The Effect of Social Media Use on Depression in Adolescents: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Background and Aim: Concerns are increasingly raised about the impact of social media use on depression in adolescents. This article aimed to summarize and synthesize quantitative studies addressing the association between social media and depression in adolescents. Methods & Materials: This systematic review and meta-analysis included studies on the impact of the internet and social media use on depression in adolescents using Persian and English databases. In total, 15 studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in the analysis. Ethical Considerations: All ethical principles are considered in this article. Results: The obtained data revealed a slight (0.18) statistically significant correlation (P<0.000) between social media use and depression in adolescents. However, this relationship was complex and associated with multiple psychosocial, behavioral, and individual factors, necessitating further investigation of mediating and moderating variables. Notably, most explored studies were cross-sectional; thus, they failed to infer the causal relationship between social media use and depression. In Iran, research has only investigated internet dependence. Further research is required in this area. Conclusion: Overall, the mechanism of the impact of social media on depression should be further investigated through qualitative and longitudinal studies.