Social media, mood, and teens: how the menstrual cycle affects rejection feelings and online experiences
Official title: Social Media Use and Rejection Sensitivity: Impact of the menstrual cycle, social reward neurophysiology and online experiences
Funded at Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill · NIH-11438547 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Teenagers using social media may feel stronger negative reactions to online feedback, especially around certain times in their menstrual cycle, which could relate to mood and depression.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chapel Hill, United States) |
| Project start | August 15, 2026 |
| Project end | August 14, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $427,625 |
| NIH project number | 1R21MH145196-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11438547 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adolescents aged roughly 12-20 who use social media and experience mood or depressive symptoms.
✕Less likely to help
Teens who do not use social media or who do not experience mood changes related to social feedback may derive less benefit.
What this research studies
This project studies how adolescents’ social media use interacts with brain responses to social feedback and hormonal changes across the menstrual cycle. It will examine online experiences, network features, and endocrine context to see how they relate to rejection sensitivity and depressive symptoms. The study aims to map when online experiences have the biggest impact so we can understand personal risk factors and potential avenues for help.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, findings could inform guidance for teens, parents, and clinicians on healthier social media use and mood management during sensitive hormonal periods.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work links social media experiences to mood in teens, with limited data on hormonal influences and rejection sensitivity; this study builds on that with a neurophysiological and endocrine perspective.
Where this research is happening
-
Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Andersen, Elizabeth Helen — Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
- Study coordinator: Andersen, Elizabeth Helen
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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.