Predictive models of suicidal ideation in Spanish children: the impact of online media usage (lurkers, sharers, and interactors)

The growing presence of social media in children's everyday lives has intensified concerns about its relationship with mental health. This study examines how differentiated patterns of online media use are associated with suicidal ideation (SI) among Spanish children aged 10 to 15, incorporating direct cybervictimization (DCV) and age within a moderated mediation model. A nonexperimental, cross-sectional design was implemented using data from a nationally representative survey conducted in Spain (N = 804). Based on reported attitudes and uses of media and technology, three user profiles were identified through exploratory factor analysis: lurkers, characterized by predominantly passive consumption of online content; sharers, defined by the creation and public distribution of content; and interactors, whose activity centers on reciprocal exchanges with online contacts. The analysis confirmed differentiated associations across profiles. For sharers and interactors, the link with SI operated mainly through higher levels of DCV. Among lurkers, a direct association with SI was observed. Age exerted a limited moderating role within the model. Taken together, these findings underscore the importance of distinguishing between participation profiles and exposure to online aggression when examining SI in childhood, rather than relying solely on aggregate measures of social media use.