Turns out, more screen time might mean more sad time. A large-scale study from the University of California, San Francisco, has found that the more preteens use social media, the more likely they are to show symptoms of depression. But interestingly, the reverse isn’t true—children who are already feeling down aren’t necessarily turning to their screens more often. (JAMA Network Open)
The Study: What Did Researchers Discover? Led by Dr. Jason Nagata, the study followed 11,876 children aged 9 to 10 over a three-year period as part of the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study. Between 2016 and 2018, the average daily social media use among these children jumped from 7 minutes to 73 minutes. During the same time, depressive symptoms increased by 35%.
When the researchers looked closely at year-over-year data, they found a clear pattern: when kids’ social media use increased beyond the average, their depressive symptoms tended to rise as well. However, there was no evidence that children who already had depressive symptoms began to use social media more as a result.
Why Might Social Media Be Making Kids Unhappy? While the study didn’t pinpoint exact causes, earlier research provides some clues. Cyberbullying, sleep disruptions, and feelings of exclusion or inadequacy from comparing oneself to others online are all known to negatively affect mental health.
In fact, in a related study using the same group of children, those aged 11-12 who experienced cyberbullying were more than twice as likely to have suicidal thoughts or behaviors a year later. They were also significantly more likely to experiment with substances like alcohol, tobacco, or marijuana.
A Wake-Up Call for Digital Parenting Social media is a key tool for how children connect and communicate with peers, but this study highlights the emotional risks that come with it. Dr. Nagata notes that simply telling kids to “put down the phone” isn’t realistic. Instead, he recommends setting family-wide digital boundaries—like device-free dinners or no phones before bedtime—to foster healthier screen habits.
Takeaway: Social media isn’t inherently bad, but its unchecked use among young children may contribute to rising depression rates. As digital natives grow up in an increasingly connected world, it’s vital that parents, educators, and policymakers develop strategies to promote emotional well-being alongside digital literacy.
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