“A Cross-Comparative Study of Adolescent Mental Health and Social Media Use in South Korea and Canada”

Abstract

In an increasingly digital world, the mental health of adolescents is reflected in their interactions on social networking sites (SNS). As adolescence represents a pivotal transitional period characterized by an increase in social relationships, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and its transferal of in-person interactions to online spheres is a crucial component of adolescent mental health in 2022. Where excessive social media using during the lockdowns led to an increase in cyberbullying (highlighted in Canada’s updated criminal code) and eating disorders (explored through mukbang, or ‘escapist eating’ in South Korea), the type of SNS interactions adolescents engage in—comparative social media use and more passive, autonomous enjoyment—are critical to distinguishing between the positive and negative effects of social media on adolescent health. To identify the link between pre, during, and post-pandemic adolescent mental health, this study utilizes a comparative analysis of surveillance and harm within social media consumption in South Korea and Canada. For South Korean and Canadian adolescents, the distinction between active and passive social media use and the degree of online autonomy can define the level of harm to mental stability, emphasizing the importance of autonomous social media consumption in ‘safe digital spaces.’