Inside the Lives of Spanish Children and Adolescents: Exploring Daily Activities, Social Media Behaviors, and Video Game Use

Abstract

Recent research highlights an increasing trend of technology-based activities gaining popularity among children and adolescents. In particular, social media and video game usage, when dysfunctional, have shown potential to develop into addictive behaviors that may negatively impact mental health. This study was aimed at exploring and comparing, based on developmental stages and gender, the involvement of children and adolescents in daily activities, mobile phone ownership with internet access, social media behaviors, problematic social media use (PSMU), and internet gaming disorder (IGD). The study surveyed a sample of 5652 children and adolescents aged 9–16 from all Spanish autonomous communities. Daily routines primarily included sports or exercise, using social media, chatting with family, and watching TV, with variations across age groups and genders. Approximately half of the children and almost all adolescents owned a mobile phone, with findings indicating that the age of first ownership is progressively decreasing. Age-based differences in social media behaviors were observed, with higher usage among adolescents but no significant differences or even a slightly higher presence of some problematic behaviors among younger children. Girls generally used social media more frequently than boys, while boys engaged in video gaming to a greater extent. PSMU was identified in 6% of children and adolescents who use social media, while 2.4% of adolescents who play video games self-report symptoms aligned with IGD. These findings provide insights into current patterns of technology use among youth, highlighting the presence of addictive tendencies associated with social media and video games.