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Social media use in adolescents with and without mental health conditions

Author

Listed:
  • Luisa Fassi

    (University of Cambridge
    University of Cambridge)

  • Amanda M. Ferguson

    (University of Cambridge)

  • Andrew K. Przybylski

    (University of Oxford)

  • Tamsin J. Ford

    (University of Cambridge)

  • Amy Orben

    (University of Cambridge)

Abstract

Concerns about the relationship between social media use and adolescent mental health are growing, yet few studies focus on adolescents with clinical-level mental health symptoms. This limits our understanding of how social media use varies across mental health profiles. In this Registered Report, we analyse nationally representative UK data (N = 3,340, aged 11–19 years) including diagnostic assessments by clinical raters alongside quantitative and qualitative social media measures. As hypothesized, adolescents with mental health conditions reported spending more time on social media and were less happy about the number of online friends than adolescents without conditions. We also found hypothesized differences in social media use by condition type: adolescents with internalizing conditions reported spending more time on social media, engaging in more social comparison and experiencing greater impact of feedback on mood, alongside lower happiness about the number of online friends and lower honest self-disclosure. In contrast, those with externalizing conditions only reported higher time spent. These findings emphasize the need to consider diverse adolescent mental health profiles in policy and clinical practice.

Suggested Citation

  • Luisa Fassi & Amanda M. Ferguson & Andrew K. Przybylski & Tamsin J. Ford & Amy Orben, 2025. "Social media use in adolescents with and without mental health conditions," Nature Human Behaviour, Nature, vol. 9(6), pages 1283-1299, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nathum:v:9:y:2025:i:6:d:10.1038_s41562-025-02134-4
    DOI: 10.1038/s41562-025-02134-4
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Amy Orben & Andrew K. Przybylski, 2020. "Reply to: Underestimating digital media harm," Nature Human Behaviour, Nature, vol. 4(4), pages 349-351, April.
    2. Hatice Gözde Akkın Gürbüz & Türkay Demir & Burcu Gökalp Özcan & Muhammed Tayyib Kadak & Burç Çağrı Poyraz, 2017. "Use of social network sites among depressed adolescents," Behaviour and Information Technology, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 36(5), pages 517-523, May.
    3. Jean M. Twenge & Jonathan Haidt & Thomas E. Joiner & W. Keith Campbell, 2020. "Underestimating digital media harm," Nature Human Behaviour, Nature, vol. 4(4), pages 346-348, April.
    4. Amy Orben & Andrew K. Przybylski & Sarah-Jayne Blakemore & Rogier A. Kievit, 2022. "Windows of developmental sensitivity to social media," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-10, December.
    5. Amy Orben & Andrew K. Przybylski, 2019. "The association between adolescent well-being and digital technology use," Nature Human Behaviour, Nature, vol. 3(2), pages 173-182, February.
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