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Behavioral Sciences
Volume 15
Issue 11
10.3390/bs15111450
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Systematic Review

Associations Between Social Media Use and Mental Disorders in Adolescents and Young Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Recent Evidence

by
Hector Cabezas-Klinger
1,
Fabian Felipe Fenandez-Daza
1,* and
Yecid Mina-Paz
2,*
1
Facultad de Ciencias Básicas, Grupo de investigación GIMIA, Universidad Santiago de Cali (Colombia), Cali 76001, Colombia
2
Facultad de Educación a Distancia y Virtual, Institución Universitaria Antonio José Camacho (Colombia), Cali 76001, Colombia
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Behav. Sci. 2025, 15(11), 1450; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs15111450 (registering DOI)
Submission received: 6 June 2025 / Revised: 1 September 2025 / Accepted: 25 September 2025 / Published: 24 October 2025
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Suicide Risk Assessment, Management and Prevention in Adolescents)
Versions Notes

Abstract

The exponential growth of human interactions on social media via the internet has revolutionized global communication, but it has also emerged as a critical factor in mental health linked to suicidal ideation and mental disorders. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to synthesize evidence on the most prevalent disorders in adolescents and young adults associated with social media use based on previous research, highlighting risk factors and key findings. Publications from 2020 to 2024 in highly relevant databases were reviewed following the PRISMA declaration guidelines. The meta-analysis (conducted in R software) of the included documents (24 studies, 68 effects) verified a significant and positive association between exposure to risk factors in social networks and various disorders in adolescents and young adults (aggregate correlation r = 0.2173, 95% CI [0.1826, 0.2520], p ≤ 0.0001), although with high heterogeneity (I2 = 99.66%). Prevention strategies were indicated by revealing data from contexts in which 40% of adolescents who died by suicide had developed online identities focused on suicidal thoughts.
Keywords: risk factors; mental health; prevention; adolescents; youth; social networks; suicidal ideation risk factors; mental health; prevention; adolescents; youth; social networks; suicidal ideation

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MDPI and ACS Style

Cabezas-Klinger, H.; Fenandez-Daza, F.F.; Mina-Paz, Y. Associations Between Social Media Use and Mental Disorders in Adolescents and Young Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Recent Evidence. Behav. Sci. 2025, 15, 1450. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs15111450

AMA Style

Cabezas-Klinger H, Fenandez-Daza FF, Mina-Paz Y. Associations Between Social Media Use and Mental Disorders in Adolescents and Young Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Recent Evidence. Behavioral Sciences. 2025; 15(11):1450. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs15111450

Chicago/Turabian Style

Cabezas-Klinger, Hector, Fabian Felipe Fenandez-Daza, and Yecid Mina-Paz. 2025. "Associations Between Social Media Use and Mental Disorders in Adolescents and Young Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Recent Evidence" Behavioral Sciences 15, no. 11: 1450. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs15111450

APA Style

Cabezas-Klinger, H., Fenandez-Daza, F. F., & Mina-Paz, Y. (2025). Associations Between Social Media Use and Mental Disorders in Adolescents and Young Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Recent Evidence. Behavioral Sciences, 15(11), 1450. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs15111450

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