Blog post #3-  How do likes, comments, and online approval affect teens confidence and mood?

My first inquiry question is about how likes, comments, and online approval affect teens confidence and mood.

Likes, comments, and online approval can boost teens confidence for a short time by making them feel noticed, accepted, and popular (1). However, getting fewer likes than their friends can cause anxiety, insecurity, and feelings of rejection (1). Many teens see low engagement as a personal failure, which can hurt their mood and self esteem (1). Positive comments can make teens feel like they belong and improve confidence for a short time (4). Negative comments can increase self doubt and lower self worth (6). Even no response on a post can feel like social exclusion and make teens feel ignored (1). Constantly comparing themselves to others online also lowers self worth because teens start measuring their value against unrealistic highlight reels instead of real life (5).

Comparison on social media often leads to envy and lowers mood (5). Seeking validation creates addictive habits where teens constantly check notifications (3). Depending too much on online approval makes confidence fragile and causes mood to change quickly (3). Frequent social media use is also linked to higher sadness and hopelessness (6). Harsh comments through cyberbullying can deeply damage self esteem (6). Late night scrolling can disrupt sleep, which makes daily mood worse (2). Poor sleep also makes confidence drop more the next day (2). Pressure to get more likes can push teens to post risky or inauthentic content (2). Body image worries also grow when teens feel pressure to look perfect for approval (6). Heavy dependence on social media validation is linked to higher suicide risk (6). A healthier mindset is seeing likes as small feedback, not as personal worth or identity (7). Supportive conversations with parents can also help teens build confidence beyond online approval (7).

Sources

1. https://www.rochester.edu/newscenter/getting-fewer-likes-on-social-media-can-make-teens-anxious-and-depressed-453482/
2. . Teens and social media use: What’s the impact? – Mayo Clinic
3. https://ijcsrr.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/37-3004-2025.pdfsteem.
4. The Psychology Behind Social Media Likes Impacts on Self-Esteem and Behavior – Assured Hope Health
5. Adolescents’ Social Comparison on Social Media: Links with Momentary Self-Evaluations – PMC
6. Current perspectives: the impact of cyberbullying on adolescent health – PMC
7. The Good and Bad of Social Media: What Research Tells Us