Insufficient scientific evidence that social media harms teen mental health, say Belgian researchers
There is currently insufficient scientific evidence to conclude that social media is harmful to the mental wellbeing of young people. This was the main finding of a new study by Ghent University and the University of Antwerp, as reported by VRT NWS on Wednesday.
"Just as many studies report negative, positive or no effects at all," said Professor Ernst Koster, a clinical psychologist at Ghent University and the study's lead author.
The researchers reviewed around 40 recent studies into the effects of social media use among adolescents and found the results to be highly mixed. No clear causal relationship could be established between social media use and mental wellbeing.
Short-term investigations
According to the study, many of the existing investigations are short-term, often spanning only a few days or a week, which the authors argue is insufficient to assess long-term effects.
There’s a tendency to assume a purely negative impact
"There’s also a tendency to assume a purely negative impact when, in reality, the effect is often very limited or even absent altogether," said Koster. "That’s why we’ve also included recommendations for how future research could be improved."
Social media vagueness
A key problem, the authors note, is the vagueness surrounding what 'social media use' actually entails. "It’s often unclear which platforms, devices, features, interactions or types of content are being studied and how these are measured," Koster explained.
According to the researchers, the idea that social media is the main cause of mental health problems among adolescents does not stand up to scrutiny. "This does not mean that problematic effects can’t exist on an individual level," Koster added. "For example, if someone is feeling vulnerable about their self-image and they’re constantly confronted with friends’ holiday photos, that could make them feel worse."
These 'third variables' - external or contextual factors that may influence well-being - are rarely accounted for in current research, the authors note.
The team also conducted their own study, limiting the social media use of one group of participants while leaving the other group's use unrestricted. After one month, they found no significant difference in mental wellbeing between the two groups.
This research was conducted in collaboration with the University of Antwerp and was published in the prestigious journal Nature.
#FlandersNewsService | © ZUMAPRESS
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