A recent study revealed that increasing use of social media is making kids more prone to depression.
According to research published in JAMA Network Open on May 21, early adolescents are at an increased risk of developing symptoms of depression due to excessive use of social media.
Depression symptoms increased 35% as kids’ average social media use raised
Researchers revealed that depression symptoms increased 35% as kids’ average social media use raised from 7-73 minutes daily over a three-year period.
Lead researcher and an associate professor of paediatrics at the University of California – San Francisco, Dr. Jason Nagata, stated:
“There has been ongoing debate about whether social media contributes to depression or simply reflects underlying depressive symptoms.”
“These findings provide evidence that social media may be contributing to the development of depressive symptoms,” Nagata added.
The research involved 12,000 participants in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study.
Researchers assessed the kids’ depressive symptoms and social media use at ages 9 and 10, and then three years later at 12 to 13.
The results indicated that the kids' social media use exceeded with their age, from 7-73 minutes a day three years later.
The researchers didn’t disclose the reason behind why social media would increase depression; but, previous research points to cyberbullying and disrupted sleep patterns.
