Family Relational Factors and Problematic Social Media Use Among Adolescents: A Systematic Literature Review and Implications for Family Counseling
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.59388/josc.v4i3.1075Keywords:
family counseling, problematic social media use, adolescents, mental health, parent–adolescent relationshipAbstract
Background: Family factors associated with problematic social media use (PSMU) need to be distinguished from evidence regarding counseling effectiveness. Objective: To map relational factors, the roles of psychological variables, and counseling implications. Methods: A focused systematic search of Scopus and ERIC was conducted on September 18, 2026, following PRISMA 2020 reporting. Of 74 records, 17 full texts were sought after title/abstract screening, 15 available reports were assessed, and 13 studies were synthesized. The initial JBI critical appraisal was not independently duplicated. Results: The corpus comprised 10 cross-sectional studies, one mixed-methods study with a single-time-point survey, and two longitudinal studies. Psychological control and parental rejection were each associated with higher PSMU in one cross-sectional study. Parental support was associated with lower subsequent PSMU in one longitudinal study. Positive parenting and proactive rules were associated with lower odds of PSMU in one cross-sectional study; parental digital-distraction reduction was examined in one mixed-methods study with unclear statistical reporting. Active mediation was examined in relation to appearance consciousness, not PSMU reduction. General attachment and family outcomes were distinguished from parent-specific relationships. No included study tested family counseling. Conclusion: Findings represent associations and potential counseling targets proposed by the authors. The two-database search, two unavailable reports, and initial quality appraisal limit confidence in the conclusions.
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An asterisk (*) indicates the 13 studies included in the synthesis.
