A scoping review of current research on social media use among children and adolescents

Abstract This scoping review provides an overview of the conduct, origin and distribution of previous peer-reviewed research on children’s and adolescents’ social media use. Searches were conducted in electronic databases Scopus, Web of Science, and ACM Digital Library, identifying 244 studies that met the inclusion criteria. The review reveals a steady increase in publications over the years, with most originating from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada. Among these studies, 174 employ quantitative methods, 30 utilize qualitative approaches, 19 use mixed methods, and 21 are review studies. The research predominantly falls within the disciplines of medicine and health, and psychology. The findings highlight a significant imbalance between qualitative and quantitative research, with quantitative, cross-sectional studies relying on self-reported questionnaire results being the most common. However, quantitative studies do not adequately capture the details of the complex and varied nature of social media use, nor do the common cross-sectional nature of those studies enable insights to be drawn on changes and variations over time or establish causal relationships. This scoping review reveals a growing interest in this topic, but also highlights the need for greater geographical and disciplinary diversity, varied methodological approaches, and more heterogeneous participant involvement in future research. This review suggests a pressing need for more empirical, qualitative research that examines situated social media use from the perspectives of children and adolescents. Moreover, additional longitudinal studies are necessary to offer causal explanations and a deeper understanding of the evolving dynamics of social media use among younger populations.