Een verband tussen levenstevredenheid en problematisch social media gebruik bij adolescenten, en een effect van gezinsfunctioneren

Abstract

Social media has experienced a surge in popularity in the past decades, particularly among adolescents. Interestingly, this age group exhibits the lowest levels of life satisfaction. The present study aims to contribute to the existing knowledge on the association between problematic social media use (PSMU) and life satisfaction among Dutch adolescents. Additionally, this research seeks to explore the moderating role of family functioning in this relationship. Despite the recognition of family as a crucial context in the lives of adolescents, limited research has been conducted on its influence on the association between PSMU and life satisfaction. Drawing from previous studies, the expectation is that PSMU and life satisfaction will display a negative correlation, with family functioning acting as a protective moderator. Data for this study was collected through a questionnaire administered to 390 adolescents (54.4% female) with an mean age of 13.84 (SD = 2.13). Hypotheses were examined using regression analysis and process-macro moderation analysis. The results reveal a significant correlation between PSMU and life satisfaction, indicating that adolescents displaying more PSMU characteristics tend to have lower life satisfaction. However, no moderating effect of family functioning was observed. Further investigation is recommended to explore additional factors that may influence the association between PSMU and life satisfaction, with the ultimate goal of providing appropriate interventions for adolescents with PSMU and low levels of life satisfaction.