51.16 SOCIAL MEDIA USE AND IMPACT ON YOUTH DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC: A NOVEL ELECTRONIC QUESTIONNAIRE TO ENGAGE YOUTH ABOUT SOCIAL MEDIA USE

Objectives: The aim of this poster is to engage youth about their social media use and its impacts by using an innovative electronic self-report Social Media Initial Questionnaire-Revised (SMIQ-R), developed by the authors (MF, RS, CG, CP) Over 90% of US youth use social media, which has been linked to influences on self-esteem, mood, and behavior The poster will present data on youth during increased social distancing and necessary isolation due to the COVID-19 pandemic Methods: Fifty psychiatry clinic patients, ages 8 to 20 years (48% males), completed the de-identified SMIQ-R by Google Forms using their cell phones The SMIQ-R contains questions pertaining to social media and electronic use, mood, behavior, and school, reflecting use during the COVID-19 pandemic in June 2020 Results: Forty percent of participants felt that their level of sadness was more, 54% reported their level was the same, and 6% reported it was less Thirty-four percent of participants felt that their level of anxiety was more, 56% reported their level was the same, and 10% reported it was less Twenty-four percent of participants reported sleeping more, 56% reported sleeping the same amount, and 20% reported sleeping less Participants reported that the biggest changes in their lives since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic are staying at home, losing school, more sadness, more anxiety, and homeschool Missing their friends and school, being sad, and not being able to go outside were the factors that participants reported are making their lives harder during the COVID-19 pandemic Sixty-two percent of participants prefer appointments with their psychiatrist in person, 24% preferred video or phone, and 6% reported that they liked both Conclusions: The SMIQ-R Google Forms mobile phone modality proved to be user-friendly, efficient, and well-liked by youths The most consistent consequence of the pandemic reported by youths is that they miss school as well as their friends Many youths reported more anxiety and sadness since the COVID-19 pandemic Sixty percent of youth reported that social media currently interferes with homework, almost 50% reported interference with sleep, 33% reported interference with school, and surprisingly, social media rarely interferes with family ADOL, RI, SAC