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Problematic Social Media Use, Availability Distress, and Digital Status Seeking: Links to Friendship Network
Caroline Toth1, Olga Kornienko1, Selena Quiroz2
1Department of Psychology, George Mason University.
Journal of Children and Media
|July 3, 2026
Summary
Adolescents
Area of Science:
- Adolescent Psychology
- Social Network Analysis
- Digital Media Studies
Background:
- Social media use among adolescents is linked to developmental needs for belonging and status.
- Problematic social media use, availability distress, and digital status seeking are digital expressions of these needs.
- Understanding these digital manifestations is crucial for adolescent social development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the association between digital expressions of belonging and status needs and adolescent friendship network structure.
- To investigate how problematic social media use, availability distress, and digital status seeking relate to network similarity, popularity, and activity.
- To explore the connection between online social behaviors and offline social network formation.
Main Methods:
- Utilized exponential random graph modeling on two ninth-grade friendship networks in the southwestern U.S. (n=381).
- Analyzed data from adolescents aged 14.9 years, with demographic information provided.
- Assessed problematic social media use, availability distress, and digital status seeking in relation to network characteristics.
Main Results:
- Friendships were more prevalent among adolescents with similar levels of problematic social media use and digital status seeking.
- Adolescents reporting higher problematic social media use and digital status seeking were more popular within their social networks.
- Online behaviors significantly predict offline friendship network structures.
Conclusions:
- Digital manifestations of belonging and status needs are associated with in-person friendship network structures.
- The online world significantly influences adolescent social lives and in-person social dynamics.
- Findings highlight the interconnectedness of digital and physical social worlds for youth.
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