Brussels: There is currently insufficient scientific evidence to conclude that social media is harmful to the mental wellbeing of young people. This was the main finding of a new study by Ghent University and the University of Antwerp, as reported by VRT NWS on Wednesday.
According to Emirates News Agency, the researchers reviewed around 40 recent studies into the effects of social media use among adolescents and found the results to be highly mixed. No clear causal relationship could be established between social media use and mental wellbeing. The study highlighted that many existing investigations are short-term, often spanning only a few days or a week, which the authors argue is insufficient to assess long-term effects.
“Just as many studies report negative, positive or no effects at all,” said Professor Ernst Koster, a clinical psychologist at Ghent University and the study’s lead author. Koster emphasized the tendency to assume a purely negative impact when, in reality, the effect is often very limited or even absent altogether. The study includes recommendations for improving future research methodologies.
The researchers pointed out the vagueness surrounding what ‘social media use’ actually entails, noting the lack of clarity regarding which platforms, devices, features, interactions, or types of content are being studied and how these are measured. They also noted that the idea of social media as the main cause of mental health problems among adolescents does not hold up to scrutiny. However, they acknowledged that problematic effects might exist on an individual level, influenced by external or contextual factors, referred to as ‘third variables.’
The research team conducted their own study, limiting the social media use of one group of participants while leaving the other group’s use unrestricted. After one month, they found no significant difference in mental wellbeing between the two groups. This research was conducted in collaboration with the University of Antwerp and was published in the prestigious journal Nature.