Viewing social media content did not predict well-being a year later
Among 3,205 Australian adolescents, more posting coincided with more distress and more messaging with greater well-being, measured in the same survey.
The key idea
Viewing social media did not predict mood a year later. Posting and talking coincided with opposite patterns in the same survey.
The study, in plain language
Saying someone uses social media could refer to watching videos, posting, or talking with another person. A study of Australian adolescents separated these activities and asked how they related to well-being and emotional distress, first at one point and then a year later.
Viewing content did not consistently predict changes in these measures over the year. In the final survey, posting more on weekdays coincided with more reports of elevated distress, while more frequent messaging or video-calling coincided with more reports of well-being. This is a snapshot from one point in time: it does not say whether posting brings distress or people who feel distressed post more. Also, “viewing” grouped videos, posts, and stories together.
What they found
- No social-media behavior consistently predicted changes in well-being or distress the following year.
- In the final survey, more weekday posting coincided with more elevated distress.
- In that same survey, more frequent messaging or video-calling coincided with greater well-being.
Something to think about
If you are an adolescent, notice whether viewing, posting, and talking on social media leave you feeling different. An association with how you feel does not show which causes which.
How they studied it
The team analyzed surveys from adolescents at 71 schools in three Australian states, completed at the start and one year later. They separated content viewing, posting, and messaging or video-calling without intervening.
What the study cannot show
- Social-media use and mental health were measured through adolescents’ own reports.
- The category grouped different formats and did not record actual time spent in each app.
- The follow-up shows associations; it does not prove that viewing content causes a mental-health change.
The original study
Scrolling, Chatting, and Posting: Longitudinal Changes in Distinct Social Media Behaviors and Their Relationship With Psychological Distress and Mental Wellbeing in Adolescents
Source under CC BY 4.0. English adaptation and explanation by PaperFlow, with AI assistance. The text has been reorganized for a general audience; it is not the complete paper and does not imply endorsement by its authors.
One study alone does not represent a field's consensus. Educational content does not replace professional advice. Report a possible error.
