Not All Social Media is the Same: Study Shows Different Impacts on Teen Sexual Health

Teenagers who use YouTube and other informational sites to learn about sexual health are less likely to engage in risky behaviors compared to those who use social media platforms like Snapchat and Instagram, a new study suggests. Researchers found that middle-schoolers who relied on interactive sites, such as Facebook and Twitter, were more likely to engage in behaviors like refusing sex, negotiating condom use, and having sex, after the implementation of a comprehensive sexual health curriculum. The study suggests that social media use has a different impact on teen health outcomes depending on the type of site used.

Key Takeaways:

• The study involved 2,691 seventh and eighth graders in a large urban school district in the Midwest, who underwent the Get Real curriculum, a comprehensive sexual health program.
• Students were surveyed five times during the seventh and eighth grades, both before and after the Get Real sessions, regarding their ability to refuse unwanted sex, negotiate the use of condoms, and intentions to have sex.
• The researchers found that interactive sites, such as Snapchat, Facebook, and Reddit, were linked to lower ability to refuse sexual activity, while use of informational sites, like YouTube, TikTok, and Google, showed no association.
• The study's results suggest that teenagers should be guided to use social media that provides accurate information, rather than relying on interaction with peers, to make informed decisions about their health.
• Parents and teachers should encourage teenagers to use social media responsibly and critically evaluate the information they find, especially when it comes to sensitive topics like sex and relationships.
• The study's findings highlight the importance of equipping teenagers with the skills to navigate the online world and make informed decisions about their health.

Statistics:

• 2,691 students were involved in the study.
• Students were surveyed five times during the seventh and eighth grades.
• The study found that interactive sites, such as Snapchat and Facebook, were linked to lower ability to refuse sexual activity (52% lower).
• Students who relied more on interactive sites had a lower ability to negotiate the use of condoms (65% lower).
• The use of interactive sites was linked to higher intentions to have sex (25% higher).

Sources:

• Eric Anderman, co-author of the study and professor of educational psychology at The Ohio State University.
• Health Psychology journal.
• Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus.
• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Population Affairs.