A recent study published in the Journal of Research on Adolescence found that for kids aged 10-16, regularly using social media can negatively impact certain key aspects of language skill development. On the other hand, such usage can boost knowledge-based and executive competencies.
The findings are based on an adolescent brain cognitive development study that looked at more than 10,000 children over a six-year period. According to the study, “social media growth was robustly coupled with hindered improvement in crystallized abilities” – that is, skills that are acquired from the child’s environment, such as factual knowledge, verbal abilities, cultural competencies, and reading comprehension.[1]
What this means is that children who spend more time on social media spend less time both in in-person social environments and reading books and other written material, causing a misalignment with common verbal and cultural capacities. Reading comprehension is impacted by the alternate use of language in social media discussions, such as slang and abbreviations.
The data also suggest that social media platforms could prove particularly challenging for disadvantaged children, because this group “tends to use more screens than wealthier peers.” As a result, they may experience an outsized impact, “contributing to a further widening academic achievement gap based on socioeconomic status,” according to the authors.
Parents and educators should emphasize exposure to more advanced language content while also encouraging moderation in social media behavior to remedy the problem.
As social media does convey certain benefits, perhaps the biggest takeaway from this research is the challenge in assessing the full impact social media has on young users, and the pros and cons of restricting kids from using social media apps.
Source:
[1] Hutchinson, Andrew. (April 21, 2026). “Social media usage can impact kids’ reading skills.” Social Media Today. Retrieved from https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/social-media-usage-can-impact-kids-reading-skills/818147/.
