The Effects of Social Media on Adolescent Mental Health: Findings From a Population‐Based Cohort Study in Australia

Journal article

Plain Language Summary: The Known: Concerns about social media's impact on adolescent mental health have driven policy debate, yet evidence remains limited and largely cross‐sectional. The New: Using annual data from a longitudinal cohort of Australian adolescents, we estimated future mental health risks from social media use between 12 and 18 years of age. More than 2 h of daily social media use was associated with an increased risk of high depressive symptoms and poor well‐being 1 year later. Estimated risks were greater in early adolescence (12–13 years) compared to risks in later ages. The Implications: Early adolescence is a key vulnerability period for social media use, supporting targeted education and policies aimed at limiting use.

Authors: Vijayakumar, N; Dashti, SG; Canterford, L; Ellul, S; Parissi, AJA

• Publication status: Published
• Peer review status: Peer reviewed
• Publisher: Wiley
• Journal: The Medical Journal of Australia
• Volume: 224
• Issue: 6
• Article number: e70220
• Publication date: 2026-06-11
• Acceptance date: 2026-04-22
• DOI: 10.5694/mja2.70220
• EISSN: 1326-5377
• ISSN: 0025729X
• Language: English
• Keywords: longitudinal studies; adolescence; social media