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In our modern society, technology has become a large part of how we learn, work, and communicate with each other. Most adults and university students are aware of how this increased use of technology influences us on a daily basis, but what is less clear is how this use of technology and online activity on social media websites impacts the lives of children and young adolescents. This age group is at the forefront of technology and can quickly pick up new websites and applications on computers, smartphones, and tablets. Communicating and interacting with each other online has become an integral part of their socialization process. At the same time, they are still developing physically, mentally and psychologically as they learn to manage their emotions and behaviours and understand who they are. Technology and social media allow this generation of children to communicate quicker and have more access to peers, family, and friends like no other. While this can be beneficial, there may be some complications or consequences that directly impact children during their most influential years, especially when considering how much time they spend online. According to a CBC News article, Canadian researchers found social media and screen time had “fallen just slightly from the record 13 hours a day some Canadian parents reported for six to 12-year-olds in the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic” (Zafar, 2023). Therefore, children are likely more susceptible to social media’s negative aspects than younger and mature adults. This literature review will examine researchers' specific focus on children and young adolescents and how social media has influenced their well-being. The role social media plays in the everyday lives of children is significant as it negatively impacts their mental health by creating unhealthy levels of addiction, causing a disconnect from social relationships and reality, and increasing levels of social comparison.
Literature Review
Much of the pre-existing literature surrounding social media and children’s mental well- being begins with the continuously evolving access to technology, the relationship children have with their devices, and the level at which social media is utilized (Boothroyd et al., 2024; Clayborne et al., 2025; Steinsbekk et al., 2021). As children grow up in an ever-evolving digital time to rise (Boothroyd et al., 2024; Steinsbekk et al., 2021). This is especially apparent as children quickly adopt new technology and engage with trending media, apps, and websites as they communicate, share content, and learn to navigate the online world (Lee et al., 2020; Steinsbekk et al., 2021).
Due to the increasing use of technology and social media, previous research explores how children and young adolescents use social media (Kerr & Kingsbury, 2023; Steinsbekk et al., 2021). Researchers specifically focus on how much time is spent on social networking sites and what happens during that time. Studies look to understand young people's relationship with technology and social media and make distinctions between their activity levels, interactions, and overall engagement with online platforms (Lafontaine-Poissant et al., 2024). Rather than claiming social media to be strictly good or bad, they look to understand the circumstances which might have a greater impact on psychological or emotional issues (Boothroyd et al., 2024; Lee et al., 2024; Steinsbekk et al., 2021). Pre-existing literature also demonstrates the desire to understand at what level internet and social media usage become problematic for children and its effects on those of different ages and genders (Steinsbekk et al., 2021).
Based on the increasing amount of time spent online and how electronic devices and social media are used, there is a growing focus on how this affects the well-being of children. There are rising concerns that social media usage is responsible for young people’s increasing struggles with mental health and development (Boothroyd et al., 2024; Clayborne et al., 2025). Much of the research explores an increasing number of negative health indicators and concerns for children and young adolescents, including issues with anxiety, appearance and confidence, increased depressive symptoms, and poor sleeping habits (Boothroyd et al., 2024; Lafontaine-Poissant et al., 2024; Lee et al., 2020).
As children are increasingly exposed to new types of online fun, games and communication through social media, much of their time is spent online using digital devices like smartphones or tablets. Psychiatry professor Patricia Conrod noted that many electronic devices and social media apps utilize features that “keep young people scrolling through their feeds,” causing them to “lose some self-control and lose time” (Zafar, 2023). The more time children spend on these devices, the more they become associated with feelings of addiction towards their devices and the online world that they are so connected to. This idea is supported by a study completed by Boothroyd et al. (2024), who looked at data on young Canadians aged 13 to 18. The study explored how young people understand their mental health in relation to digital technology. Based on eight interviews, they found that participants were aware of the addictive nature of certain social media apps such as TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat (Boothroyd et al., 2024). Researchers noted that participants often used “terminologies associated with addiction to describe the pull they feel to use their phone the moment they are alone or bored, [and] the feelings of anxiousness when they lose a device, or it is without charge” (Boothroyd et al., 2024, p. 153).
Part of this addiction problem is due to the fear of missing out (FOMO) which is ever- increasing. Children and young adolescents become increasingly connected to their devices as they constantly check or refresh their screens for updated content and notifications. It is vital to them to stay in the loop and know what is going on with their friends, family and others at all times.
When they do not have access to their social media, they feel uneasy. Not knowing what is going on creates a sense of anxiousness and frustration for those who feel the need to stay connected (Boothroyd et al., 2024). This can create a serious problem for children who are still undergoing many physical and psychological changes.
The addictive nature of social media and the phenomenon of FOMO is becoming increasingly harmful as some children may be unable to disengage from the online world when it is time to sleep (Lafontaine-Poissant et al., 2024). This means that children are staying up later and not getting an adequate amount of rest. This lack of sleep can have many consequences for the child, impacting their mood, behaviour and mental well-being. This is supported by Lafontaine- Poissant et al. (2024), who found a link between social media usage, sleep health indicators, and well-being. These researchers looked at data from a 2017-2018 Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HSBC) study and found that social media usage that was deemed problematic or intense was connected to worse sleep, and often appeared much stronger in girls than boys. They also found that participants who engaged passively with social media spent more time online, leading to trouble sleeping (Lafontaine-Poissant et al., 2024). The concerning nature of this was noted by Kerr and Kingsbury (2023), who emphasized the importance of sleep adequacy for young people in relation to their mental health. They explained that shorter sleep duration and lower sleep quality are related to depressive symptoms in children (Kerr & Kingsbury, 2023).
As children become more addicted to their smartphones, tablets, and the online world of social media, their social relationships can suffer. Instead of meeting in person with friends and family members, children play and chat with them online. This can drastically change their interactions and social skills. Neuroscientist Emma Duerden explains that children “spending a lot of time online and avoiding in-person social interactions [can] lead to loneliness and social isolation and could really underlie some of the mental health concerns associated with using social media” (Otis, 2024). Children’s social media usage also influences the meaningfulness and strength of their social relationships. Boothroyd et al. (2024) alluded to this in their study, as young participants described how their use of technology and social media affected their personal relationships with family, friends, and others around them. One participant explained that she lost a group of friends because she was not responding to their Snapchat messages fast or frequently enough for them (Boothroyd et al., 2024). This caused them to block her online, leading to an in- person disconnect between the child and her friends the next day at school. This incident caused her to feel bad about herself, express feelings of insecurity, and question what her friendship was worth to others (Boothroyd et al., 2024). She also mentioned that constant online communication makes it easier for individuals to wear masks, suggesting this allows them to become meaner in their interactions online. Other students mentioned that the pressure to conform and the demand to stay connected at all times negatively impacted their mental health and caused them anxiety (Boothroyd et al., 2024).
Social pressures to be online at all times and the addictive nature of social media can also impact how children interact with the real world. While social media platforms and online communities provide children and young adolescents with a space to connect and form friendships, it can also become problematic for those who experience a disconnection from reality. If children are consistently active on social media, there can be a clear disconnect between the physical and online realms (Boothroyd et al., 2024). Children care more about what is on their screen than about what is happening at home and in their physical surroundings. This disconnect is expressed in the study conducted by Boothroyd et al. (2024), where one participant commented on the disconnect they felt from everyday actions and tasks, noting that rather than engaging with hobbies or participating in activities that make them happy, they waste their time scrolling social media (Boothroyd et al., 2024). Participants noted that their mental health was negatively affected as they experienced feelings of frustration and guilt due to wasting their time online. They also explained that they felt closer to what was displayed on their screen than those who were beside them in real life (Boothroyd et al., 2024). This distortion negatively affects their mental health as there becomes a separation from the person they present online to the person who lives outside in the real world. As children are increasingly online, they become more exposed to the lives, perspectives, and experiences of those they follow and engage with, such as friends, family, celebrities or influencers. Naturally, this makes them more susceptible to comparing their lives to those of others. This can include a variety of things as they compare and analyze their popularity, how their posts perform, and the number of likes and comments they receive compared to others. Children also look for validation from others through their photos and posts and the reactions of others. When they do not receive the attention they want, this can negatively affect their mental health (Otis, 2024). This idea is further supported by the findings of Lee et al. (2020) in their studies on the effects of receiving less positive feedback on social media content for 14-year-olds. Their results showed that receiving fewer likes on social media contributed to increased feelings of rejection, stress, sadness and anxiety (Lee et al., 2020). It also demonstrated an increase in children's negative thoughts, leading them to wonder whether they were liked, ultimately lowering their self-esteem. Despite these negative feelings, research demonstrated that children were inclined to continue posting and searching for positive social feedback (Lee et al., 2020).
These feelings of constant comparison through social media are especially concerning for children as they are already going through a vulnerable transition from childhood to adolescence and experiencing various stages of development and identity formation (Steinsbekk et al., 2021). By engaging with social media, photos, likes, and comments, they are exposed to an array of unrealistic standards. In 2021, Steinsbekk et al. explored how frequently used social media sites such as Instagram and Snapchat impacted the mental health of children ages 10, 12, and 14. They found that other-oriented social media usage, where users like, comment and engage with others, caused a decrease in self-esteem and self-image in young girls ages 10 to 12 and 12 to 14 (Steinsbekk et al., 2021). This is further supported by Clayborne et al. (2025), whose similar findings are based on Canadian children from grades six to 10. Their research examined the connection between social media usage and indicators of positive mental health. They found that social media was negatively associated with indicators of positive mental health, such as self- efficacy and self-confidence (Clayborne et al., 2025). Additionally, they found that intense social media usage was linked to feelings of lower life satisfaction in children overall.
The connection to social comparison is also indicated by results found by Lafontaine- Poissant et al. (2021), who suggested that girls' lack of sleep increased with their likelihood to engage in comparison with others online. This caused children, especially young girls, to think negatively about their body image and experience increased levels of emotional stress (Lafontaine- Poissant et al., 2021). This is also supported by Kerr and Kingsbury (2023) and their findings based on data from a 2019 Canadian Health Survey on Children and Youth that looked at children and adolescents aged 12 to 17. These researchers found that the frequency of social media use was positively associated with eating disorder symptoms among girls. They suggest these findings are connected to how girls engage in social comparison online and cause feelings of lower self-esteem and body image (Kerr & Kingsbury, 2023). Overall, these findings present a strong case for how social media negatively impacts the mental health of children.
Conclusion
Childhood is a pivotal time when young individuals are constantly learning and developing. Social media allows them to communicate with others as they form online relationships and bonds. These platforms and social networks also allow them to learn about themselves and establish their own online identity that others can see and engage with. Children’s constantly evolving relationship with technology and social media influences their lives emotionally and psychologically. How they use these social platforms and how much time they spend online clearly indicates how deeply they are impacted. While it can be beneficial in some ways, it can also negatively impact their mental health. Children can fall into addictive behaviours as they constantly engage with their electronic devices and the online world of social media, always wanting to keep up with the latest updates from their friends. This often leads to poor sleep habits, which can cause an array of depressive symptoms, anxiety and poor well-being in children. Excessive social media use can also cause children to disconnect from their social relationships and reality, leading to feelings of insecurity, frustration, guilt, and separation from their real lives. Social media can also increase social comparison for children, causing young people to struggle with self-confidence, body image, and self-esteem. As technology continues to change and evolve, it is significant that researchers continue their studies and focus on the well-being of children and how social media and the online world influences their lives.
References
Boothroyd, S., Chou, F., Black, T., & Liu, S. (2024). Youth mental health in the digital age: Canadian youth perspectives on the relationship between digital technology and their mental health. Journal of Child and Adolescent Counseling, 10(2), 145–164. https://doi.org/10.1080/23727810.2024.2363741
Clayborne, Z. M., Wong, S. L., Roberts, K. C., Prince, S. A., Gariépy, G., Goldfield, G. S., Janssen, I., & Lang, J. J. (2025). Associations between social media use and positive mental health among adolescents: Findings from the Canadian Health Behaviour in School-aged Children Study. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 181, 333–339. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychires.2024.11.071
Kerr, S., & Kingsbury, M. (2023). Online digital media use and adolescent mental health. Health Reports, 34(2), 17–28. https://doi.org/10.25318/82-003-x202300200002-eng
Lafontaine-Poissant, F., Lang, J. J., McKinnon, B., Simard, I., Roberts, K. C., Wong, S. L., Chaput, J.-P., Janssen, I., Boniel-Nissim, M., & Gariepy, G. (2024). Social media use and sleep health among adolescents in Canada. Chronic Diseases in Canada, 44(7–8), 338–346. https://doi.org/10.24095/hpcdp.44.7/8.05
Lee, H. Y., Jamieson, J. P., Reis, H. T., Beevers, C. G., Josephs, R. A., Mullarkey, M. C., O’Brien, J. M., & Yeager, D. S. (2020). Getting fewer “likes” than others on social media elicits emotional distress among victimized adolescents. Child Development, 91(6), 2141–2159. https://doi.org/10.1111/cdev.13422
Otis, D. (2024, March 29). Social media can alter children’s brains and impact mental health: neuroscientist. CTVNews. https://vancouverisland.ctvnews.ca/health/article/social- media-can-alter-childrens-brains-and-impact-mental-health-neuroscientist/
Steinsbekk, S., Wichstrøm, L., Stenseng, F., Nesi, J., Hygen, B. W., & Skalická, V. (2021). The impact of social media use on appearance self-esteem from childhood to adolescence – A 3-wave community study. Computers in Human Behavior, 114, Article 106528. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2020.106528
Zafar, A. (2023, November 17). Social media gets teens hooked while feeding aggression and impulsivity, and researchers think they know why. CBC. http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/smartphone-brain-nov14-1.7029406
Smith, Brittany. (2025). Exploring the Impact of Social Media on Children’s Mental Health. Canadian Journal of Family and Youth / Le Journal Canadien de Famille et de la Jeunesse. 17. 135-140. 10.29173/cjfy30139.
