# Social Media Use and Mechanisms of Suicide Risk in Adolescents

> **NIH NIH K23** · RHODE ISLAND HOSPITAL · 2022 · $195,696

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract
Suicide rates have nearly doubled among adolescent girls over the past decade. During this same time period,
social media sites (e.g., Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook) have become ubiquitous, with nearly 97% of youth
now using social media. Social media offers both risks and benefits for adolescent development. However,
there is likely a vulnerable subset of youth for whom social media use influences suicidal thoughts and
behaviors (STBs). The primary goal of this study is to examine how and for whom social media use contributes
risk for STBs, so that we may better identify and intervene with youth most at risk. A multi-method approach,
integrating computational psychiatry and experimental techniques, will be used to investigate the specific
mechanisms by which social media use affects STBs. Data will be collected from both an existing dataset (n ~
2,000) and a recruited sample (n = 90 adolescent females, ages 14-17, with lifetime history of STBs). To
identify specific, directly observable social media experiences that heighten risk for STBs, digital trace data
(i.e., social media content and meta-data) will be collected directly from adolescents’ social media pages and
analyzed using machine learning techniques. In addition, an innovative laboratory paradigm with eye-
tracking/pupillometry will be used to examine cognitive and affective responses to social media use that
increase vulnerability to STBs. Participant STBs will be assessed at baseline, 3-month-, and 6-month follow
ups. The aims of the study are well-aligned with the candidate’s long-term career goal of becoming an
independent investigator of adolescent social media use and mental health. To purse this research agenda
going forward, the candidate proposes training in four key areas: (1) machine learning methods for analyzing
digital trace data, (2) experimental eye tracking/pupillometry paradigms, (3) mechanism-based translational
research in adolescent suicide risk, and (4) professional development, with an emphasis on training in effective
interdisciplinary collaboration and the ethics of social media research. A team of mentors and consultants from
multiple disciplines will facilitate the candidate’s training, including experts in youth suicide risk, machine
learning and natural language processing, and experimental peer interaction paradigms. The diverse
resources available at Brown University and Rhode Island Hospital will ensure successful completion of the
project and foster the development of the candidate’s research program. The proposed study has the potential
to contribute significantly to our understanding of the role of social media in adolescent suicide risk. Completion
of the proposed research and training goals will uniquely position the candidate to become a leader in the field
of adolescent social media use.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10449338
- **Project number:** 5K23MH122669-03
- **Recipient organization:** RHODE ISLAND HOSPITAL
- **Principal Investigator:** Jacqueline Nesi
- **Activity code:** K23 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $195,696
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2020-07-16 → 2025-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10449338

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10449338, Social Media Use and Mechanisms of Suicide Risk in Adolescents (5K23MH122669-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10449338. Licensed CC0.

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