Every day children are inundated by endless media messages intended to educate, entertain, or influence their behavior. It takes commitment and effort on the part of parents to monitor and help interpret these external influences on children.
Social media plays an important role in the lives of many tweens and teens. Roughly 18% of 8- to 12-year-olds and 62% of 13- 18-year-olds reported using social media sites such as Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, Discord and Reddit every day in 2021. Among adolescents and young adults, an 90% use one or more social media platforms. All this media use can influence young people in a variety of ways. And with a reported rise in depression and anxiety among teens, you may wonder how social media may impact your child's mental health. Research suggests it depends on how they use it. Understanding potential connections between social media and mental health can help you guide your kids toward healthy social media habits. Read on to learn more.
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