Young people are the ones who find the most well-being using Evan Spiegel’s social platform – Photography Delmaine Donson / Getty Images©
According to a recent Dutch study, the Snapchat application could have beneficial effects on the well-being of young users, unlike other social networks often criticized for their negative impact.
Snapchat: Studies show positive impact on teenage users
Indeed, Snapchat stands out for its positive influence on friendships and general well-being, although its effect on self-esteem remains limited. Unlike TikTok, Instagram and YouTube, where users face negative consequences on their mental health, Snapchat turns out to be a notable exception. Researchers from the University of Amsterdam conducted this study entitled “Social Media Use Leads to Negative Mental Health Outcomes for Most Adolescents”, during which 479 adolescents were followed for 100 days. The aim was to analyze the impact of social networks such as Snap, TikTok, Instagram, WhatsApp and YouTube on three fundamental aspects of mental health: well-being, self-esteem and friendships.
Well-being index: the app improves self-esteem and friendships
Time spent on Snapchat showed a beneficial effect on social relationships, while not negatively affecting users’ self-esteem. The results reveal that the social network designed by Evan Spiegel, is perceived more positively by its teenage users. Indeed, 71.5% of young people said that the platform had improved their friendships, while 41.4% felt a positive effect on their well-being. However, only 23.7% of participants reported a positive impact on their self-esteem after using Snapchat. These figures contrast sharply with those of other platforms. Although 60% of teens reported negative effects in general after using social media, Snap appears to be an exception.
Ranking and social networking: other platforms don’t fare as well
In comparison, TikTok and YouTube generated a largely negative experience among more than two-thirds of their users, negatively affecting the well-beingrelationships and self-esteem. WhatsApp, on the other hand, strengthened relationships without any notable impact on well-being or self-esteem. Thus, Snapchat emerges as a platform with rather positive effects, offering a space where young people can maintain social relationships while being less exposed to negative impacts than on other social networks such as TikTok or YouTube. This study therefore qualifies the idea that all social networks are inherently harmful to young people’s mental health.
With ETX DailyUp
