Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42556841›Full record

ArticleBMJ open2026

Tracking mental health and cognitive changes following the Australian social media minimum age legislation: a 4-wave longitudinal study protocol.

Anna Bilston, Lyndsay Brown, Xu Qi, Emily Morgan, Yasmin Hasan, Sarah Stevens, Weike Wang, Aliza Werner-Seidler, Susanne Schweizer

Abstract read
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In one paragraph

Article in BMJ open, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing 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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

9 authors.

Anna BilstonSchool of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.ORCID 0009-0002-7865-287X
Lyndsay BrownBlack Dog Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Xu QiSchool of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Emily MorganSchool of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.ORCID 0009-0001-6607-2520
Yasmin HasanSchool of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Sarah StevensBlack Dog Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Weike WangSchool of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Aliza Werner-SeidlerBlack Dog Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.ORCID 0000-0002-9046-6159
Susanne SchweizerSchool of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia s.schweizer@unsw.edu.au.

Funding

NHMRC 1197074
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionOver the last two decades, increases in adolescent mental health difficulties have been recorded alongside a rapid expansion in social media use. In response to these trends, on 10 December 2025, the Australian government implemented Social Media Minimum Age legislation prohibiting Australians under the age of 16 years from having social media accounts. The introduction of this legislation allows for a unique quasi-experimental investigation of the impact of social media use on adolescent mental health and the mechanisms through which social media may impact young Australian adolescents' mental health, well-being and cognition. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: To assess the relationship between social media use and young adolescents' mental health, well-being and cognition, a longitudinal mixed-methods approach will be taken. 422 young people (aged 10-15 years) and parent/carer dyads were recruited and invited to complete a baseline assessment before the implementation of the Social Media Minimum Age legislation (October-December 2025). Three follow-up assessments will then be completed after 6 (April-May 2026), 12 (October-November 2026) and 18 months (April-May 2027). Data from parent/carer and adolescent surveys, ecological momentary assessments (EMAs), cognitive tasks and smartphone-recorded screenshots of social media and messaging app use across each of these timepoints will be analysed. Linear regression analyses will be used to assess correlational relationships between social media experiences and responses and mental health outcomes as well as how individual factors moderate these relationships. To assess these relationships over time and between momentary experiences and responses (EMA data) and more stable trait-based (individual) and environmental (parenting and government restrictions) factors, we will use linear mixed-effects models and mixed-effects segmented regression. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This study has been approved by the UNSW Human Research Ethics Committee (iRECS 9197). Findings from this study will help identify potential opportunities for interventions at individual, micro (parental) and macro (governmental) levels to mitigate any negative impacts of social media for younger adolescents. Results will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations, public engagement opportunities and researcher-associated websites. After each assessment timepoint, core findings will also be distilled into engaging formats such as infographics and videos, which will be shared with young people and their parent/carer.

Indexed as

CognitionMental HealthSocial MediaAdolescentAustraliaChildDigital MediaFemaleHumansLongitudinal StudiesMaleMedia ExposureResearch DesignAnxiety disordersChild & adolescent psychiatryDepression & mood disordersParentsPUBLIC HEALTHSocial Media

Identifiers

PMID42556841
PMCPMC13448575

What OpenQuestion holds

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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.