General Article Boys and girls feel negative effects of social media, at different ages

Topic Selected: Social Media Book Volume: 409

Girls are often more vulnerable to the negative effects of social media use at an earlier age than boys, yet both are at risk at different age groups of being less satisfied in life with too much social media use.

UK data shows, girls experience a negative link between social media use and life satisfaction when they are 11-13 years old and boys when they are 14-15 years old.

Negative effects of social media use can involve bullying, comparison, body dysmorphia, depression, anxiety, distraction, and can often generate an unrealistic perception of one’s life.

The negative effects of social media use can be linked to developmental changes in teenagers, where changes in the structure of the brain or changes during puberty may be experienced with obsessive use – however, this has been found to occur later in boys than in girls.

Pinpointing which individuals might be more influenced by social media

Possible social changes – such as leaving home or starting work – may make people more vul...

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