Social media can be a tool used to distribute science-based information, advocate for systemic change, and share health resources.  

It’s also a leading form of entertainment and relief of boredom for young people.  

Research from a 2023 study by Gallup and the Institute for Family Studies, found that teenagers in the U.S. spend an average of 4.8 hours per day using social media, with nearly 30% spending upwards of six hours.  

This increased usage of social media can lead to adverse health outcomes related to mental health, body image, and sleep. But how do we make sure youth utilize it while maintaining their health and well-being? That’s where ETR comes in.  

Check out this week’s newsletter on tools and strategies for healthy social media use for young people.  

— The ETR Team  

P.S. Passionate about health equity and looking for a new career opportunity with us? Check out this new job posting for Director of Regulatory Affairs! View at this link: http://etr.my/careers  

Searching for a shareable tool on social media and emotional health? Look no further than our video resource, Social Media and Emotional Health: 10 Tips for Teens. This 8-minute video walks through 10 examples of how social media and online games can have both a positive and negative impact on a young person’s emotional health.  

It’s also developed from our popular HealthSmart curricula—a K–12, skills-based health education program that empowers students to think, choose, and act in healthy ways. Watch the video and then share with youth and communities via newsletters, classroom lessons, or social media channels to spread these vital tips.  

Social media use having negative effects on the health and well-being of youth can be connected to parenting and caregiving strategies. Youth who report a stronger and more loving relationship with their caregivers and spend less time unsupervised use social media less frequently. But a part of building stronger relationships with young people involves empowering them through conversation and resources.

Check out this blog “Retweets and Reframes: 5 Ways to Empower Healthy Adolescent Social Media Use” by Kaleigh Cornelison, LMSW, LCSW, Project Coordinator II at ETR. This piece details how caring adults can tackle the daunting task of trying to help young people navigate a social media landscape that many of us are struggling to understand ourselves. As you lean into these conversations with young people, consider the five featured strategies to youth so that they can achieve their best health. Estimated read time: 4 minutes.

In each weekly newsletter, we send you some of our best health promotional resources, the latest expert-written pieces from the ETR blog, upcoming events such as YTH Live Global, and more! But are you following us across our social media channels?

We share social posts multiple times a week on ETR projects and achievements, events we’ll be present at, job listings, work from ETRians, and so on. View our channels on LinkedIn, Instagram, X/Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube. Follow our pages, comment on our posts, and share our resources as we continue on our journey of achieving our mission—improving health and well-being for youth and communities by championing science.

Have questions? Call or email us!
We'll assist you with your health education needs.

1-800-321-4407

customerservice@etr.org.