Social Media and Mental Health. As the negative effects of social media increase, parents, educators, and health professionals are searching for solutions. Teens are especially susceptible to the problem. Dr. Jacqueline Sperling describes the addictive nature of social media and its impact on self-esteem and attention span. She offers some possible solutions. Jacqueline Sperling, PhD, is a clinical psychologist and the co-founder and Program Director of the McLean Anxiety Mastery Program at McLean Hospital; and she is also an Instructor in Psychology at Harvard Medical School. 00:25:52