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Topic: The Impact of Social Media on the Developing Adolescent (10-14 years old) Health
and Wellbeing.
Anderson, J. E. (2023). The Teenage Brain: Under Construction. Issues in Law & Medicine,
38(1), 107–125.
This article is written by the Academy of Pediatrics. The purpose of this article is to
explain the current evidence pointing to the harm that various high-risk behaviors can be
extremely powerful and can seriously harm the development of the teenage brain. It begins
with an explanation of how the brain further develops starting around 12 years of age. The
changes that occur are discussed and the differences between male and female brain
development are explained. The article further goes on to explain how various activities
such as sleep, alcohol, drugs, sex, exercise, and parents affect the well-being of those
within the adolescent age group: 10 to 19 years old. This article will benefit my paper by
providing a detailed overview of brain development during the period when most
adolescents are exposed to social media. It discusses how the brain is developing and the
potential negative outcomes that can occur due to this exposure.
Haddock, A., Ward, N., Yu, R., & O’Dea, N. (2022). Positive effects of digital technology use by
adolescents: A scoping review of the literature. International Journal of Environmental
Research and Public Health, 19(21), 14009. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192114009
This article reviews a comprehensive study that examines recent literature on adolescents'
use of digital technology and its potential effects on brain development. The authors
conducted a meta-analysis of 131 articles, including 53 empirical studies focusing
specifically on the impact of social media use on adolescents' brain development, cognitive
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development, and social-emotional well-being. The findings presented in this article
demonstrate more positive than negative outcomes for adolescents. This directly
contradicts other articles cited in this paper. It offers an alternative perspective and
emphasizes the need for further research, particularly on the long-term effects of social
media use on adolescent health and well-being. It will benefit my paper because it offers an
alternate perspective, outlining the positive benefits social media can have, such as
enhancing social skills, cognitive development, and emotional regulation. It demonstrates
that the narrative of social media being wholly negative to the development and well-being
of today’s adolescents may be false. This indicates a further need for research and
continued investigation, showing why multiple longitudinal studies must be conducted.
He, X., Hu, J., Yin, M., Zhang, W., & Qiu, B. (2023). Screen media use affects subcortical
structures, resting-state functional connectivity, and mental health problems in early
adolescence. Brain Sciences, 13(10), 1452. https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci13101452
He et al. wanted to determine whether or not there is an association between excessive
screen time and mental health concerns of youth. They focused specifically on the
biological mechanisms that underly these relationships. To support this goal, a meta-
analysis of over 33 recent studies found what they considered an unclear connection due to
the style of the studies looked at. After discussing the concerns of the meta-analysis, the
researchers determined a plan of study. They wanted to determine the longitudinal impacts
of screen time on the brain development and mental health of those in their early
adolescent years. The study began with 11,800 adolescents aged nine and ten years old.
Conducted over ten years, the researchers monitored brain development utilizing several
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MRI images of each participant. The study also tracked the amount of time each
participant used one of the six different screen media types: TV/movies, online videos,
video games, texting, social media, and video chat. The six types of media were then
grouped into three main categories: passive media, social media, and video games. This
study will benefit my paper because it discusses the longitudinal outcomes of social media
use. It determined that while screen time has been shown to correlate with a variety of
behaviors, it directly contradicts previous studies, suggesting that social media may not
correlate with mental health concerns of the age group studied. Additionally, this study
explores some of the brain changes seen in participants with high social media use,
demonstrating that it can cause the brain to develop in ways that those who do not use
social media have.
Maza, M. T., Fox, K. A., Kwon, S.-J., Flannery, J. E., Lindquist, K. A., Prinstein, M. J., &
Telzer, E. H. (2023). Association of habitual checking behaviors on social media with
longitudinal functional brain development. JAMA Pediatrics, 177(2), 160.
https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2022.4924
This article explores the relationship between the frequency of social media use and its
longitudinal impact on the brain development of adolescents. The study involved 169 6th
and 7th graders, following their frequency of checking social media while monitoring their
brain development during the study period of three years. It was determined that
adolescents with a higher frequency of checking their social media had distinct brain
differences from those who checked less frequently. Specifically changes in neural patterns
were detected. This varied in the short and long term which indicated less control
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regarding impulse control over long-term brain development. This article will benefit my
paper because it focuses on the brain development of those in the target age group. It
provides insight into how repeated exposure to social media can affect the cognitive
functioning of adolescents leading to a lowered ability to control impulses. This, in turn,
can affect the well-being of the individual. This study will help to understand what
repeated exposure to social media has the potential to do on adolescent brain development.
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH). (2023, May 23). Surgeon general issues
new advisory about effects social media use has on Youth Mental Health. HHS.gov.
https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2023/05/23/surgeon-general-issues-new-advisory-
about-effects-social-media-use-has-youth-mental-health.html
This article, written by the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH) discusses
the 2023 advisory of the United States Surgeon General Dr. Vivek MurthyLon the risks of
social media among adolescents. The US Surgeon General discusses his concerns
regarding the potential harm social media can cause and how it impacts the mental health
of this nation’s youth, specifically anxiety, depression, etc. The article goes into detail
regarding the Surgeon General’s concerns. The article outlines a call to action he has for
various groups including parents, lawmakers, social media companies, and technology
companies. The Surgeon General urges each party to work to find ways that will address
the concerns he has. This article will benefit my paper because it provides information
from one of the leading professionals regarding his concerns about the effects of social
media on adolescents. In addition, the perspective of multiple other medical authorities
and summarizes the advisory in a way that facilitates the discussion of this topic.
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Orben, A., Przybylski, A. K., Blakemore, S.-J., & Kievit, R. A. (2022). Windows of
developmental sensitivity to social media. Nature Communications, 13(1).
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-29296-3
This article explores the relationship between social media and the life satisfaction of
adolescents. Using a cohort of over 17,000 participants in the target range, Orben et al.
aim to determine how age and the various stages of adolescence can alter the effect of
social media usage on those 10 – 21 years of age. It was discovered that sensitivity to the
negative effects of social media is highest in the younger age groups. It was also
determined that the sensitivity to it varies depending on the gender of participants.
Females were at a higher risk for negative effects at a younger age than males. The study
showed that those most affected had lower life satisfaction after one year, creating a cycle
of more social media use and a continued decline in life satisfaction. The opposite was
also observed: less social media use during the most sensitive times correlated with higher
life satisfaction. This article is beneficial because it explores more than just one side of
how social media can affect adolescents. It provides data to support the idea that there are
specific times at which each gender should avoid social media to promote positive life
satisfaction or mental well-being.
Prinstein, M. J., Nesi, J., & Telzer, E. H. (2020). Commentary: An updated agenda for the study
of Digital Media Use and Adolescent Development – Future Directions following Odgers
& Jensen (2020). Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 61(3), 349–352.
https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpp.13219
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This paper is an overview of research gaps in the study of social media and adolescents. It
begins by discussing how social media has continued to grow in the lives of adolescents,
emphasizing how it is now the primary form of communication and socialization for many.
Despite this rapid growth of social media usage, current studies on its effects continue to
have several limitations. Prinstein et al. identify what these limitations are and explain
why they are important. They also offer six key ways to improve studies and gather more
meaningful data on the effects of social media usage in adolescents. This article will be
beneficial for my paper because it offers a perspective on the gaps in current research and
suggests several viable trajectories for the improvement of future research. This research
will be vital to gain a more comprehensive understanding of how social media affects the
well-being of adolescents.
U.S. Surgeon General. (2023). Social Media and Youth Mental Health.
https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/sg-youth-mental-health-social-media-advisory.pdf
This is the 2023 advisory of the United States Surgeon General Dr. Vivek
MurthyLconcerning social media use among adolescents. It provides more in-depth and
detailed information than the article from the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health
(OASH). It focuses on the harmful effects social media can have on adolescent mental
health. Additionally, this report highlights areas what the Surgeon General believes there
are significant gaps in the current research and the need for this to be addressed. He calls
out to those in the research field to rectify this. This report will be beneficial for my paper
as it is more comprehensive than the article written by OASH. While it is missing the
quotes found in the article, the report provides vital information the article is missing. Its
