"There’s a Reason for Poor Academic Performance"... Constant Phone Use Damages the Brain [Adolescents Addicted to SNS] ④

SNS Overdependence Is a Factor in Adolescent Depression
Heightened Sensitivity to Social Stimuli
"Clear Guidelines Needed for SNS Companies"

Editor's NoteWe live in an era where 9 out of 10 high school students use social networking services (SNS). However, society's response to adolescent SNS use remains insufficient. While parents worry that SNS may lead to school violence and crime, young people say that, amid their hectic daily lives, relationships with peers are impossible without SNS. The Asia Business Daily examines this gap and explores solutions our society should consider.

There is a growing body of research indicating that excessive use of social networking services (SNS) during adolescence has a negative impact on mental health. Experts both in Korea and abroad warn that if teenagers become addicted to SNS, it can lead to problems with brain function or a decline in learning ability.

Researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill reported in their paper, "Association of Habitual Checking Behaviors on Social Media With Longitudinal Functional Brain Development," that the frequency with which adolescents check SNS has a significant effect on brain development.

In an experiment involving 169 American students aged 12 to 13, the study found that the amygdala of teenagers who frequently checked SNS was more activated when anticipating others' reactions compared to those who did not check SNS as often. The amygdala is the part of the brain that regulates emotions such as anxiety. If damaged, it can result in an inability to control emotions or lead to excessive anxiety. The researchers explained that, during adolescence, it is normal for the amygdala's response to social stimuli to develop toward becoming less sensitive.

Additionally, the "dorsolateral prefrontal cortex," which is involved in emotion regulation and decision-making, was also found to be excessively activated in teenagers who frequently checked SNS. If the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex is impaired, it can lead to depression or obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Frequent SNS Checking May Damage Adolescent Brain Function... Negative Effects on Attention

There are also studies indicating that excessive use of SNS among adolescents can lead to depression.

Researchers at the University of California, San Francisco published a paper in May last year titled "Social Media Use and Depressive Symptoms During Early Adolescence." In a three-year follow-up study of 11,876 children aged 9 to 10, the researchers found that as the average daily SNS usage increased from 7 minutes to 73 minutes, depressive symptoms rose by 35%.

Furthermore, adolescents whose SNS usage exceeded the average showed a tendency for higher depressive symptoms the following year. The study also found no significant causal relationship between teenagers who were already depressed and increased SNS use, suggesting that even otherwise healthy adolescents may experience depressive feelings if they use SNS frequently.

Similar findings have been reported in Korea. According to a 2023 study by Professor Kang Sun Kyung of Sogang University's Department of Social Welfare, titled "The Effects of Adolescents' SNS Overdependence on Depression and the Mediating Effect of Peer Relationships," adolescents' overdependence on SNS resulted in more severe depressive symptoms. This is the opposite of the effect of peer relationships, which tend to reduce depressive symptoms. Moreover, teenagers who excessively use SNS also experienced difficulties in forming peer relationships, which would otherwise help alleviate depression. The researchers stated, "We confirmed that SNS overdependence is one of the major factors influencing adolescent depression," and added, "It is important to help adolescents move away from non-face-to-face relationships and focus on in-person interactions."

There is also research indicating that SNS negatively affects adolescents' learning abilities. Last month, researchers at Oregon Health & Science University in the United States and the Karolinska Institute in Sweden, which awards the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, published the paper "Digital Media, Genetics, and Risk for ADHD Symptoms in Children."

The researchers conducted a long-term study tracking approximately 8,300 American children aged 10 to 14 and found a causal relationship between SNS use and symptoms of attention deficit. The more SNS was used, the lower the scores on measures of "attention deficit." In contrast, no significant correlation was found between ADHD-related symptoms and the use of games, TV, or videos. The researchers stated, "Even if SNS use has little impact at the individual level, it can lead to behavioral changes across the entire population," and emphasized the need for strict age verification for SNS registration and clear guidelines for SNS companies.