Belonging and loneliness in cyberspace: Impacts of social media on adolescents’ well-being
Abstract
Objectives: The rapidly shifting landscape of social media technology presents challenges to researchers and clinicians attempting to understand the impact of such technology on individuals’ psychosocial development. In this paper, we provide a historical perspective on research exploring the relationship between social media use and loneliness and belonging among adolescents and young adults.Method: Rather than attempting an exhaustive review of literature in this area, we provide a narrative review on the evolution of social media technology over the past 20 years and its impact on socialization experiences of adolescents and young adults.Results: Our narrative review, based on three prominent theoretical models in the field, reveals somewhat divergent findings, which may, to a large extent, reflect the remarkable evolution over the past few years in how youths use communication media technology. In this review, we consider individual, societal, and cultural factors that may explain preferences for various forms of online communication and related social outcomes such as belonging and loneliness.Conclusions: Rather than asking whether social media involvement leads to feelings of loneliness and isolation for youth or opens a new frontier for connectedness and belonging, a more useful question is under what circumstances and for whom do these outcomes occur. Social media technology can be both a deterrent and a boost to youths’ sense of social well-being, depending on the nature of its use. We provide some cautions and guidelines for utilizing social media to promote psychological well-being among youth.
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Multiple factors such as personality, social anxiety, self-esteem, and need to belong influence how social media affects psychosocial outcomes in younger populations.
“Multiple factors such as personality, social anxiety, self-esteem, and need to belong have been shown to influence how social media affects psychosocial outcomes in these populations (Smith et al., 2021).”
From The relationship between social media use and psychosocial outcomes in older adults: A systematic review (2024) · cites this paper as Smith et al., 2021
Findings in younger samples show social media use is specifically associated with anxiety and other psychosocial wellbeing outcomes.
“Given findings in younger samples that social media use is specifically associated with anxiety and other psychosocial wellbeing outcomes (Keles et al., 2020;Smith et al., 2021)”
From The relationship between social media use and psychosocial outcomes in older adults: A systematic review (2024) · cites this paper as Smith et al., 2021
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- Authors
- Smith, D., Leonis, T., & Anandavalli, S.
- Affiliations
- Southern Oregon University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Smith, Douglas
- Venue
- Australian Journal of Psychology
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2021-01-02
- Volume
- 73
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 12-23
- ISSN
- 0004-9530 (ISSN-L)
- 1742-9536
- OpenAlex
- W3148843949
- Cited by
- 211
- References
- 14
- Citations by year
- 2026: 31 · 2025: 68 · 2024: 50 · 2023: 35 · 2022: 19 · 2021: 8
- FWCI
- 38.80
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Australian Journal of Psychology (publishedVersion)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Impact of Technology on Adolescents
- Social Sciences › Education › Child Development and Digital Technology
- Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Computer Networks and Communications › Media and Digital Communication
- Keywords
- social media, loneliness, sense of belonging, adolescents, young adults, youth well-being, online socialization, social connectedness, psychosocial development, online communication, social media use
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