Language
English
Publication Date
2-24-2026
Journal
Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry
DOI
10.1177/13591045261417801
PMID
41732862
Abstract
Purpose
Given adolescents’ extensive social media use and its mixed impacts, this study explores: (1) adolescent and young adult (AYA) social media habits, (2) familial factors associated with parental controls, and (3) social media use among AYA with disordered eating.Methods
AYA aged 11–20 visiting an urban academic medical center and fluent in English or Spanish were surveyed on social media use and mental health. Caregivers of minors provided consent and data on demographics and parental controls. The survey included multiple choice, yes/no, and free-text questions. Analyses included descriptive statistics, correlations, and qualitative coding.Results
Participants averaged 15.3 years; 46% spent 4+ hours on social media daily. Younger adolescents (11–14) were more likely to report high use (p = 0.002) and have parental controls (p = 0.006). Most AYA (76%) felt better after using social media. Over half of parents (54.4%) used controls. Qualitative themes included: social media’s unrecognized benefits, its dual role in time use, and its value for health information.Conclusion
AYA generally viewed social media positively, though many wished to reduce usage. Parental controls focused more on content than time. Social media supported some with eating disorders, though 30% encountered harmful content.Keywords
adolescent, eating disorder, mental health, parental controls, social media
Published Open-Access
yes
Recommended Citation
Melanie Watt Ramos, Constance M Wiemann, and Lauren A Bretz, ""The Only Place I Feel Understood": A Mixed Methods Survey of Adolescent and Caregiver Perspectives on Social Media and Parental Controls" (2026). Faculty, Staff and Students Publications. 7497.
https://digitalcommons.library.tmc.edu/baylor_docs/7497