Impact of Social Media Use on Mental Health within Adolescent and Student Populations during COVID-19 Pandemic: Review

Marija Draženović, Tea Vukušić Rukavina () and Lovela Machala Poplašen
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Marija Draženović: Leadership and Management of Health Services, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Tea Vukušić Rukavina: Andrija Štampar School of Public Health, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Lovela Machala Poplašen: Andrija Štampar School of Public Health, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 4, 1-22

Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic has drastically changed our lives. By increased screen time during the pandemic, social media (SM) could have significantly impacted adolescents’ and students’ mental health (MH). This literature review aims to synthesize the research on the impact of SM usage on MH of adolescents and students during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. A review of the published literature was conducted in April 2021, through a search of PubMed and Web of Science Core Collection databases. The search yielded 1136 records, with 13 articles selected for this review. Most of the included studies observed the negative impact of SM use on MH of adolescents and students, most noticeably observed were anxiety, depression and stress. More active and prolonged SM usage was associated with a negative impact on MH of adolescents and students. Two studies recorded some potentially positive effects, such as support in coping and providing a sense of connection for those who were isolated due to social distancing measures. Since this review focuses on the early period of the pandemic, future studies should investigate the long-term impact of SM use on adolescents and students MH, with all relevant elements that can enable adequate public health response.

Keywords: COVID-19 pandemic; mental health; internet; social media; adolescent; student (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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