The associations between social media intensity, problematic social media use, and adolescents' mental health: A...

A growing body of evidence suggests that social media use may have a profound impact on the mental health of adolescents. However, the way in which the social media intensity (SMI), problematic social media use (PSMU), and adolescents' mental health interrelate at a dimensional level remains unclear. This study employed contemporaneous network and cross-lagged network models to explore the unique connections between different dimensions of SMI, PSMU, and adolescent mental health. A survey was administered to 1008 Chinese students, aged 12 to 18, at two time points spaced six months apart. The findings from two contemporaneous networks revealed that emotional connection with social media and withdrawal are the key reinforcing feedback loops (i.e., vicious cycles) driving the relationship between SMI and PSMU. The cross-lagged panel network demonstrated that depression emerged as a central and influential node within the dynamic network of SMI, PSMU, and mental health, which highlights the central role of depression in this interplay. Additionally, adolescents' mental health problems were more strongly predictive of subsequent PSMU than of SMI, with no reverse effect observed. These results suggest emotions play a key role in driving social media use, emphasizing the need for emotion-focused interventions to reduce PSMU and protect mental health.