Use of social media in primary school aged children: Concurrent associations with mental health variables

Digital screen use has been rising in pre-adolescent children but very little is known about use of social media specifically and how it associates with mental and physical health in this age group. The present study aimed to examine self-reported time spent on social media among primary school-aged children and its associations with indicators of poor mental health. We also explored sex differences in the strengths of these associations. Seven hundred and seventy-three children (ages 8–12 years old) from the DEvelopment of Emotional Resilience (DEER) study reported their screen time use, symptoms of anxiety and depression, sleep quality, somatic complaints, and life satisfaction. Associations between screen time usage and mental health indicators were examined using Structural Equation Modelling. We found that children spend an average of 2 hours on screens on a weekday during term time, with an average of 48% of their time communicating with friends and posting content, and 52% browsing social media feeds. There were no significant differences between boys and girls in estimated time on social media, but older children reported using social media for longer (β = .15, p < .001). Higher social media use was significantly associated with greater symptoms of anxiety (β = .157, p < .001), depression (β = .145, p < .001), poorer sleep habits (β = .09, p = .01), somatic complaints (β = .174, p < .001), and lower life satisfaction (β=–.097, p = .01). Social media usage strongly associated across poor mental health outcomes for girls, but in boys, it only significantly related to anxiety. Our findings suggest cross-sectional associations between measures of social media use and measures of health in pre-adolescent children, particularly girls. Future research should clarify the directions of these associations. Nonetheless, it would be prudent to consider management and regulation of digital technology and social media usage in this age group.