Inquiry Question: How does continuous engagement with social media platforms, without regular breaks, influence the mental health and academic performance of high school students?
Research Step 1: Among high school students, what mental health issues are most commonly associated with excessive social media use, and how do they impact academic performance?
Social media is used by many people, especially kids and teenagers, for news, entertainment, and connections with others. (1) Nine out of ten teenagers use social media every day, and over half of those interviewed state they use the internet “almost constantly.” (1) Nearly 40% of kids between the ages of 8 and 12 use social media, ignoring the fact that the majority of these platforms require users to be at least 13 years old. (1) There are mental health concerns around the kinds of use that kids and teenagers are exposed to while endlessly scrolling through social media. (2) Children and teenagers who use social media for more than three hours a day are twice as likely to experience mental health issues, such as anxiety and depression. (2) According to a new survey, teens use social media for an average of 3.5 hours per day, which is quite concerning. (2) In addition, 46% of teenagers between the ages of 13 and 17 who were asked how social media affected their body image said it made them feel worse. (2)
In recent years, research has started to find a clear link between teen social media use and weakened well-being or mood disorders, specifically depression and anxiety. (3) According to a recent survey, girls spend an average of 3.4 hours a day on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, while boys spend an average of 2.1 hours. (3) Meanwhile, more teenagers than ever before have shown symptoms of depression, especially girls. (3) Numerous studies have discovered a link between symptoms of anxiety and depression and the amount of time spent on social media, as well as the number of social media platforms used. (3) While the majority of the studies show a connection between social media use and anxiety and depression, this does not necessarily imply that social media is the cause of these issues. (3) It is unknown if social media use causes symptoms of anxiety and depression or if those who are already more anxious or depressed use social media more than their peers. (3) However, some studies show that using social media may lead to these symptoms, at least in part. (3) In a 2020 study, for example, those who stopped using Facebook for a month reported feeling happier and more satisfied with their lives, along with experiencing less worry and despair. (3)
How Social Media impacts students academically?
According to a meta analysis study by Science Daily on the subject of social media’s effects on academic performance, students who frequently use Instagram while studying tend to do somewhat worse than students who don’t use social media while studying. (4) Science Daily also found out that students who use social media frequently and heavily receive slightly lower grades than those who don’t use it frequently. (4) It is clear that juggling social media use with studying or assignments can have negative effects on kids’ academic performance. (4)
How can students try to reduce their social media use, and study without being distracted by the limitless world of social media?
Victoria University of Melbourne, Australia conducted a study on how to avoid social media distractions while studying, and came up with 7 tips to help students. (5) The first tip was to close any social media sites and apps as closing apps will get the idea off of one’s mind with the “Out of sight, out of mind” mindset. (5) The second tip was to limit phone usage. (5) This could be done by turning off app notifications, or by simply setting screen-time limits. (5) The third tip was to leave the cellphone out of reach. (5) By an individual leaving their phone out of reach, they will have to spend more effort in order to pick it up. (5) The fourth handy tip was to create a social media schedule. (5) By creating a social media schedule, one would be disciplined enough to only take short online breaks. (5) The fifth tip was to research where your time is going and use reminders. (5) This could be done for example, say you spend 1 hour on TikTok a day. The next day, you could set a reminder or time limit for only 30 minutes on TikTok to help manage your time. (5) The sixth tip was to replace one’s time on social media with other activities. (5) An individual could replace their time on social media by doing a hobby such as reading for 30 minutes instead of scrolling. (5) The seventh and final tip was to consider deleting the apps on your phone. (5) If one doesn’t use an app regularly or finds that they feel negatively about themself after using an app, they should consider deleting it to improve their state of mind. (5) These tips are just a few that may help to cut down the use of social media. If your an individual who finds it difficult to put the phone down, consider trying some of these tips!
Image above shows coworkers interacting with each other, without any cellphones.
I hope you picked up a few key points in this Blog Post! Looking forward to my next Blog Post to dissect this subject matter even more!
– Vanessa Vukovic
Resources:
(1) Social Media and Mental Health in children and teens. Johns Hopkins Medicine. (2024, November 18). https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/social-media-and-mental-health-in-children-and-teens
(2) General, O. of the S. (2024, June 17). Social Media and Youth Mental Health. HHS.gov. https://www.hhs.gov/surgeongeneral/priorities/youth-mental-health/social-media/index.html
(3) Gupta, S. (2024a, February 20). Social Media Harms Teens’ mental health, mounting evidence shows. what now? Science News. https://www.sciencenews.org/article/social-media-teens-mental-health
(4) MPP, S. (2023, September 15). How does social media use affect academic performance? – my private professor. My Private Professor – Inspire. Empower. Achieve. Lead. https://myprivateprofessor.com/social-media-academic-performance/
(5) How to avoid social media distraction while studying. Victoria University, Australia. (n.d.). https://www.vu.edu.au/about-vu/news-events/study-space/how-to-avoid-social-media-distraction-while-studying