Child and Adolescent Engagement with Climate Change on Social Media and Impacts on Mental Health: a Narrative Review

We describe the existing literature which explores the relationship between engagement with climate change on social media and child and adolescent mental health and well-being.

Children and adolescents use social media to gather information about climate change, build community with like-minded peers, and get involved in collective climate action. Climate anxiety can motivate young people to seek out climate-related information on social media.

Social media has benefits to child and adolescent mental health in the context of the climate crisis as a tool to promote awareness, social support, and climate-related civic engagement. However, social media can spread misinformation and increase child and adolescent exposure to negative climate change messaging, thereby increasing distress. Clinicians and young people alike recognize the advantages of social media for promoting child and adolescent resilience in response to climate change and offer suggestions for how to reduce potential harm.