Online communication patterns impact adolescent mental health differently

In a study in Child and Adolescent Mental Health, researchers found that online communication with friends was associated with adolescents' mental well-being, but patterns varied by both frequency of communication and the type of friendship.

For the study, investigators analyzed responses from 3,034 15-year-olds participating in the 2017/2018 and 2021/2022 Swedish Health Behaviour in School-aged Children surveys.

Intense online communication with close friends and larger groups was associated with better mental well-being. Moderate or intense communication with online-only friends was linked with poorer well-being, particularly among girls and adolescents who perceived their families as less wealthy.

Amid growing concern about young people's online lives, our findings suggest that it is not only how much adolescents communicate online that matters, but also who they communicate with. This highlights the importance of considering the social context of online interactions when discussing their implications for adolescent well-being."

Viviane S. Straatmann, PhD, Corresponding Author, Associate Professor, Department of Public Health Sciences, Stockholm University, Sweden