Study: Social media may impact mental health of teenage girls

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Thursday, August 15, 2019
Social media may harm mental health
Social media may harm mental health: Sarah Bloomquist reports during Action News at noon on August 15, 2019.

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Social media use has been linked to depression, especially in teenage girls and a new study argues the issue may be more complex than experts think.

Researchers interviewed nearly 10,000 children in England between the ages of 13 and 16.

The study found that social media may harm girls' mental health by increasing their exposure to bullying while reducing sleep and physical exercise.

Scientists say frequent use of social media may disrupt activities that have a positive impact on a teen's mental well-being.