Social Media Use Impacts on AYAs

In 2016, our lab conducted a two-wave longitudinal survey that assessed college student social media use on a variety of social media platforms (e.g., Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Dating Sites). We were particularly interested in social media use as it relates to mental health, physical health, health behaviors, and academic outcomes. Further, data were collected to examine the potential moderating and mediating roles of psychological constructs and health behaviors. Using these data, we have given several academic presentations focusing on the impact of students’ social media use on students’ physical health, mental health (depression, anxiety), body image and sleep. We might pursue a peer-reviewed publication for the latter. 

In 2020, as Snapchat formed a collaboration with Headspace, we wrote a white paper entitled: Youth Mental Health: Leveraging Technology to Bridge the Treatment Gap. A potential future project in our lab is to update this narrative review to publish in a peer-reviewed academic outlet.