Redes sociais e saúde mental adolescente: uma revisão integrativa

Abstract

Adolescent social media use has climbed steadily, and so have rates of psychological distress in this age group. This integrative review looked at how social media affects adolescent mental health, drawing on 20 studies selected from PubMed/MEDLINE, BVS, and LILACS (2021–2026) using the PICo framework and PRISMA 2020 guidelines. The analysis covered five themes: (1) problematic use and dependency, and its relationship with depression and anxiety; (2) cyberbullying and online victimization, with impact on emotional well-being and the cycle of dependency; (3) gender differences, with girls more vulnerable to negative impacts; (4) type of use, passive (scrolling) versus active, and public versus private; and (5) protective factors, neutral effects, and the deconstruction of moral panic around social media. Problematic use had a bidirectional relationship with depression and anxiety - acting as both symptom and accelerant. Cyberbullying deepened this cycle, especially among adolescents with preexisting vulnerabilities. Type of engagement mattered more than screen time. Interventions should go beyond restricting screen time, prioritizing emotional regulation, critical digital literacy, and social-emotional skills, with attention to each adolescent's clinical and gender-specific needs.