Social-emotional development in adolescents: The role of peer interaction, social media engagement, and self-esteem

Adolescence is closely associated with social-emotional development, which is characterized by an increase in emotions and the complexity of social relationships. This study is aimed at analyzing differences in peer interaction, social media engagement, self-esteem, and social-emotional development between male and female adolescents, as well as examining the influence of peer interaction, social media engagement, and self-esteem on social-emotional development in adolescents. An explanatory research design was employed in this study. The population consisted of adolescents in Bogor City. A cluster random sampling technique, based on class, was used, involving ten schools—four junior high schools and six senior high schools—with 50 students from each school, resulting in a total of 500 respondents. Data analysis was carried out using Structural Equation Modeling-Partial Least Square (SEM-PLS). The results suggest that female adolescents exhibit higher levels of peer interaction, social media engagement, and social-emotional development, while male adolescents display higher self-esteem. Social-emotional development is positively influenced by peer interaction, social media engagement, and self-esteem. Additionally, peer interaction was found to positively affect social media engagement and self-esteem, while social media engagement negatively impacted self-esteem. It is recommended that the government collaborate with academics, community organizations, and related agencies to provide education and socialization aimed at improving social-emotional development in adolescents, with particular emphasis on the importance of self-esteem.