Digital Smarts - Study Shows Concerns About Teen Suicide and Social Media Use by Girls

Researchers tracked 500 teens over 10 years and found that an increase in the amount of time spent on social media sites such as TikTok and Instagram was linked to an increase in long-term suicide risk among teenage girls, but not boys. The findings were published in the Journal of Youth and Adolescence. Most of the risk pertained to girls who as young adolescents were already spending a lot of time using social media, TV and/or video games. As their screen time increased over the years, so did their risk for suicide by the time they hit their early- to mid-20s, the findings showed.

"Parents and teens should be open about their amount and type of media they're using, so that they can look out for warning signs, talk about worsening mood or suicidality, and reach out for help," researchers suggest. In the article researchers also stressed common-sense limits around electronic media use. For example, limiting use to less than two hours per day, and not using electronic media after a certain time at night since it can worsen sleep. They also urged parents to have open discussions about online bullying and online safety.