Uso de redes sociais e sintomas depressivos em adolescentes: uma revisão sistemática

Abstract

Introduction: The use of social media has become an integral part of adolescents’ daily lives, directly influencing aspects related to identity formation, self-esteem, interpersonal relationships, and mental health. Although these platforms promote communication and social interaction, recent evidence suggests an association between problematic social media use and the development of depressive symptoms, anxiety, sleep disturbances, and emotional distress. Factors such as social comparison, the search for validation, exposure to unrealistic standards, and negative online experiences may intensify psychological suffering in this population. Objective: To analyze the association between social media use and the occurrence of depressive symptoms in adolescents. Methods: This systematic review was conducted using the PubMed and Virtual Health Library (VHL) databases, employing the descriptors “social media,” “adolescents,” and “depression,” combined with the Boolean operator AND. Studies published between 2021 and 2025 in Portuguese, English, and Spanish that investigated the relationship between social media and depressive symptoms in adolescents were included. The PRISMA 2020 guidelines were used as the methodological framework for study selection and analysis. Results: The final sample consisted of 19 studies. Most studies demonstrated an association between excessive or problematic social media use and increased depressive symptoms. A significant relationship was observed between depression and factors such as social comparison, cyberbullying, excessive focus on self-image, consumption of short-form videos, and prolonged use of platforms such as TikTok and Instagram. Some studies also identified gender-related differences, with greater vulnerability among female adolescents. Conclusion: Social media use is associated with increased depressive symptoms in adolescents, especially when related to dysfunctional patterns of use and negative online experiences. Preventive strategies, digital education, socio-emotional support, and family and school supervision are essential to minimize the impact of social media on young people’s mental health.