University of Minnesota-Twin Cities · Social ScienceSun Social Media Lab
Xiaoran Sun · Minneapolis, Minnesota
Research Focus
Dr. Xiaoran Sun's lab at the University of Minnesota focuses on understanding how adolescents manage their social media use and its impact on their mental health. The lab conducts innovative research using both qualitative and quantitative methods, including objective tracking of social media interactions, to uncover the links between social media behaviors and mental health outcomes. Their work aims to create effective strategies that help adolescents use social media in healthier ways.
social mediamental healthadolescentslongitudinal studiessocial media management strategies
Research Aims
5AIM 01Investigate the strategies adolescents use to manage their social media consumption.
AIM 02Assess the relationship between social media management strategies and mental health outcomes.
AIM 03Explore the bidirectional dynamics between social media use and mental health.
AIM 04Implement objective measures to capture detailed social media usage patterns.
AIM 05Develop effective interventions based on research findings for healthier social media practices.
Skills the Lab Values
data collectionqualitative interviewslongitudinal data analysissurvey designdigital diary methods
Output against the department
Publications52bottom 16% of dept.64th of 77
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations775bottom 16% of dept.65th of 77
this lab
most citedleast cited
Career totals from OpenAlex, compared against labs that share a department. A department spans everything from one paper to tens of thousands, so bar heights are on a log scale — otherwise the largest lab would flatten every other bar to a line.