Causal Effects of Exposure to Social Media on Adolescent Mental Health
Georgetown University
Summary
The mental health of adolescents in the United States has seen a steep decline since 2011, roughly coinciding with the increasing popularity of social media and smartphones. But does social media have a causal impact on the mental health of adolescents or are concerns about the effect of social media on kids a form of public hysteria? In this study, the investigators will conduct the first field experiment in 11-14-year-olds to examine whether, how, and for whom social media harms mental health.
Eligibility
- Age range
- 10–14 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Yes
Inclusion Criteria: 1. is an adolescent who is between the ages of 10 and 14; 2. is an adolescent whose parents have decided to buy them their first smartphone; 3. is an adolescent both of whose parents/guardians consent for them to be in the study; 4. is an adolescent who assents to be in the study; 5) is an adolescent who speaks and reads English sufficiently to complete surveys and provide informed consent. Exclusion Criteria: 1. is an adolescent who has severe developmental problems (e.g., autism, severe language delay); 2. is an adolescent who is currently or has ever been diagnosed wi…
Interventions
- BehavioralRestricted Social Media
Participants (N = 500) will be randomly assigned to either have no study-imposed restrictions on social media use (naturalistic social media condition) or have no access to social media apps on their phones (restricted social media condition). This manipulation will last three months, after which both groups will have no study-imposed restrictions on social media for three more months.
Location
- Georgetown UniversityWashington D.C., District of Columbia