How teens' passive social media use affects stress, mood, and biology
Passive social media use, coping, and momentary stress in geospatial context: longitudinal effects on mental health and intermediate biological pathways in a racially diverse sample of adolescents
This project looks at how teens (ages 13–17) who mostly browse social media without interacting feel and respond to daily stress over time.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Ohio State University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Columbus, UNITED STATES) |
| Project ID | NIH-11159626 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would join a group of 400 teens who are followed for two months to see how passive social media use relates to mood and stress. An app on your phone will record passive viewing, and brief surveys will be sent five times a day during two 2-week periods to capture your feelings and reactions. GPS will track location-based exposures to stressful environments and trigger extra surveys at places you’ve said feel stressful. The team will link these phone-based measures to changes in mental health and intermediate biological stress pathways over time.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are adolescents ages 13–17 who regularly use a smartphone and social media, with the study aiming for balanced sex and Black/White representation.
Not a fit: Adults, children outside the 13–17 age range, or teens who do not use social media or lack a smartphone would not be eligible and are unlikely to benefit directly.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help pinpoint when passive social media browsing harms mood and guide ways to support teens during stressful moments.
How similar studies have performed: Prior research using surveys and EMA has linked social media patterns to mood, but combining continuous phone tracking, GPS-triggered prompts, and biological measures in a diverse adolescent sample is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Columbus, UNITED STATES
- Ohio State University — Columbus, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Way, Baldwin M — Ohio State University
- Study coordinator: Way, Baldwin M
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.