Join us for Heterodox Academy’s new Brown Bag Colloquium Series, a virtual seminar series designed to highlight the scholarship and thought leadership emerging from our community.

Our first colloquium will feature Christopher Ferguson, Professor of Psychology at Stetson University presenting his latest research on social media and youth mental health.

Social Media and Youth Mental Health: Crisis or Moral Panic?  Understanding the Research

We'll do a brief overview of various claims made both regarding real-world ecological data, but also findings from correlational studies linking (or not linking) social media to youth mental health.  We'll then focus more specifically on a recent study with UK youth.  I find that, although tiny correlations do exist between social media and youth mental health, they vanish once proper theoretical controls are put into place.  This may help explain some of the confusion, and why some studies may point to small correlations, and others find no associations.  Study: Ferguson, C.J.  (in press).  Links between social media use and mental wellness in youth are an artifact of other factors: Implications for public policy and meta-analysis.  Current Psychology.

This colloquium offered exclusively to HxA members on May 6, 2026 at 2:00-3:00 PM EST will include time for audience discussion and Q&A. Register today to join the conversation.

About the speaker

Christopher J. Ferguson is a professor of psychology at Stetson University and licensed clinical psychologist.  He is also author of several books of fiction and non-fiction including: Catastrophe!: How Psychology Explains Why Good People Make Bad Situations Worse