‘We suspect that simply telling young people ‘social media is bad for you’ – which is often our current approach – will do little to actually teach them how to use it in healthier ways.’
Jacqueline, you were recently awarded a major grant to study the impact of social media on the mental health of adolescents, a tremendously important issue in the current age. Congratulations. First, can you give us an overview of how social media can contribute to “symptoms of depression and anxiety” among teenagers, as you were quoted in a media release from Rhode Island Hospital?
Thank you so much, Wayne! I’m really honored to have the chance to do this work, and I should mention that this grant is very much a group effort. I’m very grateful to my colleagues and mentors for making this work possible.
The question of whether and how social media contributes to symptoms of anxiety and depression is actually a complicated one. Mental health conditions are complex, and are rarely the result of a single cause. We know that for some adolescents, social media use can play a role in worsening symptoms. For others, social media can be neutral or have benefits. And for many kids, social media can offer both benefits and risks, depending on when and how it is used.
Do you have any sense of the numbers and percentages of teenagers in Rhode Island and nationally who are negatively affected by social media?
This is a tricky question to answer because these effects are happening on a spectrum, and for most teenagers, there is going to be a combination of good and bad coming from their social media use. What we do know is that the way social media platforms are designed can amplify risks for some youth. For example, these platforms are often designed to keep kids engaged as long as possible, and this does not always make for healthy boundaries around time spent. We also know that some teens are being recommended inappropriate or upsetting content on these platforms, including content related to mental health that is not helpful for them.
Another aim of the new study is to determine the numbers and percentages of teens who are not negatively affected, correct?
We’re interested in understanding the full range of teens’ experiences on social media, including both positives and negatives, and how those relate to symptoms of anxiety and depression. For some teens, we know that social media can provide an important context for social connection, identity development, and learning. We want to understand which teens are more sensitive to social media’s effects. We also want to know how teens’ beliefs about social media–including whether they think social media has a negative impact on mental health–influences their experience with it and subsequent mental health symptoms.
So let’s get into details of the study. What is the age group and numbers of adolescents who will be recruited?
We will be recruiting 200 adolescents ages 13 to 16.
Will these be Rhode Island teens?
It will be a national sample. We’re going to be recruiting a diverse group of participants from across the country.
How frequently will the group be assessed?
They will participate in four sessions, spread across 18 months.
And there will be a youth advisory board. What will its role be and who will comprise it?
Yes, we’ll be working with a group of teens to inform the design of the study, assist us in developing our measures, and help us interpret the results. We think getting teens’ perspectives on these issues is essential to the research process, so we’re excited about this component!
The media release stated that “the findings from Dr. Nesi’s research are expected to yield new insights into the mechanisms by which social media influences adolescent mental health. This work will identify novel, potentially modifiable targets for future clinical, educational, and public health interventions, ultimately supporting healthier social media use among youth.” Can you please expand on that?
Of course. We’re hoping that the results of the study will inform the ways that we support youth in using social media in healthier ways. In particular, as I mentioned, we’ll be exploring how teens’ beliefs about social media influence its effects on them, including their beliefs about how social media impacts mental health and what young people can do about it. Teens develop these beliefs, in part, through conversations through adults in their lives, so we hope that our study can provide information on the types of messages we should be sending to young people about their social media use. We suspect that simply telling young people “social media is bad for you”–which is often our current approach–will do little to actually teach them how to use it in healthier ways.
What is the dollar amount of the grant, from the National Institute of mental health, and what is its duration?
This is a 5-year, $4.09 million grant.
We should note that you are also an assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior at The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University.” Can you give us a sense of your other work there – and also, a bit of your background, including what drew you to psychology.
Yes! I’m a clinical psychologist. My research is focused on the effects of digital technology on youth wellbeing and mental health, and what parents can do to help. I’ve always been interested in how young peoples’ social experiences influence their development, and now, how digital technology (like smartphones and social media) play such a crucial role in those experiences. I’m also a mom of two young kids, which has certainly informed my interest in understanding the effects of these technologies and how parents can help their kids navigate them!
Another of your endeavors is the Techno Sapiens weekly newsletter. Tell us about that please.
Techno Sapiens is a free, weekly newsletter where I share the latest research on psychology, technology, and parenting, and also offer practical tips for living and parenting in the digital age. I started the newsletter a couple years ago because I was looking to share research outside the walls of academia in a way that was scientifically rigorous, but also accessible and fun. I’ve loved having the chance to connect with people (including fellow parents!) from all over the world who are interested in these topics.
