Return exactly one rewritten English science news headline for the original title below. Maximum 12 words. Output plain text only. Do not use HTML, Markdown, quotes, labels, explanations, bullets, numbering, or multiple options. Original title: The reinforcement effect of social media likes in depression

About The Study: In this study, depressive psychopathology was associated with a greater tendency to be reinforced by a type of social reward on Twitter, in contrast to typical laboratory-based findings of blunted reinforcement learning in depression. These findings suggest potential mechanisms linking social media use to worse mental health or vice versa, and emphasize the importance of studying real-world behavior. 

Corresponding Author: To contact the corresponding author, Dan-Mircea Mirea, PhD, email dmirea@princeton.edu.

To access the embargoed study: Visit our For The Media website at this link

(10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2026.1430)

Editor’s Note: Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, conflict of interest and financial disclosures, and funding and support.

Embed this link to provide your readers free access to the full-text article This link will be live at the embargo time