Digital Engagement and Mental Health: Rethinking Social Media and Youth Mental Health

Abstract

This paper dives deeper into the relationship between social media use and adolescent mental health in the contemporary digital age. Rather than pursuing a harmful or beneficial point of view, it argues that the impact of social media is complex and based on many factors. The paper utilises the Uses and Gratifications Theory and Social Comparison Theory to explain why adolescents use social media and how it can shape their mental health. It finds that teenagers often use social media for self-expression, belonging, connection, and entertainment. Despite social media acting as a sanctuary for activeness, access to support, and social connection, there is no doubt that the intense use of social media is strongly associated with negative outcomes such as depression, anxiety, loneliness and more. The paper will highlight that there is no one clear pathway to describe someone’s use of social media, leaving the relationship to be more bidirectional. Overall, the study argues that the effects of social media on mental health depend less on the time spent online and more on how, why, and under what conditions adolescents engage with digital platforms.