Digital Media Use and Psychosocial Health among Adolescent Boys and Young Men

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To synthesize recent literature highlighting how and why adolescent boys and young men may face unique media-related psychosocial health risks and potential benefits.

RECENT FINDINGS: Adolescent boys and young men appear to demonstrate distinct media use profiles, including higher engagement with video gaming, masculinity-oriented and appearance-focused social media content, online communities such as the manosphere, and, more recently, generative artificial intelligence tools. For adolescent boys and young men, gendered digital environments intersect with developmental processes related to identity formation, masculinity norms, social connection, and risk-taking, with important implications for mental health outcomes such as depression, anxiety, body dissatisfaction, muscle dysmorphia, disordered eating, aggression, and social isolation. Understanding these distinct media use profiles may allow clinicians, educators, and families to develop tailored approaches for screening, intervention, and prevention, supporting healthier development for adolescent boys and young men.