Study: Minimal evidence links social media, gaming to teen mental health issues
2 months ago
- #mental health
- #teenagers
- #social media
- A major study from The University of Manchester found little evidence linking social media use or video gaming to mental health problems in young teenagers.
- The research involved over 25,000 pupils aged 11-14 across Greater Manchester over three school years as part of the #BeeWell programme.
- No evidence was found that heavier social media use or frequent gaming caused increases in anxiety or depression symptoms the following year.
- Girls who gamed more often spent slightly less time on social media the next year, while boys with emotional difficulties were more likely to cut back on gaming.
- The study suggests that young people's online habits may be influenced by their mental state, rather than technology use causing mental health issues.
- The authors emphasize that harmful online experiences (e.g., hurtful messages, extreme content) can impact wellbeing, but screen time alone is not the main issue.