social media

Around half of the 100 most popular videos on TikTok about Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) contain statements that diverge from the scientific literature of reference, according to a study published in PLOS ONE. In addition, the research shows that there are discrepancies between young people and mental health professionals about the educational value of the content about ADHD on this social network.

According to a study published in Science, social media content containing misinformation provokes more moral outrage than content containing accurate information, and this outrage facilitates the spread of misinformation. In addition, the results also showed that people are more likely to share this outrage-provoking misinformation without reading it first. 

A meta-analysis by the University of Valencia has studied the links between leisure reading habits on digital devices and the reading comprehension of students of different ages. The research - which is based on 25 studies published between 2000 and 2022 involving some 470,000 students from different countries - concludes that in the early stages (primary and 1st and 2nd ESO in the Spanish case) there were small negative relationships between digital leisure reading and reading comprehension, while in later stages (3rd and 4th ESO, baccalaureate and university) the relationship became slightly positive. The research is published in Review of Educational Research.

A review including 126 studies shows an association between the use of social networking sites by 10-19 year olds and increased risk behaviours, including alcohol, tobacco and other drug use, risky sexual behaviour, gambling and antisocial behaviour. According to the authors, who acknowledge that their research does not establish causality, "precautions may need to be taken in academia, government, health and education before the risks of adolescent use of social networking sites are fully understood". The findings are published in The BMJ.

A review of more than 100 meta-analyses and nearly 2500 studies has analysed the use of screens by children and young people and the consequences for their learning and health. Their conclusions are that, in general, the effects are small and vary according to the type of use and context. The results are published in the journal Nature Human Behaviour.

On the occasion of World Mental Health Day on 10 October, the Science Media Centre Spain organised an information session on the mental health of young people and the threat posed by deepfakes and cyberbullying. At the meeting, experts Esther Calvete and Irene de la Vega explained their risks and possible repercussions, their characteristics and some tools to reduce their frequency and impact.

Constant checking of social media activity in early adolescence is associated with changes in the brain's sensitivity to rewards and punishments. This is the conclusion of a study involving 169 12- and 13-year-old students in the United States with Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat profiles, according to JAMA Pediatrics.