Adolescent Media Use + emotional

Introduction

• Emotional Intelligence (EI): Critical for socioemotional development in adolescence.

  • Encompasses the ability to perceive, understand, express, and regulate emotions.

  • Limited research on the relationship between EI and adolescent social media use.

Study Overview

• Aim: Systematic review of the interplay between adolescents’ emotional intelligence dimensions (self-esteem, emotion regulation, empathy) and social media use.

• Methodology: Reviewed 25 studies identified through online searches across two electronic databases.

• Key Findings:

  • Lower EI linked to increased problematic social media use.

  • Negative correlation between social media use and self-esteem.

  • Problems in emotion regulation associated with excessive social media use.

  • Social media use positively correlated with empathy.

Importance of the Study

• Highlights the need to consider EI as a factor in adolescents' interaction with social media.

• Discusses implications for adolescents’ development and emotional well-being.

Social Media Use in Adolescence

• Social media's role: Dominates adolescents' daily experiences, influencing behavior, communication, and self-presentation.

• Generation Z spends an average of over 2.5 hours daily on these platforms.

• Concerns about problematic use rising, with studies indicating it may resemble addiction.

  • Compulsivity, tolerance, withdrawal symptoms observed in problematic users.

Emotional Intelligence Overview

• Definitions:

  • Ability EI: Skills related to perceiving and managing emotions (Salovey & Mayer, 1990).

  • Mixed-model EI: Combination of emotional and social competencies (Bar-On, 1997).

• Types:

  • Trait EI: Self-perceptions linked to personality traits, measured through self-report questionnaires.

  • Ability EI: Cognitive abilities regarding emotions measured through performance tasks.

• Importance in Adolescents:

  • Higher EI linked to better social adjustment and problem prevention.

  • Protective factor against technology-related behavioral issues (Sural et al., 2019).

Research Gaps

• Limited empirical research on the relationship between EI and social media behaviors in adolescents.

• Also, limited focus on specific EI components and their impact on social media use.

Methodology for Review

• Search Strategy: Utilized Web of Science and PubMed.

  • Keywords focused on specific EI dimensions and social media platforms.

• Inclusion/Exclusion Criteria:

  • Studies published in English/Spanish (2001-2023) excluding those not focused on adolescents (10-19 years).

  • Required use of established EI measurement tools.

Study Characteristics

• Studies reviewed included diverse demographics across several countries (e.g., Spain, Turkey, Italy).

• Findings consistently showed a negative relationship between EI and problematic social media use.

Results

• Emotional Intelligence and Problematic Use:

  • Associations with perceived stress and depression existing among low-EI adolescents.

  • Differences noted between genders in EI and social media use patterns.

• Self-Esteem and Social Media Usage:

  • Social media often negatively impacts adolescents' self-esteem.

Emotional Regulation

• Defined as the ability to monitor and modify emotional responses.

• Studies link poor emotional regulation to higher rates of problematic social media use.

Empathy in Social Media Context

• Empathy skills vital in emotional development; their relationship with social media is mixed.

• Increased social media use generally correlates positively with cognitive and affective empathy.

Conclusion

• The review emphasizes a notable connection between EI, self-esteem, and problematic social media behavior in adolescents.

• Suggests that improving EI may protect against harmful social media effects.

• Recommends incorporating EI training in prevention programs to foster healthier social media habits among adolescents.