A dyadic perspective on parent and adolescent social media use: the roles of communication, joint technology use, and validation motives in problematic social media use

Abstract

Background: Parents significantly influence adolescent behavior, yet research often overlooks dyadic interactions in shaping media use. Understanding how family members’ technology habits and communication relate to problematic media use (PMU) is critical for developing effective interventions. Objective: This study used actor–partner interdependence modeling (APIM) to examine associations among time on social media, PMU, and three mediators (open communication, joint technology use, and validation motives) within parent–adolescent dyads. Methods: Participants were 85 parent–adolescent dyads (N = 170) from Ontario, Canada. The parent sample consisted primarily of mothers (54.1%) and fathers (35.3%). Adolescents (M age = 13.44, SD = 1.60) identified mainly as male (58.8%) or female (37.6%). In 2023, parents and adolescents completed online surveys assessing time spent online, social media motivations and behaviors, problematic media use, and parent–child communication. Results: Adolescents’ social media use, validation motives, and joint technology use (reported by both adolescents and parents) were associated with higher adolescent PMU, whereas adolescents’ perceptions of open communication were associated with lower PMU. Parents’ social media use was linked to higher adolescent validation motives and greater adolescent-reported joint technology use. Mediation analyses showed that adolescents’ joint technology use partially explained the association between parents’ social media use and adolescents’ PMU. Conclusions: Family digital habits are interconnected. Parents’ social media use relates to adolescents’ media behaviors, with validation motives and joint technology use linked to higher PMU, while open communication may serve as a potential protective factor.