Patterns of online civic engagement: Differences in mental health among adolescents and young adults

Online civic engagement is an increasingly salient feature of youth's civic lives, yet its mental health implications remain mixed. This study examined associations between adolescents and young adults' mental health and patterns of online civic engagement, conceptualized as recurring configurations of online active civic engagement, overall civic development, and critical online literacy. Using latent profile analysis with a diverse sample of adolescents and young adults aged 15–25 ( N = 400), we identified five profiles characterized by distinct configurations of these dimensions that differed in depressive symptoms, social anxiety, and self-esteem. Findings indicate that youth who were actively engaged in online civic activities and reported higher levels of overall civic development and critical online literacy also reported lower depressive symptoms and higher self-esteem compared to youth with lower levels across these dimensions. At the same time, these youth reported more depressive and social anxiety symptoms and lower self-esteem than youth with similarly strong overall civic development and critical online literacy who were less actively engaged online. These patterns suggest that the psychological implications of online civic engagement are complex. More positive psychological functioning and certain mental health challenges can co-occur among youth who are highly engaged online even when they report strong civic development and critical capacities for navigating online civic environments. Therefore, interventions should be tailored to youth's patterns of online civic engagement rather than applying a uniform approach.