How positive and negative social media experiences shape teen emotions and mental health
Heterogeneity in joint real-time and developmental influences of positive and negative social media experiences on socioemotional vulnerability and psychopathology across adolescence
This project looks at how different kinds of social media moments influence teens' emotions and mental health in everyday life for ages 12–20.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Washington NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Seattle, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11405386 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would be followed over time and asked to answer brief questions on your phone many times a day to capture real-time positive and negative social media experiences and current mood. The team will build person-specific models to show how online interactions and emotional symptoms influence each other for each teen across minutes, days, and months. The project also tracks how these patterns change as teens grow from early to late adolescence. The goal is to understand what makes some teens more vulnerable or more resilient to anxiety, depression, or other problems related to social media.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are adolescents aged 12–20 who use social media regularly, can use a smartphone for brief repeated prompts, and are willing to share mood and behavior information over time.
Not a fit: Teens outside the 12–20 age range, those who do not use social media, or those unable or unwilling to use a smartphone for frequent reporting may not benefit directly from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to personalized guidance and early interventions to reduce harmful social media effects and support teens' emotional well-being.
How similar studies have performed: Previous daily-report and ecological momentary assessment studies have produced mixed links between social media and teen mood, so combining person-specific, real-time, and developmental tracking is a relatively new approach.
Where this research is happening
Seattle, United States
- University of Washington — Seattle, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Foster, Katherine Tate — University of Washington
- Study coordinator: Foster, Katherine Tate
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 below.