Systematic Review of Studies Measuring Social Media Use and Depression, Anxiety, and Psychological Distress in Adolescents: 2018-2020

Abstract

Introduction: Previous systematic reviews have examined social media use and adolescent mental health. The current literature has yet to examine study characteristics that may influence these associations.

Objective: This systematic review examined research on the association between adolescent social media use and mental health, focusing on depression, anxiety, and psychological distress, with particular attention to demographic differences and reporting quality.

Methods: PubMed, Embase, PsycINFO, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health, and Social Sciences Citation Index were searched for studies that included measures of social media use and mental health concerns with adolescent participants from 2018 through June 2020. We identified and described: (1) social media use measures used, (2) associations between use and depression, anxiety, and psychological distress, (3) differences in associations by demographic characteristics, and (4) quality of reporting.

Results: Of the 3131 studies identified, 19 were included. Seven studies (36.8%) used frequency-based measures of social media use (eg, time spent, frequency checking), 10 (52.6%) used risk-based measures (eg, social media addiction or disorder, Facebook intrusion, etc), and 2 (10.5%) used both frequency and risk-based measures. Most studies (n = 12, 63%) reported positive association(s) between social media use and mental health concerns. Many studies reported that the results differed by gender (n = 11, 58%) with positive associations more common among females. Quality of report scores ranged from 32 to 43 total points (44 maximum).

Conclusions: Future studies should consider both frequency and risk-based social media measures to develop a balanced understanding of adolescent social media use.