The Use of Social Networking Sites and Its Impact on Adolescents’ Emotional Well-Being: a Scoping Review

Abstract

Purpose of Review The rapid development of social networking sites (SNSs) has affected adolescents’ well-being with great impact on social experience. In this scoping review, we aimed to map out what is known from the most recent literature about adolescents’ emotional well-being and the role of emotional regulation skills in preventing problematic SNS use. We used the Arksey and O’Malley methodological framework, and we based the study selection procedure on the PRISMA process. Then, we selected 52 English and peer-reviewed papers from PubMed, MEDLINE, PsycARTICLES, PsycINFO, Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection, Wiley Online Library, and Web of Science. Recent Findings We found both positive and negative effects of SNS use on adolescents’ emotions with online self-presentation and social comparison as key mechanisms to explain differences in subjective well-being. The risk of developing problematic use of SNSs is influenced by time spent on SNSs, active or passive use, and adolescents’ social and emotional skills. Summary This review suggested the importance of emotional experiences and social support in both in-person and online interactions. Future research is needed to provide the basis for a better forthcoming classification of problematic SNS use.

Comparación Social negativa: La influencia de la Ansiedad, la Regulación Emocional y el Uso Problemático de Redes Sociales

“…A pesar de la escasez de evidencias existentes hasta la fecha respecto a estas asociaciones, no es de extrañar que una mejor regulación emocional pueda servir como factor protector frente a la comparación social negativa. Está demostrado que las estrategias adaptativas de regulación emocional pueden amortiguar el peso del estrés (Flores-Kanter et al, 2021), la ansiedad y la depresión (Daros et al, 2021), y el riesgo de suicidio (Colmenero-Navarrete et al, 2022;Pisani et al, 2013), así como también parecen hacerlo frente al uso problemático de redes sociales (Arrivillaga et al, 2020;Bottaro & Faraci, 2022). Si estos procesos psicológicos comparten asociaciones similares con todas estas variables, es muy probable que también acaben estando Por último, los resultados mostraron que existen diferencias entre géneros a la hora de realizar comparaciones ascendentes en redes sociales.…”

Predictors of social networking service addiction

“…Positive emotions have been linked to increased engagement with SNS platforms. Users in a positive mood state tend to share more, interact positively with others, and spend more time on SNS [44][45][46] . Furthermore, positive affect enhances the intrinsic motivation to use SNS, increasing the frequency and duration of usage 47 .…”

Insecure Minds through the Looking Glass: The Mediating Role of Mentalization in the Relationships between Adult Attachment Styles and Problematic Social Media Use

“…As of 2022, there were over 4.59 billion social media users worldwide, and this number is expected to rise to nearly six billion by 2027 [ 1 ]. Research shows that the use of social media may have both favorable and unfavorable consequences on individuals’ well-being, depending on their psychological differences [ 2 , 3 , 4 ].…”