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Scrolling, Chatting, and Posting: Longitudinal Changes in Distinct Social Media Behaviors and Their Relationship with Psychological Distress and Mental Wellbeing in Adolescents

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Title: Scrolling, Chatting, and Posting: Longitudinal Changes in Distinct Social Media Behaviors and Their Relationship with Psychological Distress and Mental Wellbeing in Adolescents
Language: English
Authors: S. Smout (ORCID 0000-0001-5879-442X), T. Slade (ORCID 0000-0002-1725-9188), E. Hunter (ORCID 0000-0001-5495-6962), L. Thornton (ORCID 0000-0001-7705-833X), L. A. Gardner (ORCID 0000-0002-8592-6691), N. C. Newton (ORCID 0000-0001-6305-2623), K. E. Champion (ORCID 0000-0001-8319-9366), C. Chapman (ORCID 0000-0002-2460-6862)
Source: Journal of Adolescence. 2026 98(1):237-249.
Availability: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 13
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Descriptors: Social Media, Computer Mediated Communication, Adolescents, Behavior Patterns, Psychological Patterns, Stress Variables, Mental Disorders, Well Being, Gender Differences, Foreign Countries, Longitudinal Studies, Mental Health
Geographic Terms: Australia
DOI: 10.1002/jad.70055
ISSN: 0140-1971
1095-9254
Abstract: Introduction: Over the past two decades, the prevalence of psychological distress and mental disorders among adolescents has markedly increased. This coincides with the advent and rapid adoption of social media, resulting in a proliferation of research examining time spent on social media and its relationship with mental health. However, to date, findings have been inconclusive. The active/passive model of social media behavior theorizes that "passive" social media behaviors (e.g., scrolling/watching) are associated with worse mental health outcomes than "active" behaviors (e.g., messaging or posting). The present study investigates both cross-sectional and longitudinal relationships between active and passive social media behaviors and both psychological distress and mental wellbeing, while also examining differential effects of gender. Methods: This study uses data from two assessment waves (2021 and 2022) of a large adolescent Australian data set (n = 3205, T1 mean age 14.6 [SD: 0.62], 53.6% cisgender female/gender diverse). Three distinct behaviors were examined: (1) messaging/video calling friends (active), (2) posting content (active), and (3) scrolling or viewing content (passive). Results: There was little evidence of a longitudinal relationship between 12-month change in any of the social media behaviors and psychological distress or mental wellbeing. While there were gender differences in the prevalence of the social media behaviors, there was no evidence of a gender interaction. Conclusions: Findings suggest the need to move beyond the active and passive model of social media behavior as a framework to explain the relationship between social media and adolescent mental health. We discuss several new directions for research and policy.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1493547
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
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  Data: Scrolling, Chatting, and Posting: Longitudinal Changes in Distinct Social Media Behaviors and Their Relationship with Psychological Distress and Mental Wellbeing in Adolescents
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22S%2E+Smout%22">S. Smout</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5879-442X">0000-0001-5879-442X</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22T%2E+Slade%22">T. Slade</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1725-9188">0000-0002-1725-9188</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22E%2E+Hunter%22">E. Hunter</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5495-6962">0000-0001-5495-6962</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22L%2E+Thornton%22">L. Thornton</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7705-833X">0000-0001-7705-833X</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22L%2E+A%2E+Gardner%22">L. A. Gardner</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8592-6691">0000-0002-8592-6691</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22N%2E+C%2E+Newton%22">N. C. Newton</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6305-2623">0000-0001-6305-2623</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22K%2E+E%2E+Champion%22">K. E. Champion</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8319-9366">0000-0001-8319-9366</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22C%2E+Chapman%22">C. Chapman</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2460-6862">0000-0002-2460-6862</externalLink>)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Journal+of+Adolescence%22"><i>Journal of Adolescence</i></searchLink>. 2026 98(1):237-249.
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  Data: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
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  Data: Y
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  Data: 13
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Social+Media%22">Social Media</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Computer+Mediated+Communication%22">Computer Mediated Communication</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Adolescents%22">Adolescents</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Behavior+Patterns%22">Behavior Patterns</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Psychological+Patterns%22">Psychological Patterns</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Stress+Variables%22">Stress Variables</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mental+Disorders%22">Mental Disorders</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Well+Being%22">Well Being</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Gender+Differences%22">Gender Differences</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Longitudinal+Studies%22">Longitudinal Studies</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mental+Health%22">Mental Health</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Australia%22">Australia</searchLink>
– Name: DOI
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  Data: 10.1002/jad.70055
– Name: ISSN
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  Data: 0140-1971<br />1095-9254
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
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  Data: Introduction: Over the past two decades, the prevalence of psychological distress and mental disorders among adolescents has markedly increased. This coincides with the advent and rapid adoption of social media, resulting in a proliferation of research examining time spent on social media and its relationship with mental health. However, to date, findings have been inconclusive. The active/passive model of social media behavior theorizes that "passive" social media behaviors (e.g., scrolling/watching) are associated with worse mental health outcomes than "active" behaviors (e.g., messaging or posting). The present study investigates both cross-sectional and longitudinal relationships between active and passive social media behaviors and both psychological distress and mental wellbeing, while also examining differential effects of gender. Methods: This study uses data from two assessment waves (2021 and 2022) of a large adolescent Australian data set (n = 3205, T1 mean age 14.6 [SD: 0.62], 53.6% cisgender female/gender diverse). Three distinct behaviors were examined: (1) messaging/video calling friends (active), (2) posting content (active), and (3) scrolling or viewing content (passive). Results: There was little evidence of a longitudinal relationship between 12-month change in any of the social media behaviors and psychological distress or mental wellbeing. While there were gender differences in the prevalence of the social media behaviors, there was no evidence of a gender interaction. Conclusions: Findings suggest the need to move beyond the active and passive model of social media behavior as a framework to explain the relationship between social media and adolescent mental health. We discuss several new directions for research and policy.
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      – SubjectFull: Social Media
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      – SubjectFull: Computer Mediated Communication
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      – SubjectFull: Adolescents
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      – SubjectFull: Behavior Patterns
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      – SubjectFull: Stress Variables
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      – SubjectFull: Well Being
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      – SubjectFull: Gender Differences
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