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Social media use and young people

Posted: Sat Feb 08, 2025 9:03 am
by asimj1
The connections between social media and young people’s mental health are very much in the news. Professor Liz Twigg from the University of Portsmouth discusses some questions about this phenomenon and introduces her new research into the area.

There are mounting concerns about young israel rcs data people’s increasing use of social media and the effects this has on their everyday sense of wellbeing and happiness.

The effects of cyberbullying, fear of missing out and the desire to sustain on-line approval for physical appearance and expression of opinion may all heighten levels of stress and anxiety.

Children’s charities such as the NSPCC’s ChildLine have reported increases in the use of their counselling services and very recent news has alerted us to the fact that nearly a fifth of 14 year-old girls are ‘self-harming’. Both the Care Quality Commission and The Children’s Society have reported on this issue.

Chicken or egg?
Research on the topic is growing and some evidence points to a direct association between the time spent on social media and mental wellbeing, such Kross et al and Beardsmore. However very few studies test the direction of causation.