Can an equal world reduce problematic social media use? Evidence from the Health Behavior in School-aged Children study in 43 countries

Research on the social determinants of Problematic Social Media Use (PSMU) among adolescents is scant and focused on proximal contexts and interpersonal relationships. This study examines the relation of PSMU with economic inequality, measured at country, school and individual levels. It also evaluated the moderating role of family and peer support in these associations. The 2017/18 Health Behavior in School-aged Children (HBSC) study measured PSMU in 179,049 adolescents aged 11-, 13- and 15-year-olds in 43 countries and sub-regions of Belgium (Flanders and Wallonia) and the United Kingdom (England, Scotland, and Wales). Associations between inequality and PSMU were tested using multilevel logistic regression analyis. Results showed that adolescents who were relatively more deprived than their schoolmates and attended more economically unequal schools had a higher likelihood of reporting PSMU. In addition, school wealth inequality was more closely related to PSMU among adolescents with lower levels of peer support. A similar effect of country income inequality was found, but only in adolescents who reported low family support. Our findings expand the existing literature on the detrimental impact of inequalities in different social contexts on adolescent wellbeing by showing the role of inequalities in the engagement in PSMU.