Youth, Social Media, and Mental Health: Evidence from Australian Panel Data

Social media use has become ubiquitous among young people, yet evidence on its association with mental health remains limited and mixed.

In this study, we use rich longitudinal data from Australia and measure social media use based on the frequency of active posting or sharing on social networking sites. We find that heavy social media use and addiction are associated with increased psychological distress, with the association concentrated among individuals who started using social media at younger ages.

Our findings point to several co-occurring risk factors associated with intensive social media use. Heavy users report increased smoking and alcohol consumption, reduced sleep, diminished parental contact and heightened feelings of loneliness. Importantly, we identify several family environments associated with weaker associations between intensive social media use and psychological distress, such as screen time management, open communication, and warm parent-child relationships.

These findings have implications for family targeted approaches that may complement broader policies aimed at protecting adolescent mental health in the digital age.