PROBLEMATIC SOCIAL MEDIA USE AND ANXIETY AND DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS IN ADOLESCENTS AND YOUNG ADULTS: AN INTEGRATIVE REVIEW

Abstract

Problematic social media use is characterized by loss of control and functional impairment and differs from merely frequent use. This integrative review synthesized its association with anxiety and depressive symptoms in adolescents and young adults. PubMed/MEDLINE, LILACS/BVS, and SciELO were searched on August 5, 2026, for primary studies published since 2021 in Portuguese, English, or Spanish. The strategy identified 398 records; after deduplication, screening, and eligibility assessment, 26 studies were included. Cross-sectional designs, school and university samples, and self-report measures predominated. Most studies found a positive association between greater problematic-use severity and emotional symptoms, although effect size varied by instrument, population, and confounder adjustment. Four longitudinal studies provided temporal support without excluding bidirectionality. Social comparison, sleep, family support, loneliness, and self-esteem emerged as potential mechanisms. Problematic social media use therefore appears to be a relevant marker of emotional vulnerability, while current evidence does not support an isolated causal effect.