The Double-Edged Impact of Algorithmic Feeds on Teen Mental Health: A Systematic Review
Alice Qian, S. Frances
Horace Mann School, New York, United States
McGill University Faculty of Medicine, Montreal, Canada
Publication date: November 20, 2025
Horace Mann School, New York, United States
McGill University Faculty of Medicine, Montreal, Canada
Publication date: November 20, 2025
DOI: http://doi.org/10.34614/JIYRC2025II47
ABSTRACT
Nearly 95% of adolescents use social media, which relies on complex algorithms to select content that keeps users engaged. While screen time is often the focus in the literature on youth mental health, algorithmic feeds are often understudied. This systematic review examines the influence of algorithm-recommended social media content on adolescent mental health. Through a comprehensive search and selection process, a total of 25 studies were included. Findings reveal a double-edged impact: algorithms clustered users into identity-based communities, escalating exposure to self-harm, dieting, and depressive content, which was linked to increased anxiety, worsened attention, compulsive scrolling, and self-diagnosis driven by misinformation. At the same time, supportive recommendations encouraged coping, help-seeking, and connection. Overall, the evidence suggests that algorithmically curated content, more than screen time itself, has a major impact on adolescent mental health, emphasizing the need for greater oversight and further research.
Nearly 95% of adolescents use social media, which relies on complex algorithms to select content that keeps users engaged. While screen time is often the focus in the literature on youth mental health, algorithmic feeds are often understudied. This systematic review examines the influence of algorithm-recommended social media content on adolescent mental health. Through a comprehensive search and selection process, a total of 25 studies were included. Findings reveal a double-edged impact: algorithms clustered users into identity-based communities, escalating exposure to self-harm, dieting, and depressive content, which was linked to increased anxiety, worsened attention, compulsive scrolling, and self-diagnosis driven by misinformation. At the same time, supportive recommendations encouraged coping, help-seeking, and connection. Overall, the evidence suggests that algorithmically curated content, more than screen time itself, has a major impact on adolescent mental health, emphasizing the need for greater oversight and further research.
