What Does Media Say about Mental Health: A Literature Review of Media Coverage on Mental Health

Gaming disorder has been considered by the DSM-5 task force as warranting further study (as the subset internet gaming disorder), and was included in the ICD-11. Children who spend more than 3 hours per day using social media face a risk of problems including but not limited to depression, anxiety, and suicide risk. The results show that 74% of teens agree that social media platforms make them feel “more connected to their friends”, and 63% say it gives them a place to “show off their creative side” (Faverio et al., 2025). According to a survey conducted by the Pew Research Center, a majority of teens see social media as “a positive space for friendships and creativity”. However, a review by Keles et al. (2020) noted that social media can also provide emotional support and connection when it’s used in positive and balanced ways. Research from stop Procrastinating finds social media  and other forms of media, to be the leading cause of procrastination trends.

Mind Map: Opportunities for Positive Change

Despite the potential for positive change, there are several challenges that must be addressed. The media can be used as a tool for education and awareness-raising. Your email address will be used in order to notify you when your comment has been reviewed by the moderator and in case the author(s) of the article or the moderator need to contact you directly. If this is the first time you used this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your Google Drive account. To save this article to your Google Drive account, please select one or more formats and confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies.

• As described in the Introduction, Phase 2 included guidance on coverage and workshops to promote this guidance, instead of solely protest at stigmatising coverage.
• There may have been a slightly higher rate of negative reporting in the USA media than normal as there were four articles related to the 11 September terrorist attacks.
• She was a minor when she said she became addicted to social media platforms, which she claims had a detrimental impact on her mental health.
• 12 studies met inclusion criteria; seven explored the impact of news media on stigma towards SMI or general mental illness, two explored the impact of social media, while three evaluated interventions that aimed to mitigate this impact.
• The consistent pattern of linking mental illness and violence not only leads to the public being fearful or avoidant of mentally ill people but also less likely to offer or support community care.
• Furthermore, excessive screen time, particularly with intense and fast-paced content, has been linked to ADHD-related behaviors through dopamine and reward circuit activation .

Assessment and treatment

The study was funded by the Commonwealth Department of Health, Australia. Instant access to the full article PDF. Due to mixed findings, interventions with media professionals are also an area of research priority.

Our Approach to Accessibility

SST employs structured techniques such as role-playing, modeling, social stories, and visual supports to teach and reinforce social skills. Research consistently supports the efficacy of SST in improving social competence and relationships for individuals with ASD, with meta-analyses reporting medium to high effect sizes for these interventions. Social Skills Training (SST) has been established as an effective intervention for individuals with ASD, addressing challenges in social interaction Mental Health Podcast RSS Feed and communication. The study found that CBT was effective in addressing negative self-beliefs and maladaptive thought patterns, leading to improvements in self-esteem .

This broad range of findings highlights the need for comprehensive research to better understand the mechanism by which these disorders develop, and this will allow for targeted intervention strategies. The ease of access and algorithm-driven content personalization contribute to a cycle of prolonged use, reinforcing addictive behaviors similar to those seen in substance use disorders. Advocacy plays a crucial role in shaping media coverage and promoting positive representation. Negative media portrayals can perpetuate stigma, while positive representation can promote understanding and acceptance. For example, some TV shows and movies are featuring characters with mental illness as complex and multidimensional individuals. The Lancet commission on global mental health and sustainability report from 2018 evaluated both benefits and harms of technology.