TikTok and young adults: A decade of research on mental health, cognition, sleep, and social outcomes (2016–2025)

Bibliometric mapping indicates that research on TikTok and young adults has expanded rapidly but remains limited in volume and dominated by cross sectional designs and high-income settings. Mental health and sleep related outcomes occupy a central position, with growing attention to academic performance, attention, and body image. Important gaps include longitudinal evidence, experimental or causal designs, systematic examination of beneficial uses of TikTok, and more contributions from low- and middle-income countries. The present analysis offers a structured overview of the field and a roadmap for future interdisciplinary research, with implications for educators, clinicians, and policymakers concerned with the digital lives of young adults.