Social Media and Teens’ Mental Health: What Teens and Their Parents Say | Pew Research Center

Social Media and Teen Mental Health: Key Findings

• Survey Context: Conducted by Pew Research Center (Sept. 18–Oct. 10, 2024) surveying 1,391 U.S. teens (ages 13–17) and their parents.
• Parent vs. Teen Concern: Parents are significantly more concerned about teen mental health (55%) than teens themselves (35%).
• Social Media Impact:
  • 48% of teens believe social media has a mostly negative effect on their peers (up from 32% in 2022).
  • Only 14% of teens believe social media negatively affects them personally.
  • 45% of teens report spending too much time on social media (up from 36% in 2022).
  • 74% of teens feel social media helps them connect with friends; 63% use it for creative expression.
• Gender Disparities:
  • Teen girls report more negative impacts from social media than boys regarding mental health, confidence, and sleep.
  • Mothers and parents of teen girls express higher levels of concern regarding mental health than fathers or parents of boys.
• Communication Gaps:
  • 80% of parents feel comfortable discussing mental health with their teens, while only 52% of teens feel comfortable having those conversations.
  • Teens are most comfortable talking about their mental health with parents (52%) and friends (48%), and least comfortable with teachers (12%).
• Mental Health Resources:
  • 34% of teens use social media to find mental health information.
  • Among those who use social media for this purpose, 63% consider it an important resource.
• Racial and Ethnic Differences:
  • Black parents and Black teens report higher levels of concern regarding teen mental health compared to their White and Hispanic counterparts.
  • Black teens are more comfortable discussing mental health with therapists and teachers than White or Hispanic teens.