Does Social Media Cause Mental Health Problems Among Adolescents in Our
Post-Modern World?
Dear Friends,
I would like to gather your opinions on this important issue.
Families are experiencing conflict regarding social media use or screen time of their kids. Parents express two main perspectives:
1. We are in a digital landscape; it is essential to introduce children to the digital environment to build necessary digital skills.
2. Screen time is detrimental; therefore, we should restrict their access to the internet, as many online risks threaten their mental health.
As you may know, following Spain and Florida in the U.S., Australia is preparing to ban social media for adolescents under 16.
Is there a social media ban in your country?
Numerous studies have explored this issue, with over 1,000 studies published, including 100 meta-analyses.Unfortunately, most of these studies are cross-sectional and rely onretrospective data regarding screen time.
Do you have any insights or studies on this topic?
I would love to hear your thoughts.
Thank you.
Gonca Yilmaz MD,PhD
CHIFA Profile:Gonca Yilmaz is a member of the Executive Committee of the International Society for Social Paediatrics and Child Health. She is a social pediatrician in a training hospital in Ankara, Turkey, and has a postgraduate degree in Social Pediatrics. Her interests include child rights, child abuse and neglect management, well-child and baby care, and infant nutrition. goncay AT gmail.com