A new Australian study indicates that adolescents who spend either excessive time or no time at all on social media may report poorer wellbeing. Researchers from the University of Adelaide tracked over 100,000 students from Year 4 to Year 12 over three years.
Key Findings
The study found that the relationship between screen time and wellbeing was not linear and varied by age and gender. Moderate social media use, defined as more than zero but less than 12.5 hours per week after school, was associated with the best wellbeing outcomes.
Both heavy use (12.5 hours or more per week) and no use were linked to poorer outcomes. Wellbeing was assessed across eight indicators: happiness, optimism, life satisfaction, worry, sadness, perseverance, emotional regulation, and cognitive engagement.
Gender Differences
- Girls: Non-users in years 4 to 6 reported the highest wellbeing. By middle school, moderate users showed better wellbeing than non-users. High social media use was consistently linked to poor mental health in girls.
- Boys: Wellbeing was similar among non-users and moderate users in early adolescence. From mid-adolescence onward, boys who did not use social media were increasingly likely to report poorer outcomes, sometimes exceeding the risk associated with high use by late adolescence. This was attributed to social media's role in maintaining friendships and social connection for older boys.
Policy Implications
Lead author Dr. Ben Singh stated that the findings challenge one-size-fits-all rules and blanket bans, such as Australia's recent social media ban for children under 16. He suggested that both excessive restriction and excessive use can be problematic, depending on age and sex.
Dr. Singh recommended that policies and parenting advice move beyond simple screen-time limits to focus on balanced, age-appropriate, and purposeful social media use.
Caroline Thain, headspace manager of clinical advice and governance, commented that a blanket ban is one tool for a complex issue. She emphasized that education, safeguards, parental support, and platform accountability might be more effective than bans alone. Ms. Thain also noted mixed reactions among teenagers to the social media ban, with some feeling relief and others feeling frustrated.
This study follows a similar paper from Curtin University in November 2024, which found no link between the amount of time spent on social media and psychological distress in a survey of over 400 individuals aged 17 to 53.