The Effect of Social Media Use on Adolescents’ Psychological Well-Being: A Systematic Literature Review

Abstract

Social media has experienced significant growth over the past twenty years and has facilitated online communication. With 4.95 billion global users as of October 2023, it has become an important aspect of everyday life, with a third of the global population using at least one app. Using a systematic literature review methodology, this study explores screening methods used to measure the impact of social media and its impact on adolescent psychological well-being. This study was conducted according to the systematic review guidelines proposed in the PRISMA statement. A total of 948 studies published between 2019 and 2023 on the Google Scholar and Scopus databases were identified, but only 9 articles met the inclusion criteria and were analyzed. Cross-sectional studies have shown a higher correlation between excessive social media use and depression among girls aged 13-15 years. In addition, the results of the study also found that the use of social media can cause anxiety, depression, and loneliness among adolescents.