Fatayerji, R. N. M. a. K. (2025) Impact of Screen Time on Development of Children. Children, 12, 1297.
Khan, A., Moni, M. A., Khan, S. R. & Burton, N. W. (2023) Different types of screen time are associated with low life satisfaction in adolescents across 37 European and North American countries. Scandinavian Journal of Public Health, 51, 918-925.
Kim, D., Magane, R., Poitier, M., Kuang, J., Wang, A., Adderley, R. & Deveaux, L. (2025) Social media use, risk behavior engagement, and mental health among middle adolescents in the Caribbean. BMC Public Health, 25, 1-11.
Kim, J., Kang, J., Glassman, M. & Kang, M. J. (2024) Does screen time during early childhood affect adolescent aggressive behaviour?: The moderated mediating role of parenting stress and language ability. European Journal of Developmental Psychology, 21, 814-832.
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Krammer, M., Paleczek, L., Frauscher, A. M. & Schatz-Steinkellner, S. (2026) Scrolling into silence: Social media engagement and its linkage to affective disorders among 10-14 years old in Austria. Computers in Human Behavior Reports, 22.
Kurten, S., Ghai, S., Odgers, C., Kievit, R. A. & Orben, A. (2025) Deprivation's role in adolescent social media use and its links to life satisfaction. Computers in Human Behavior, 165.
Lahti, H., Kulmala, M., Lyyra, N., Mietola, V. & Paakkari, L. (2024) Problematic situations related to social media use and competencies to prevent them: results of a Delphi study. Scientific Reports, 14, 1-11.
Li, S. H., Batterham, P. J., Whitton, A. E., Maston, K., Khan, A., Christensen, H. & Werner‐Seidler, A. (2025) Cross‐sectional and longitudinal associations of screen time with adolescent depression and anxiety. British Journal of Clinical Psychology, 64, 873-887.
Li, Y.-Y., Koning, I. M., Finkenauer, C., Boer, M. & Van Den Eijnden, R. J. J. M. (2024) The bidirectional relationships between fear of missing out, problematic social media use and adolescents' well-being: A random intercept cross-lagged panel model. Computers in Human Behavior, 154.
Liu, G., Tong, L., Chen, Z., Ma, L., Liao, W., Li, Y., Li, L., Miao, X. & Liu, Y. (2026a) The associations between social media intensity, problematic social media use, and adolescents’ mental health: A cross-lagged panel network analysis. Addictive Behaviors, 172.
Liu, M., Zhuang, A., Norvilitis, J. M. & Xiao, T. (2024a) Usage patterns of short videos and social media among adolescents and psychological health: A latent profile analysis. Computers in Human Behavior, 151.
Liu, Q., Peng, S., Yang, Y., Guo, Y., Jiang, G. & Guo, L. (2026b) Specific types of screen exposure and adolescent emotional and behavioral problems: Longitudinal associations and moderation by individual, family, and school characteristics. Public Health, 252.
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Liu, Y. & Marciano, L. (2024) Appnome analysis reveals small or no associations between social media app-specific usage and adolescent well-being. Scientific Reports, 14, 1-16.
Lüders, M. (2025) Experience machines for well-being? Understanding how social media entertainment matters for teens. Media, Culture & Society, 47, 154-170.
Mader, S., Costantini, D., Fahr, A. & Jordan, M. D. (2025) The effect of social media use on adolescents’ subjective well-being: Longitudinal evidence from Switzerland. Social Science & Medicine, 365.
Maheux, A. J., Burnell, K., Maza, M. T., Fox, K. A., Telzer, E. H. & Prinstein, M. J. (2025) Annual Research Review: Adolescent social media use is not a monolith: toward the study of specific social media components and individual differences. Journal of Child Psychology & Psychiatry, 66, 440-459.
Männikkö, N., Machado-Rodrigues, A. M., Padez, C., Barata, C. & Rodrigues, D. (2026) Device-specific and contextual patterns of screen use: links to emotional and behavioral outcomes in early childhood. Children and Youth Services Review, 184.
Marano, G., Lisci, F. M., Rossi, S., Marzo, E. M., Boggio, G., Brisi, C., Traversi, G., Mazza, O., Pola, R., Gaetani, E. & Mazza, M. (2025) Connected but at Risk: Social Media Exposure and Psychiatric and Psychological Outcomes in Youth. Children, 12, 1322.
Marin-Dragu, S., Orr, M., Corkum, P., Rusak, B., Bagnell, A. & Meier, S. (2025) A mediation analysis of the influence of sleep on the relationship between smartphone screen time and youth mental health. Cyberpsychology: Journal of Psychosocial Research on Cyberpspace, 19.
Martín-Cárdaba, M. Á., Martínez Díaz, M. V., Lafuente Pérez, P. & García Castro, J. (2024) Smartphone Ownership, Minors' Well-being, and Parental Mediation Strategies. An Analysis in the Context of Social Media Influencers. Journal of Youth & Adolescence, 53, 2202-2218.
Mayen, S., Reinhardt, A. & Wilhelm, C. (2025) Revealing the interplay between digital media use and affective well-being across developmental stages: Results of an experience sampling study with Austrian adolescents. Journal of Children & Media, 19, 598-618.
Mazur, J., Kozakiewicz, A., Porwit, K., Kleszczewska, D., Białorudzki, M. & Izdebski, Z. (2026) Caring for the 'Heads-Down Generation': Screen Time and Physical Health Complaints Among Adolescents in Poland. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 15, 3130.
Mcquaid, F., Skafida, V., Mcquillan, R. & Lee, B. (2026) Screen Use and Emotional, Behavioral, and Social Development in Children. JAMA Network Open, 9, e2626804-e2626804.
Mendonça, I., Coelho, F., Rando, B. & Abreu, A. M. (2025) A Comparative Study of Short-Term Social Media Use with Face-to-Face Interaction in Adolescence. Children, 12, 460.
Menezes, M., Pappagianopoulos, J., Cross, R. & Mazurek, M. O. (2024) Relations among Screen Time and Commonly Co-occurring Conditions in Autistic Youth. Journal of Developmental & Physical Disabilities, 36, 409-421.
Meral, Y., Açıkgöz, S. & Kınay Ermis, D. (2026) Differential associations of leisure and educational screen use with mental health in children and adolescents: evidence from a naturalistic context. Educational & Developmental Psychologist, 43, 391-403.
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Ndubisi, A., Agyapong-Opoku, F. & Agyapong, B. (2026) Social Media Use and Sleep Quality in Adolescents and Young Adults: A Scoping Review of Reviews. Children, 13, 51.
Nennstiel, R. & Ullrich, R. (2026) The Goldilocks dilemma: gendered patterns of social media usage and adolescent life satisfaction across OECD countries. Large-scale Assessments in Education, 14.
Niemistö, D., Kolunsarka, I., Ahl, N.-M., Pöyliö, T., Kulmala, J., Suominen, T. H. & Pyhältö, K. (2026) Physical activity as a moderator between problematic social media use and mental health in adolescents. Journal of Sports Sciences, 44, 1683-1693.
Niiranen, J., Kiviruusu, O., Vornanen, R., Kylliäinen, A., Saarenpää-Heikkilä, O. & Paavonen, E. (2024) Children’s screen time and psychosocial symptoms at 5 years of age – the role of parental factors. BMC Pediatrics, 24, 1-15.
Nilsson, M., Claréus, B., Bjärehed, J., Bjärehed, M. & Daukantaitė, D. (2025) Adolescent Interpersonal Behaviours and Mental Health Across Two Swedish Cohorts: 15-Year Trends and One-Year Bidirectional Associations in a Mixed-Methods Study. Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health, 19, 61.
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Peprah, P., Oduro, M. S., Atta-Osei, G., Addo, I. Y., Morgan, A. K. & Gyasi, R. M. (2024) Problematic social media use mediates the effect of cyberbullying victimisation on psychosomatic complaints in adolescents. Scientific Reports, 14, 1-12.
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Smout, S., Slade, T., Hunter, E., Thornton, L., Gardner, L. A., Newton, N. C., Champion, K. E. & Chapman, C. (2026) Scrolling, Chatting, and Posting: Longitudinal Changes in Distinct Social Media Behaviors and Their Relationship with Psychological Distress and Mental Wellbeing in Adolescents. Journal of Adolescence, 98, 237-249.
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