Adolescent Loneliness in the Digital Age: The Roles of Need for Popularity and Digital Social Multitasking

Adolescence is characterised by increased loneliness. In the digital age, adolescent loneliness may be understood through the lens of how the digital context is shaping teens’ peer relations and media use. This study examines whether teens’ need for popularity (NfP) is associated with loneliness and investigates the mediating role played by digital social multitasking (DSMT; frequency and negative perception). NfP was associated with higher loneliness, which was partially explained by negative perception of DSMT. This suggests that NfP may lead adolescents to engage in DSMT to be more socially efficient, but when the behaviour becomes distracting, loneliness risk increases.