Common Sense: Girls & Mental Health

“Teens and Mental Health: How Girls Really Feel About Social Media”

“This report represents the results of a demographically representative online survey of 1,397 girls (as identified by their parent/guardian) in the United States age 11 to 15, conducted from November 11 to December 5, 2022.”

“Nesi, J., Mann, S. and Robb, M. B. (2023). Teens and mental health: How girls really feel about social media. San Francisco, CA: Common Sense.”

“conducted from November 11 to December 5, 2022”

“This report represents the results of a demographically representative online survey of 1,397 girls (as identified by their parent/guardian) in the United States age 11 to 15, conducted from November 11 to December 5, 2022.”

“This report represents the results of a demographically representative online survey of 1,397 girls (as identified by their parent/guardian) in the United States age 11 to 15, conducted from November 11 to December 5, 2022.”

“The final sample of 1,397 completes (307 probability and 1,090 nonprobability) was weighted to represent residential 11- to 15-year-old females in the United States.”

Mixed sampling: 307 respondents from the probability-based SSRS Opinion Panel, recruited through address-based sampling, and 1,090 from non-probability panels.

“How often have you had the following experiences on…” “Something happens with my friends or peers that makes me feel bad (like drama, bullying, mean comments, fighting, or feeling left out).”Response options: Never, Only once or twice in my life, Once or twice per month, Once or twice per week, About once per day, Multiple times per day, Almost constantly

E1 is asked separately for TikTok, YouTube, Snapchat and Instagram users. Messaging apps are asked as a group on PDF p.65. The item includes bullying and other negative social experiences.

“How often have you had the following experiences on…” “I see or hear things about eating disorders that are upsetting to me.”Response options: Never, Only once or twice in my life, Once or twice per month, Once or twice per week, About once per day, Multiple times per day, Almost constantly

“How often have you had the following experiences on…” “I see or hear things about suicide or self-harm that are upsetting to me.”Response options: Never, Only once or twice in my life, Once or twice per month, Once or twice per week, About once per day, Multiple times per day, Almost constantly

“How often have you had the following experiences on…” “I feel like I'm "addicted" or end up using it for a longer period of time than I originally wanted to.”“Using it gets in the way of my sleep.”Response options: Never, Only once or twice in my life, Once or twice per month, Once or twice per week, About once per day, Multiple times per day, Almost constantly

E1.b asks about feeling addicted or using longer than intended; E1.c asks about sleep disruption. E1.a, about pressure to respond, is a related measure of social pressure.

“How often have you had the following experiences on…” “Strangers try to contact me in ways that make me uncomfortable.”Response options: Never, Only once or twice in my life, Once or twice per month, Once or twice per week, About once per day, Multiple times per day, Almost constantly

“How often have you had the following experiences in "real life" (i.e., in-person, NOT on social media)?…” “Something happens with my friends or peers that makes me feel bad (like drama, bullying, mean comments, fighting, or feeling left out).”Response options: Never, Only once or twice in my life, Once or twice per month, Once or twice per week, About once per day, Multiple times per day, Almost constantly

E2.a asks the same bullying and negative-social-experience item about in-person experiences.

“How often have you had the following experiences in "real life" (i.e., in-person, NOT on social media)?…” “I see or hear things about eating disorders that are upsetting to me.”Response options: Never, Only once or twice in my life, Once or twice per month, Once or twice per week, About once per day, Multiple times per day, Almost constantly

“How often have you had the following experiences in "real life" (i.e., in-person, NOT on social media)?…” “I see or hear things about suicide or self-harm that are upsetting to me.”Response options: Never, Only once or twice in my life, Once or twice per month, Once or twice per week, About once per day, Multiple times per day, Almost constantly

“Items asked for each of TikTok, YouTube, Snapchat, and Instagram (among youth who use each platform)”

Four named apps are counted. The same harm items are also asked about messaging apps as a group (iMessage, Messenger, GroupMe or WhatsApp; PDF p.65); that group is not counted as a single app.

“How often have you had the following experiences on…” “Items asked for each of TikTok, YouTube, Snapchat, and Instagram (among youth who use each platform)”Response options: Never, Only once or twice in my life, Once or twice per month, Once or twice per week, About once per day, Multiple times per day, Almost constantly

Item E1.h (bullying / negative social experience) asked once for each of the platforms listed above.

“How often have you had the following experiences on…” “Items asked for each of TikTok, YouTube, Snapchat, and Instagram (among youth who use each platform)”Response options: Never, Only once or twice in my life, Once or twice per month, Once or twice per week, About once per day, Multiple times per day, Almost constantly

Item E1.k (eating-disorder content) asked once for each platform in the list above.

“How often have you had the following experiences on…” “Items asked for each of TikTok, YouTube, Snapchat, and Instagram (among youth who use each platform)”Response options: Never, Only once or twice in my life, Once or twice per month, Once or twice per week, About once per day, Multiple times per day, Almost constantly

Item E1.j (suicide / self-harm content) asked once for each platform in the list above.

“How often have you had the following experiences on…” “Items asked for each of TikTok, YouTube, Snapchat, and Instagram (among youth who use each platform)”Response options: Never, Only once or twice in my life, Once or twice per month, Once or twice per week, About once per day, Multiple times per day, Almost constantly

Items E1.b (feeling addicted or using longer than intended) and E1.c (sleep disruption) are asked for each of the four apps. E1.a measures the related experience of pressure to respond.

“How often have you had the following experiences on…” “Items asked for each of TikTok, YouTube, Snapchat, and Instagram (among youth who use each platform)”Response options: Never, Only once or twice in my life, Once or twice per month, Once or twice per week, About once per day, Multiple times per day, Almost constantly

Item E1.d (unwanted contact by strangers) asked once for each platform in the list above.