Exploring how social media language affects mental health in young people
Official title: #EverythingSucks: Understanding the bidirectional relations between vulnerability to internalizing symptoms in youth (13-20) and social mediacontent
Funded at Trustees of Indiana University · NIH-11046810 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how the words and messages teens share on social media might connect to feelings of anxiety and depression, and it’s for young people aged 13 to 20 who want to understand how their online language could affect their mental health.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Trustees of Indiana University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Bloomington, United States) |
| Project start | September 3, 2024 |
| Project end | June 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $602,171 |
| NIH project number | 1R01MH135502-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11046810 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are adolescents aged 13-20 who actively use social media.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not use social media or are outside the age range of 13-20 may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates the relationship between the language used on social media and mental health symptoms in adolescents aged 13-20. By using ecological momentary assessment (EMA) and data collected from smartphones, the study aims to understand how negative or distorted language correlates with feelings of anxiety and depression. The research will involve 1,000 participants and will analyze their social media content alongside their self-reported mental health status over time. This approach allows for a detailed examination of how social media influences mental well-being in real-time.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to better understanding and interventions for mental health issues in adolescents related to social media use.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies on adults and late adolescents have shown promising results in understanding the link between social media language and mental health, suggesting this approach has potential for success.
Where this research is happening
-
Trustees of Indiana University
Bloomington, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Lorenzo Luaces, Lorenzo — Trustees of Indiana University
- Study coordinator: Lorenzo Luaces, Lorenzo
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.