Dating apps are reshaping teen friendships, identity, and social growth

Teenagers are often one step ahead of the curve when it comes to technology, and dating is no exception. Nearly one in four teenagers are now using dating apps, according to a new study released by Northwestern Medicine. And, contrary to what most adults might fear, that does not automatically lead to poor mental health. In certain instances, dating apps may even be good for some adolescents, specifically sexual and gender minorities.

This study was novel in that it did not rely on self-reported data. Scientists used a mobile app, the Effortless Assessment Research System, to track the use of dating apps according to keyboard activity on teenagers' smartphones. This allowed researchers to collect real-time information for six months on 149 teenagers aged 13 to 18 in Chicago and New York City.

These teens gave assent to be followed, and their parents gave consent as well. Their mental and behavioral health were also tracked through interviews and self-report assessments.

Within a six-month timeframe, 35 of the 149 teens (around 23.5%) were found to use dating apps. On average, the participants opened a total of 1.74 different apps, ranging from one to six apps per participant. These were not exclusively adult dating apps like Tinder, Hinge and Bumble.

Teens also used apps like Yubo and Pdbee, which are billed more as social networking or friendship apps but still operate a lot like dating apps. Other apps don't ask for age verification, which are simpler for adolescents to get onto—even though it means they have to lie about their age on apps meant for adults.

Interestingly, the study found that teens who used dating apps were generally more mature, slightly older, and more likely to be LGBTQ+. This suggests that dating apps can provide these teens with a safer or more accepting space to explore their identity and meet others like them, especially if they are being judged in their daily lives.

One of the biggest takeaways from the study is that adolescent dating app usage doesn't automatically mean worse mental health. Researchers measured app users and non-users after matching them based on age, gender identity, onset of puberty, and other factors.

At the start of the study, teens who were on dating apps did indeed report slightly more risk-taking behavior, such as rule-breaking or using substances. But over a period of six months, there were comparable mental health outcomes for the two groups.

Depression, anxiety, and social anxieties were not significantly different for users and non-users. The only significant difference was that dating app users spent more weeks during the study meeting the clinical criteria for major depression. But this does not prove that dating apps are causing their symptoms. In fact, it may be the other way around—depressed or lonely teenagers may turn to apps seeking connection or validation.

An even closer look at 18 of the teenagers who used apps revealed something else. Weeks in which they sent a high number of messages on dating apps also tended to be weeks in which they reported feeling mildly depressed. Again, that is correlation, not cause-and-effect. The study could not say whether messaging preceded mood changes or mood changes led to more messaging.

So why are teens getting on the sites at all? Part of it might be curiosity. Some are looking for romance, while others just want to chat or make friends. What the numbers do confirm is that for LGBTQ+ teens in particular, these apps can offer a unique space to discover identity without judgment.

Parents may not have to freak out just yet when they discover their teens are using dating apps," said lead author Lilian Li, a postdoctoral fellow in psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. "What's more important is for parents to be having a conversation with their kids about why they're on these apps in the first place."

Li and her co-authors believe the websites can bring a real role in the way teens build their social reality and emotional health. Down the line, early romantic relationships have a tendency to influence adult mental health, self-esteem, and depression or anxiety rates."

This is just the start. Li plans to continue studying the behavior of teens on dating apps in bigger groups and over longer periods of time. The next phase could also include tracking screen time and passive behaviors like swiping or liking photos—behaviors that weren't measured in this study but could also be connected to mental health.

While adults may worry that apps place teens in danger, the reality may be more complicated. Such online environments may offer minoritized teens access to a sense of belonging they do not experience in their everyday lives. Li also mentions that while friendship apps like MeetMe or Yubo do not label themselves as dating apps, teens use them as dating apps. In a previous analysis of the apps' reviews, users dubbed them "kid Tinder." That crossover shows how hard it is to draw firm lines between dating, friendship, or socializing apps.

Despite that blur, Li thinks the new findings may dispel parental anxiety. She also thinks that they could push forward new understanding of how adolescent relationships develop in the digital age.

"Teen dating relationships can determine mental health well into adulthood," she stated, "sometimes predicting such things as self-esteem, depression and anxiety. So, it's worth learning about how teens use dating apps as part of learning about this key aspect of their social development."

Instead of jumping to worst-case scenarios, schools and families can do more by initiating conversations. The biggest danger isn't necessarily the app—it's the silence surrounding the reasons adolescents are using them. Talking about relationships, safety, identity, and emotional health can give a healthier starting point for adolescent tech use.

It's also important to note that just because the study found an association between dating app use and negative moods, that doesn't doom teens to unhappiness. Just like in-person relationships, online relationships can be both healthy and hurtful. It really depends on how they are managed and interpreted.

Passive tracking of dating app use via technology offers a novel avenue for investigating how teenagers start social relationships. It reveals both the challenge and potential of online dating in teenage life. Instead of relying on surveys or speculation alone, researchers now have tools for viewing real behavior as it takes place.

As this area of research grows, it can lead to better guidance for both parents and teens. Rather than jumping to block apps or penalize usage, adults could learn to better mentor kids as they explore the complex world of relationships—both online and offline.

Research findings are available online in the Journal of Psychopathology and Clinical Science.

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