Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40520283›Full record

Trial reportFrontiers in public health2025

Causal effects of social media use on self-esteem, mindfulness, sleep and emotional well-being: a social media restriction study.

Matthias Maerevoet, Marlies Van de Casteele, Eowyn Van de Putte, Dries Debeer, Kristof Hoorelbeke, Maarten Vansteenkiste, Ernst H W Koster

Abstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in Frontiers in public health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Matthias Maerevoet *Department of Experimental Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
Marlies Van de Casteele *Department of Developmental, Personality and Social Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
Eowyn Van de PutteDepartment of Experimental Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
Dries DebeerFaculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Research Support Office, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
Kristof HoorelbekeDepartment of Experimental Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
Maarten VansteenkisteDepartment of Developmental, Personality and Social Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
Ernst H W KosterDepartment of Experimental Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Introduction: The question whether social media use (SMU) has a causal influence on mental health sparks a lot of interest. Empirical research to date shows no consensus on the causal effects of SMU on mental well-being. Therefore, the present study assessed if experimentally implemented restrictions in SMU led to improvements in well-being outcomes using a combination of self-report and passive sensing data. Methods: After a 2 week baseline phase, participants ( Results: Results indicate a main effect of time for most outcomes, but the implemented SMU restriction did not moderate these effects. Discussion: In conclusion, this study found no benefits from a temporary social media reduction on mental health outcomes.

Indexed as

EmotionsMental HealthMindfulnessSelf ConceptSleepSocial MediaAdultFemaleHumansMaleYoung Adultemotional well-beingself-esteemsleepsocial media reductionsocial media use

Identifiers

PMID40520283
PMCPMC12162677

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.