There are four key and interrelated dimensions that determine the well-being of children and adolescents: physical health, emotional well-being, digital technology use, and the relational environment. Each influences the others: therefore, we cannot talk about digital well-being without considering physical, emotional, and social connections.
In Spain, most minors receive their first cell phone at age 11. They are still children, and it’s essential to teach them how to use it properly. This doesn’t just mean limiting the amount of time they spend in front of a screen, but also assessing how it makes them feel and whether it interferes with their daily activities.
Problematic use and mental health
Not all technology uses have the same effect. If used excessively or inappropriately (known as excessive or problematic use ), it can generate negative emotions, such as sadness or anxiety . However, balanced use can be positive and help us learn, communicate, and entertain ourselves in healthy ways.
To fully understand the relationship between technology use and mental health, experts are investigating how it changes over time and what factors influence its impact, especially when that use is problematic.
Social evaluation in adolescence
Adolescents are particularly sensitive to social evaluation , and peers play a crucial role at this stage for multiple reasons. First, during adolescence, people spend more time with their peers and tend to prioritize group norms and expectations. Furthermore, the brain responds more intensely to social stimuli, which can lead them to seek peer approval.
By comparing themselves with others, they assess their social status and adjust their behavior to avoid exclusion or gain recognition. This process is intensified by the fact that their prefrontal cortex—the area of the brain associated with self-control—is still developing, making impulse control difficult, especially in group settings.
Social networks
In a recent study, we analyzed the relationship between perceived social media use and subjective well-being—referring to the evaluation of one’s own life, both from a cognitive and affective perspective—in adolescents aged 9 to 14 at four different points in time.
A majority of adolescents considered their social media use to be very heavy, and this proportion increased with age. In other words, many of those who considered their use to be light at age 9 already described themselves as heavy users by age 14.
Their level of subjective well-being decreased over time, something that other studies on adolescent well-being also agree with . When this well-being is related to social media use, low users report higher levels of subjective well-being than average and high users.
Consumption tends to increase
The study allowed us to identify patterns in changing consumption patterns, but these changes in social media use—whether increasing, maintaining, or varying usage—do not appear to be related to levels of subjective well-being. What influences this is not so much the time spent on social media, but rather the perception that users have of themselves as users. This perception is influenced, above all, by comparisons with their immediate environment (their peers).
If a teenager considers themselves a low or medium social media user and perceives their peers as heavy users, this can negatively impact their self-image and well-being; but they will also feel bad if they perceive themselves as using social media much more than their peers. Conversely, the perception of being aligned with the group can bolster their self-esteem.
The three pillars of a successful intervention
Considering the central role of peers and social comparison in adolescence, psychoeducational interventions can be key to fostering healthier digital well-being. They should focus on at least three pillars: promoting positive social comparisons, training emotional regulation, and generating collective norms regarding the responsible use of social media (and other technologies).
To promote positive social comparison, group activities (in the classroom) can be designed to encourage reflection on the impact of social media on self-image. Self-comparison can be encouraged through personal goals, and the diversity of role models beyond those predominant in the digital environment can be highlighted. Furthermore, education about the use of filters and image manipulation can reduce the pressure of comparison.
Regarding emotional regulation, it’s important to provide tools for adolescents to learn how to deal with the discomfort that can arise from comparing themselves with others. For example, analyzing posts in a group and discussing the emotions they evoke can be a useful strategy for raising awareness and learning how to manage emotions in a healthy way.
Collective rules of use
Finally, it’s key to create collective norms for responsible social media use, such as not sharing content without consent or avoiding basing personal worth based on the number of likes our posts receive. Activities can also be encouraged to help teens move from being mere social media consumers to becoming “prosumers” (producers) of positive digital content .
Educating young people on the responsible use of technology doesn’t just mean limiting screen time, but also teaching them how to manage their time and take care of both their own well-being and that of others . Ultimately, it’s about promoting a collective vision of digital well-being where the idea of ”if the group is well, so am I” prevails.
Author Bios: Sara Malo Cerrato has a PhD in Psychology, Department of Social Psychology and Monica Gonzalez Carrasco is Professor of Social Psychology both at the University of Girona
Tags: mental health
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