A decade-long study conducted by the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute has identified a correlation between high social media usage and a decline in mental wellbeing among early adolescents.

由墨度兒童研究中心進行的一項為期十年的研究發現，高度使用社交媒體與早期青少年心理健康下降之間存在關聯。

The research, published in the Medical Journal of Australia, monitored approximately 1,200 children in Melbourne from 2015 to 2021. Data indicates that individuals aged 12 to 13 who engaged with social media for two or more hours daily experienced a heightened risk of depressive symptoms and diminished wellbeing one year subsequently. This vulnerability is most pronounced in females, where 11 additional cases of high depressive symptoms per 100 individuals were observed compared to those with minimal usage. Conversely, males in the same cohort exhibited a higher relative increase in self-harming behaviors. Dr. Nandi Vijayakumar attributed these findings to the intersection of rapid neurological development, the onset of puberty, and an increased sensitivity to peer validation and social exclusion during early adolescence.

這項發表在《澳洲醫學雜誌》的研究，在2015年至2021年間監測了墨爾本約1,200名兒童。數據顯示，12至13歲且每日使用社交媒體兩小時或以上者，在一年後出現憂鬱症狀的風險較高，且身心健康狀況下降。這種脆弱性在女性中最為顯著，每100人中比極少使用社交媒體者多出11例高度憂鬱症狀個案。相反地，同組中的男性在自我傷害行為方面則表現出較高的相對增幅。Nandi Vijayakumar 博士將這些發現歸因於神經系統快速發育、青春期開始，以及早期青少年對同儕認同與社交排斥的敏感度增加。

Despite these correlations, the study's methodology has been subject to academic scrutiny. Professor Daniel Angus of the Queensland University of Technology highlighted the limitations of self-reported data and the lack of granularity regarding specific online activities, suggesting that 'time spent' is an insufficient metric for determining causality. Furthermore, the research coincides with the implementation of an Australian under-16 social media ban. However, evidence suggests a lack of efficacy in this regulatory measure, with approximately 70 percent of previously active users continuing to access platforms. While Professor Susan Sawyer emphasized the significance of these population-level findings, other stakeholders, such as Daniel Donahoo of Project Rockit, argued that such analyses may underestimate the critical thinking capacities of contemporary youth.

儘管存在這些關聯，該研究的方法論仍受到學術質疑。昆士蘭科技大學的 Daniel Angus 教授指出，自我報告數據具有局限性，且缺乏關於特定網路活動的細粒度分析，認為「花費時間」不足以作為判定因果關係的指標。此外，此研究適逢澳洲實施16歲以下社交媒體禁令。然而，證據顯示該監管措施缺乏成效，約70%原先活躍的用戶仍繼續訪問這些平台。雖然 Susan Sawyer 教授強調這些群體層面發現的重要性，但其他利益相關者（如 Project Rockit 的 Daniel Donahoo）則認為，此類分析可能會低估現代青少年的批判性思考能力。

The study identifies early adolescence as a critical window for mental health intervention, though the persistence of risks beyond age 13 suggests that age-based restrictions may be insufficient.

研究指出早期青少年是心理健康干預的關鍵期，但風險在13歲後依然存在，顯示僅靠年齡限制可能不足。