The influence of active social networking services use and social capital on flourishing in Chinese adolescents

Abstract

Abstract This study aimed to examine how active use of social networking services influences Chinese adolescents’ flourishing - the serial mediation of online and offline social capital. 872 Chinese adolescents (392 boys and 480 girls, mean age = 12.59 years, SD = 0.725) completed the Multidimensional Scale of Social Networking Site Use, Flourishing Scale, and Internet Social Capital Scales. The results indicated that: (1) active use of social network sites positively influences adolescents’ flourishing; (2) online and offline social capital were serial mediators between active social networking services use and flourishing in models for the entire sample; and (3) the serial mediation effect was consistent across genders. The results of this study provide a theoretical and empirical basis for the targeted promotion of rational and healthy Internet usage behavior, while ensuring wholesome social adaptation among adolescents.