Does Social Media Impact Adolescent Mental Health?

The average score varies between 0 and 4, with higher scores indicating a worse outcome.

The average score varies between 0 and 4, with higher scores indicating a worse outcome.

The average score varies between 0 and 4, with higher scores indicating a worse outcome.

The average score varies between 0 and 4, with higher scores indicating a worse outcome.

The average score varies between 0 and 4, with higher scores indicating a worse outcome.

Mediator measured with a single, face-valid item in EMA surveys: "Over the past 24 hours, how often have you compared yourself to someone who you believe is better off than you?"

Mediator measured with a single, face-valid item in EMA surveys: "Over past 24 hours, how much time did you spend socializing in person?"

Mediator measured with a single, face-valid item in EMA surveys: "Over past 24 hours, how much did you enjoy your in-person social interactions with others?"

Mediator: Quantity of digital social interactions based on the total number of words participants type on their phone keyboards each day.

Mediator: Quality/valence of digital social interactions by measuring the balance between positive and negative words participants type on their phone keyboards. The valence of the words typed will first be scored using the Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC) software. The sum of the valence scores of all words will produce the final score for analysis.

Active usage includes creating content and direct messaging, while passive usage includes browsing, scrolling, or watching videos. Using data from the Inertial Measurement Unit (i.e., accelerometer and gyroscope data) and keyboard input (i.e. typing or not), an Extremely Randomized Trees algorithm will classify behaviors into active or passive.

Active usage includes creating content and direct messaging, while passive usage includes browsing, scrolling, or watching videos. Using data from the Inertial Measurement Unit (i.e., accelerometer and gyroscope data) and keyboard input (i.e. typing or not), an Extremely Randomized Trees algorithm will classify behaviors into active or passive.

Time participants spend in specific social media apps as assessed unobtrusively by mobile sensing.

Mediator measured with a single, face-valid item in EMA surveys and answered by the parent: "Over past 24 hours, my child and I did not get along. (1-not at all to 10-very much)"

Present temporal focus (i.e., using the present tense) and self-focus (i.e., using first-person pronouns) based on the language participants use while typing on their phones.

Moderator variable: Vanderbilt ADHD Diagnostic Parent Rating Scale completed by parents as a measure of symptoms of adolescents' ADHD at baseline. For exploratory purposes, we will administer the Vanderbilt ADHD Diagnostic Parent Rating Scale at the two follow-up assessments, as well.

Moderator: Sustained attention/inhibitory control as assessed by Gradual Onset Continuous Performance Task (gradCPT), which is a go/no-go continuous performance task validated in adolescents in the target age range. The primary moderator of interest is accuracy (d') based on signal detection. For exploratory purposes, we will administer the gradCPT at the two follow-up assessments, as well.

Moderator: Scale of Motives for Using Social Networking Sites (SMU-SNS), designed to assess different motivations for using social media specifically in adolescents (e.g., Social Connectedness, Social Recognition, Following Others).

Exploratory measure: UCLA Loneliness Scale

Moderator: Authoritative, authoritarian, and permissive parenting styles as assessed by the Parenting Styles and Dimensions Questionnaire.

Mediator as assessed by mobile sensing data (acceleromer, GPS)

Mediator as assessed by mobile sensing data (accelerometer, GPS)

A study-specific, face-valid measure assessing restrictions that parents have imposed on the adolescents' social media use overall and on their use of specific social media platforms.

Age, sex at birth, self-identified gender, race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status and other demographics as assessed by the ABCD Parent Demographics Survey (NDA code: pdem02) and Child Demographics Survey (NDA code: child_dem01)

Parent-reported and self-reported current and past psychiatric diagnoses and developmental problems, including their severity as assessed by a modified version of the Psychiatric Diagnoses Form (NDA code: psydif01).

Current and past suicidal ideation assessed as follows: Over the last two weeks, how often have you been bothered by thoughts that you would be better off dead or of hurting yourself in some way?" and "Have you ever been bothered by thoughts that you would be better off dead or of hurting yourself in some way?"