Which of the following statements accurately describes how social media affects adolescents' moods?

• A. Frequent use of social media can increase feelings of anxiety and depression among adolescents.
• B. Social media use has no impact on adolescents' emotional well-being.
• C. Adolescents who use social media frequently always experience improved mood and self-esteem.
• D. Social media only affects adolescents' moods positively, never negatively.

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the context of the problem, which is about the impact of social media on adolescents' moods, focusing on psychological effects such as anxiety, depression, mood, and self-esteem.
2. Step 2: Review empirical research findings in psychology that examine the relationship between social media use and adolescents' emotional well-being, noting that frequent social media use is often linked to increased feelings of anxiety and depression.
3. Step 3: Evaluate each statement by comparing it to established psychological evidence: recognize that social media use can have both positive and negative effects, but frequent use is commonly associated with negative emotional outcomes like anxiety and depression.
4. Step 4: Identify that the statement 'Frequent use of social media can increase feelings of anxiety and depression among adolescents' aligns with research findings, while the other statements either deny any impact or claim only positive effects, which are inaccurate.
5. Step 5: Conclude that the accurate description is the one acknowledging the potential for increased anxiety and depression due to frequent social media use among adolescents.