Exploring how social media affects emotional health in teens using brain imaging.
Official title: Development of a new social media fMRI task to better investigate bidirectional links between social media use and emotional health in youth.
Funded at University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh · NIH-11045902 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how using social media affects the emotional health of teenagers by having them try out a new brain activity task while getting their brain scanned, so we can better understand what happens in their minds when they interact online.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pittsburgh, United States) |
| Project start | September 11, 2024 |
| Project end | September 10, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $412,518 |
| NIH project number | 1R21MH138955-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11045902 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are adolescents aged 13-17 who actively use social media.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not use social media or are outside the age range of 13-17 may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates the relationship between social media use and emotional health in adolescents by utilizing a new brain imaging task. The study aims to develop and validate the TeenBrainOnline (TBO) Task, which simulates modern social media experiences to better understand how these interactions influence emotional well-being. By incorporating feedback from a diverse group of teens, the research seeks to create a more accurate representation of social media's impact on mental health. Participants will engage in fMRI scans while interacting with the task, allowing researchers to observe brain activity in response to social media stimuli.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could provide insights into how social media affects the emotional health of youth, potentially guiding interventions and support strategies.
How similar studies have gone: While there has been some research on social media and mental health, this approach using a novel fMRI task specifically designed for today's social media context is relatively untested.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Silk, Jennifer S — University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
- Study coordinator: Silk, Jennifer S
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.