Mediating and Moderating Mechanisms in the Relationship Between Social Media Use and Adolescent Aggression: A Scoping Review of Quantitative Evidence
Adolescents’ pervasive use of social media has been increasingly linked to aggression, including cyberbullying and hostile online interactions. While this association is well documented, the psychological and contextual mechanisms that mediate or moderate it remain unclear. This scoping review maps...
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MDPI AG
2025-06-01
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| Series: | European Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2254-9625/15/6/98 |
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| author | Georgios Giannakopoulos Afroditi Prassou |
| author_facet | Georgios Giannakopoulos Afroditi Prassou |
| author_sort | Georgios Giannakopoulos |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Adolescents’ pervasive use of social media has been increasingly linked to aggression, including cyberbullying and hostile online interactions. While this association is well documented, the psychological and contextual mechanisms that mediate or moderate it remain unclear. This scoping review maps quantitative evidence on mediators and moderators between social media use and aggression among adolescents. A comprehensive search using ProQuest’s Summon platform was conducted across PsycINFO, Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science, following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Eligible studies, published between January 2020 and March 2025, included adolescents aged 11–18 and reported at least one statistical mediation or moderation analysis. Forty-four studies from 19 countries (N > 90,000) were thematically synthesized. Key mediators included problematic use, moral disengagement, depression, attention-seeking, and risky digital behaviors. Moderators included gender, body satisfaction, cultural setting, school type, and family attachment. Most of the studies used structural equation modeling or PROCESS macro, although cross-sectional designs predominated. Limitations included reliance on self-reports and inconsistent social media measures. The findings suggest that social media–aggression links are indirect and shaped by emotional, cognitive, and ecological factors. Multi-level interventions targeting digital literacy, moral reasoning, and resilience are needed. This review was not registered and received no external funding. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-9e53b952f74441d7aa9aad35d24dd8a9 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2174-8144 2254-9625 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | European Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education |
| spelling | doaj-art-9e53b952f74441d7aa9aad35d24dd8a92025-08-20T03:27:32ZengMDPI AGEuropean Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education2174-81442254-96252025-06-011569810.3390/ejihpe15060098Mediating and Moderating Mechanisms in the Relationship Between Social Media Use and Adolescent Aggression: A Scoping Review of Quantitative EvidenceGeorgios Giannakopoulos0Afroditi Prassou1Department of Child Psychiatry, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 115 27 Athens, Greece4th Directorate of Secondary Education of Athens, 171 21 Athens, GreeceAdolescents’ pervasive use of social media has been increasingly linked to aggression, including cyberbullying and hostile online interactions. While this association is well documented, the psychological and contextual mechanisms that mediate or moderate it remain unclear. This scoping review maps quantitative evidence on mediators and moderators between social media use and aggression among adolescents. A comprehensive search using ProQuest’s Summon platform was conducted across PsycINFO, Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science, following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Eligible studies, published between January 2020 and March 2025, included adolescents aged 11–18 and reported at least one statistical mediation or moderation analysis. Forty-four studies from 19 countries (N > 90,000) were thematically synthesized. Key mediators included problematic use, moral disengagement, depression, attention-seeking, and risky digital behaviors. Moderators included gender, body satisfaction, cultural setting, school type, and family attachment. Most of the studies used structural equation modeling or PROCESS macro, although cross-sectional designs predominated. Limitations included reliance on self-reports and inconsistent social media measures. The findings suggest that social media–aggression links are indirect and shaped by emotional, cognitive, and ecological factors. Multi-level interventions targeting digital literacy, moral reasoning, and resilience are needed. This review was not registered and received no external funding.https://www.mdpi.com/2254-9625/15/6/98adolescent aggressionsocial media usemediatorsmoderators |
| spellingShingle | Georgios Giannakopoulos Afroditi Prassou Mediating and Moderating Mechanisms in the Relationship Between Social Media Use and Adolescent Aggression: A Scoping Review of Quantitative Evidence European Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education adolescent aggression social media use mediators moderators |
| title | Mediating and Moderating Mechanisms in the Relationship Between Social Media Use and Adolescent Aggression: A Scoping Review of Quantitative Evidence |
| title_full | Mediating and Moderating Mechanisms in the Relationship Between Social Media Use and Adolescent Aggression: A Scoping Review of Quantitative Evidence |
| title_fullStr | Mediating and Moderating Mechanisms in the Relationship Between Social Media Use and Adolescent Aggression: A Scoping Review of Quantitative Evidence |
| title_full_unstemmed | Mediating and Moderating Mechanisms in the Relationship Between Social Media Use and Adolescent Aggression: A Scoping Review of Quantitative Evidence |
| title_short | Mediating and Moderating Mechanisms in the Relationship Between Social Media Use and Adolescent Aggression: A Scoping Review of Quantitative Evidence |
| title_sort | mediating and moderating mechanisms in the relationship between social media use and adolescent aggression a scoping review of quantitative evidence |
| topic | adolescent aggression social media use mediators moderators |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2254-9625/15/6/98 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT georgiosgiannakopoulos mediatingandmoderatingmechanismsintherelationshipbetweensocialmediauseandadolescentaggressionascopingreviewofquantitativeevidence AT afroditiprassou mediatingandmoderatingmechanismsintherelationshipbetweensocialmediauseandadolescentaggressionascopingreviewofquantitativeevidence |