How Social Media Can Improve Mental Health: New Study Offers Hope for Teens

A new study suggests that social media use can benefit mental health when proper guidelines are followed. The November issue of the Journal of Experimental Psychology highlights research from the University of British Columbia on how social media impacts teen mental health. The six-week study divided 393 Canadian teens with mental health concerns into three groups.

The first group, the control group, maintained their usual routines. The second group, the “abstinence” group, avoided social media entirely. The third group, the “tutorial” group, received mindful social media use coaching.

The tutorial group was trained to limit interactions that promote social comparison and instead focus on building meaningful online connections. They were also taught how to curate their follow lists for a more positive social media experience. The study revealed that both the abstinence and tutorial groups reduced their social media use and experienced less FOMO (fear of missing out). Although the tutorial group did not significantly reduce screen time, they reported notable improvements in loneliness and reduced FOMO.

Interestingly, the abstinence group demonstrated better outcomes in reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety but did not experience improvements in loneliness. Researchers explained that while quitting social media entirely can alleviate the pressure of maintaining a perfect online persona, it may also lead to feelings of isolation from friends and family. In contrast, the tutorial group was encouraged to engage actively with friends through comments and direct messages (DMs). These small, intentional acts of connection strengthened relationships and boosted feelings of social support.

Dr. Amori Mikami, the study’s lead researcher, highlighted the need for a balanced approach to social media use. She pointed out that social media is here to stay and that advising people to quit abruptly is unrealistic. However, she emphasized that with proper guidelines, teens can have positive and supportive experiences on social media without negatively affecting their mental health.