Research Summary

Digital media are woven into the fabric of most young people’s lives today. This social fact raises concerns about the varied impacts of frequent (often ongoing) engagement on social network sites and communicating with peers, family, and others through text messaging and apps. This article distills findings from research focused on digital life’s impacts on youth (especially adolescent) well-being, social connectedness, empathy, and narcissism.

Studies suggest a mixed picture regarding well-being outcomes. Some studies find social media use is associated with increased self-esteem, social confidence, and reduced depression, while others point to lower life-satisfaction and other ill-being indicators. The nature of media use, content, platforms, and experiences with peers are important mediators of outcomes. Digital media positively contribute to social connectedness in facilitating existing relationships and new connections around shared interests and struggles, including medical conditions.

On the negative side, pressures to be always available to peers via digital devices can cause stress. Further, mobile phones can interfere with or undercut the quality of in-person interactions. Connections between digital life and empathic or narcissistic personality traits are unclear. Studies variously suggest that social media usage can be associated with narcissism and with higher or lower empathy scores.

This review suggests further research is needed to understand how, where, when, and for whom digital media contribute to positive vs. negative personal and social well-being outcomes. Research designs that include direct observation of digital media use, consideration of contextual and individual factors, and which uncover key causal mechanisms at play are warranted. The article also suggests a need for investigations of how different educational curricula, school policies, and parenting approaches support or undercut well-being outcomes. Recommendations for pediatricians include nuanced discussions of media usage during clinical visits. For educators and policymakers, well-being issues should be addressed as part of digital citizenship initiatives.