Always connected: The context and consequences of mobile and social media use among preadolescents

Recent years have seen a vast rise in the adoption rates of mobile media. The rapid proliferation of these devices entails an unprecedented privatization of media use and has created a context of constant social connectivity, thereby drastically altering today's media landscape. For preadolescents especially, the omnipresence of (mobile) social media may generate both new risks as well as unique opportunities. Despite their unprecedented pervasiveness, however, little is known on the potential influence of (mobile) social media regarding preadolescents' psychosocial well-being. Moreover, the increasing privatization of media use has renewed questions about the effectiveness of parental mediation strategies in managing potential media effects. Hence, the general aim of this project was to: 1) examine whether and how the use of (mobile) social media shapes preadolescents' social practices, and 2) understand how (mobile) social media use is related to the quality of interpersonal relationships and preadolescents' psychosocial well-being. In doing so, this PhD project aimed to examine these associations with specific attention to the developmental context of preadolescence.

Publication year:2022

Accessibility:Open