Social media use and mental health indicators among US adolescents: A population-based study

Abstract

Social media use among young people has raised concerns about its potential impact on mental health. However, research is limited regarding whether certain subgroups may be differently affected. This study uses data from the 2022 National Youth Tobacco Survey, a nationally representative sample of middle and high school students aged approximately 11-18 years (n = 23,366). Mental health conditions were assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire-4, and social media use was categorized by frequency levels. We employed multinomial logistic regression and a finite mixture Poisson model to explore the relationship between social media use, sexual identity, and mental health status. The study found a consistent association between social media use and mental health conditions, particularly among frequent users. The finite mixture model revealed two latent groups based on mental health status: a ‘better’ group with minimal or no poor mental health indicators and a ‘worse’ group with more indicators. For both groups, social media use was associated with mental health conditions, with a stronger association among frequent users. Notably, sexual minorities, especially bisexual students, were more likely to report poor mental health indicators. This study suggests that frequent social media use may adversely affect young people’s mental health and that different youth subgroups may respond differently to social media use and mental health conditions.