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Social Media Use Triples Depression Symptoms for Pre-Teens: Study

  • A longitudinal study led by Dr. Jason Nagata tracked nearly 12,000 children aged 9 to 13 from 2016 to 2022 across the United States to assess social media use and depressive symptoms.
  • The study explored if increased social media engagement leads to the onset of depressive symptoms or merely mirrors preexisting emotional difficulties, addressing a key gap in mental health research amid rising screen time among pre-teens.
  • Researchers found that increases in social media use consistently preceded a 7-9% year-over-year rise in depressive symptoms within individuals, while depressive symptoms did not predict more social media use.
  • Dr. Nagata highlighted that the results indicate a need for healthcare providers to proactively advise both young adolescents and their families about managing social media, presenting a chance to help prevent mental health issues during a crucial stage of development.
  • The study's directional link urges parents, clinicians, and policymakers to consider social media as a significant health exposure requiring coordinated policies to protect youth mental health.
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ajmc.com broke the news in on Wednesday, May 21, 2025.
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