"Social Media Surge in Preteens Linked to Decline in Cognitive Skills"

Increased social media use among preteens is linked to declines in cognition, highlighting potential risks for mental health and developmental challenges during adolescence.

• The Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study found that social media usage among preteens aged 9 to 13 significantly correlates with lower cognition performance in key cognitive areas.
• Participants of the ABCD study reported an average increase in social media use of 1.3 hours per day for low users and 3.0 hours for high users, indicating a concerning trend in screen time.
• Researchers from the University of California, San Francisco, suggest that the decline in cognitive skills associated with heightened social media engagement may have implications for mental health in adolescents.