Problematic Social Media use in Mid-Adolescents: A Systematic Review of Intrapersonal and Interpersonal Protective/Risk Factors and Psychosocial Interventions

Abstract Purpose of Review Problematic social media use (PSMU) is linked to negative mental health outcomes. A clear understanding of antecedents of PSMU in mid-adolescents is lacking. The present study aims to explore protective/risk factors of PSMU and strategies to prevent or reduce PSMU in mid-adolescents. A systematic search of peer-reviewed studies published from 2014 onward was conducted on four electronic databases. The review was prospectively registered on PROSPERO (CRD42024507719). Inclusion criteria encompassed longitudinal or interventional studies focusing on mid-adolescents, assessing PSMU with validated measures. Recent Findings The included longitudinal studies investigated a variety of sociodemographic (e.g., gender), intrapersonal (e.g., depressive symptoms) and interpersonal variables (e.g., parenting practices), finding mixed results. Longitudinal studies were considered to be of good/fair quality. Although the included interventions focused on different approaches, they were all group-based, mostly delivered in schools, with a rather short duration (4 to 8 sessions). Promising results in reducing PSMU emerged for two of them, but studies were rated as being of fair/poor quality. Summary Despite the growing interest in PSMU, the heterogeneity and the relatively small number of studies targeting mid-adolescents make it challenging to draw definitive conclusions. More knowledge is needed on protective/risk factors of PSMU and on strategies to prevent and reduce PSMU.