The Science

Teen brains are especially vulnerable to the effects of social media.

Learn how teen brains work, and how social media is designed to keep kids scrolling.

That year or two as puberty is just beginning is the second most important time for adolescent brain development and reorganization for our entire lives, and there’s a lot of growth and a lot of changes that are happening, at the precise time that we’re giving them a device that we know makes their brains react in unexpected and dramatic ways.

Dr. Mitch Prinstein, Chief Science Officer,
American Psychological Association

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Teen Brains and Social Media

Learn what makes teen brains tick, and why social media can be so problematic.

Research Library

There is a growing body of evidence linking teen social media use and poor mental health. We’ve put all the best research in one place.