The influence of social media use on adolescent mental health: A literature review

Abstract

During adolescence, everyone undergoes a crucial developmental phase in forming a strong foundation of health, ranging from rapid physical, cognitive, and psychosocial growth, which has a significant impact on adolescent mental health. Adolescents are among the highest rate of internet use with the main reason being access to social media. Social media provides a vast platform for adolescents to connect with friends, share experiences, and express themselves. However, questions surrounding the impact of social media use on adolescents' mental health are increasingly becoming the focus of attention. This literature study aims to find out more about the influence of social media use on adolescents' mental health. This research uses a descriptive qualitative approach. The type of research used is literature review or literature study. Data searches were conducted in the Google Scholar and PubMed databases. Based on the results of the literature search, there were 7 articles that fit the criteria. There are various views on the influence of social media use on adolescent mental health. Social media use has a significant influence on adolescents' mental health with differing opinions in the literature, with some stating positive impacts, while others highlighting negative impacts. To overcome the negative impacts, judicious use of social media is key