Frontier mental health research: psychedelics & drug studies

Each month our editorial team sifts through hundreds of papers and curates notable findings—for practitioners and informed readers who want to stay current with the evidence. Subscribe to the monthly Research Digest for expert analysis and concise summaries of key papers.

3 papers

Higher Media Multi-Tasking Activity Is Associated with Smaller Gray-Matter Density in the Anterior Cingulate Cortex

Kep Kee Loh, Ryota Kanai
PLoS ONE Summary & key facts 2014 129 citations

The article says that heavy use of digital media and constant multitasking can harm thinking skills like focus, memory, and decision-making. It explains that intuition depends on brain networks and chemicals such as dopamine and serotonin. The piece cites research linking more media multitasking to smaller gray-matter density in a…

Media Influence and Health Mind wandering and attention Psychological and Temporal Perspectives Research

A Meta-Analysis of the Effects of Social Media Exposure to Upward Comparison Targets on Self-Evaluations and Emotions

Carly McComb, Eric J. Vanman, Stephanie J. Tobin
Media Psychology Summary & key facts 2023 100 citations

This meta-analysis combined 48 experimental studies with 7,679 people to test how seeing “upward” comparison targets on social media (people who seem better off) affects users’ feelings about themselves. Overall, exposure to upward comparisons produced a small but statistically significant negative effect on self-evaluations and emotions (g = −0.24, p…

Behavioral Health and Interventions Impact of Technology on Adolescents Media Influence and Health

Addictive Screen Use Trajectories and Suicidal Behaviors, Suicidal Ideation, and Mental Health in US Youths

Yunyu Xiao, Meng Yuan, Timothy A. Brown, Katherine M. Keyes, J. John Mann
JAMA Summary & key facts 2025 35 citations

This study followed 4,285 U.S. children from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study to look at patterns of addictive use of social media, mobile phones, and video games from about ages 11 to 15. The researchers found that high or steadily increasing patterns of addictive use were common. Those high…

Child Development and Digital Technology Impact of Technology on Adolescents Media Influence and Health
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