Young people with mental health conditions use social media differently

Adolescents with internalising conditions differed from their peers not only in how much they used social media, but also in how they experienced it, engaging more with social comparison and being more affected by feedback.

Adolescents with mental health conditions spend more time on social media and engage with it differently, especially those with internalising conditions like anxiety or eating disorders. Let’s avoid thinking of ‘mental health’ as one category when it comes to young people’s lives on social media.

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The diagnosis dilemma: can transdiagnostic approaches close the care gap for distressed youth?

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Many young people are clearly struggling but don’t fit any diagnosis. A new meta-analysis asks whether transdiagnostic support can help them before a label arrives.
Transdiagnostic interventions show small but consistent gains.

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The role of shame in hairpulling: understanding adolescents’ experiences

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Around 1% of adolescents have clinically diagnosable trichotillomania, but what role does shame play in how hairpulling connects to anxiety and depression? A recent study explores this largely overlooked question.

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Should we wait until age 13 before giving our kids a smartphone?

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Two new studies from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development cohort find that the younger a child is when they get a phone, the higher their risk of depression, obesity and insufficient sleep over the following year. For families whose children already have a phone, the most actionable levers are limiting daily use and keeping the device out of the bedroom at night.

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Loneliness in adolescence and suicidal thoughts: is depression the link?

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About 1 in 10 teenagers experience severe loneliness. A new 13-year study examines what this means for their future mental health and suicide risk.

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Mental health awareness: what we have gained, and what we did not expect

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Mental health awareness campaigns have reduced stigma and encouraged help-seeking, but a new review asks whether they also have unintended psychological costs such as inflating distress, driving self-diagnosis, and overwhelming services.

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A stitch in time: early intervention for young people – promising but patchy evidence

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Two major reviews find early intervention shows promise for youth mental health, but the evidence is stronger for psychosis than for anxiety and depression.

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Spotting teen depression: what Brazil, Nepal and Nigeria can teach us

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A cross-cultural study explores why depressed adolescents in Brazil, Nepal and Nigeria often slip through the net, and what we can do about it.

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Active coping could protect young people from depression after adversity

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A new study from Latin America finds that active coping could protect young people exposed to stressful life events from developing depression and anxiety.

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Asking preadolescents about suicide does not increase suicidal thoughts

Repeated suicide screening was not associated with iatrogenic effects in preadolescents with and without a history of suicidal thoughts.

Clinicians have long feared that asking younger children about suicide could cause harm. New evidence from a 12-month study suggests that fear is not supported by the evidence.

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