Social media use triples depression symptoms for pre-teens: Study

Understanding social media addiction

LiveNOW From FOX's Mike Pache speaks with a psychologist about how social media platforms trigger teens and children to become addicted.

LOS ANGELES - As pre-teens spend more time scrolling, new research shows the emotional toll could be far greater than previously understood. 

A massive new longitudinal study of nearly 12,000 children found that when kids increased their social media use, depressive symptoms rose significantly the following year—while the reverse wasn’t true.

Published in JAMA Network Open on May 21, the study addressed a long-standing gap in mental health research: whether social media use causes depression or is simply a reflection of existing struggles. 

By focusing on children aged 9 to 13 over four years, the researchers uncovered a clear, within-person pattern linking more time online with worsening emotional health. The findings come as mental health professionals and parents nationwide search for clearer guidance amid growing concern over youth well-being.

How does social media use affect young teens’ mental health?

The backstory:

For years, experts have debated whether social media harms kids’ mental health or simply mirrors their existing challenges. Past studies were often limited to snapshots in time, usually focusing on older teens or college students. This left a critical question unanswered: Does scrolling lead to sadness—or are sad kids just scrolling more?

This new study used data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study, the largest long-term brain development study in the U.S. Researchers tracked nearly 12,000 participants from age 9 or 10 through the next three years, using self-reported social media time and parent-reported depression scores.

What they're saying:

Lead author Dr. Jason Nagata and his team concluded that increased social media use was consistently followed by higher depressive symptoms. Notably, depressive symptoms did not predict later social media use—suggesting the relationship isn’t simply a feedback loop of sad kids turning to screens.

The authors emphasized that the findings "suggest that clinicians should provide anticipatory guidance regarding social media use for young adolescents and their parents." In other words, limiting social media could be a form of mental health prevention during a critical window of development.

Why you should care:

Mental health among adolescents is already in crisis, with 42% of teens in 2021 reporting persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness. 

FILE - A teenager sits on the floor and uses a smartphone - various apps can be seen on the display.  (Photo by Elisa Schu/picture alliance via Getty Images)

Study authors added urgency to calls from pediatricians, parents, and lawmakers to treat social media like any other health exposure—especially in the vulnerable pre-teen years. Unlike previous studies, this one shows a directional link, meaning it’s not just correlation—it’s a warning sign.

By the numbers:

The study’s scale and results offer a clearer picture of how social media use impacts young adolescents over time.

• 11,876 children tracked from ages 9 to 13
• Increases in social media use correlated with a 7–9% rise in depressive symptoms year-over-year
• No evidence found that depressive symptoms led to more social media use
• Study period spanned 2016–2022, with data analyzed from 2024 to 2025

What's next:

With mounting evidence, pressure is likely to grow on schools, tech companies, and parents to take action. Anticipatory guidance from clinicians may include stricter screen time limits, digital literacy education, or more structured offline activities. Some experts also call for platform-level changes to reduce addictive features and prioritize mental well-being for younger users.