ORIGINAL PAPER
Teens and social media: determinants of problematic social media use among adolescents in Poland – risk and protective factors
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1
University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
(Centre of Migration Research)
2
University of Social Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
(Faculty of Applied Sciences)
3
University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
(Faculty of Education)
4
University of Zielona Gora, Zielona Góra, Poland
(Collegium Medicum, Department of Humanization of Medicine and Sexology)
5
University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
(Faculty of Medicine)
Online publication date: 2026-07-21
Corresponding author
Katarzyna Porwit
University of Warsaw, Centre of Migration Research, Goszczyńskiego 19, 02-610 Warsaw, Poland
HIGHLIGHTS
- Time spent on social media was the strongest predictor of problematic social media use (PSMU).
- Higher future orientation and good parent relations were main protecting factors.
- Multiple health complaints were also a risk factor strongly associated with PSMU.
- In the final model the higher likelihood of PSMU was among boys.
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ABSTRACT
Objectives: The study aimed to investigate the determinants of problematic social media use (PSMU) among Polish adolescents by accounting for time spent on social media, sociodemographic characteristics, individual resources, social environment, and health factors, and to compare the findings with previous research. Material and Methods: A cross-sectional, anonymous, online survey was conducted in 2024. The study was
performed among adolescents in the Lubuskie Voivodeship, Poland and included 9073 students aged 12–19 years (mean [M] ± standard deviation [SD] 15.16±1.56 years). Problematic social media use was assessed using the 9-item Social Media Disorder Scale (SMDS). Independent variables
included sociodemographic characteristics, time spent on social media, health literacy, future orientation, school achievements, subjective health
complaints, well-being, school stress, parent and peer relations, and school climate, measured with validated instruments derived mainly from
the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) survey protocol and the KIDSCREEN-27 questionnaire. Results: Problematic social media use
was identified in 12.7% of participants. Higher PSMU was observed among younger adolescents. The strongest predictor was the time spent on social
media >5 h/day. Poorer health and well-being – including multiple psychosomatic complaints, lower well-being, and higher school stress – were
strongly associated with PSMU. Lower future orientation, low health literacy, and poorer relationships with parents increased the likelihood of PSMU,
whereas older age, higher future orientation, and supportive parent relationships decreased. Conclusions: Multiple factors influenced PSMU among adolescents, although the overall model fit remained modest. Boys were more likely to experience PSMU, representing a novel observation. Higher future orientation, supportive relationships with parents, and older age were key protective factors. A non-linear relationship was found between
PSMU and peer support as well as school climate. Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2026;39(3)