Adolescenti e social media: rischi, complessità e responsabilità collettive

The digital landscape significantly influences adolescents, with fifteen-year-olds spending an average of seven hours per day on devices. One-third of youth aged 11 to 15 are continuously connected to social media, raising concerns about implications for their mental health. Research has shown small size links between social media usage indicators and mental health problems, while time-series analyses indicate significant increases in psychological distress alongside rising social media usage. The greatest risks are connected to problematic social media use (PSMU), which disrupts daily life and correlates with negative outcomes like anxiety, depression and poor academic performance. The prevalence of PSMU has increased by 50% globally in the last four years. Current research emphasizes distinguishing problematic use from intensive engagement and exploring the potential feedback loop between distress and social media usage. In public health, the lack of definitive conclusions is typical due to the complexity involved. Despite generally small associations, the cumulative effects may be significant, especially among vulnerable groups. Implementing strategies that include digital literacy education, community actions and online safety measures is crucial. In Italy, initiatives are emerging to promote informed social media use and highlight the collective responsibility of families, schools and society in addressing the deteriorating mental health of youth.