Problematic uses of digital technologies among youth: a current systematic review

Article Sidebar

pdf (Spanish) Epub (Spanish)
Published: 2026-04-17
DOI: https://doi.org/10.11600/rlcsnj.24.2.7075
Keywords:
Youth, internet, mobile phones, addiction, online social networks

Main Article Content

Joaquín Linne
Universidad Abierta Interamericana, Centro de Altos Estudios en Ciencias Sociales, Buenos Aires, Argentina
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4297-3914

Abstract

This study presents a systematic review of 80 studies (2020-2025) on problematic uses of digital technologies
among young people. Through thematic analysis, three approaches are integrated: problematic use of the Internet, smartphones, and social networks. The findings indicate greater vulnerability among adolescents and young adults, associated with fear of missing out (FoMO), phubbing, nomophobia, and technostress, as well as with patterns of immediate gratification. Impacts are observed on mental health (anxiety, depression, sleep disturbances), academic performance (procrastination and fragmented attention), and social relationships. Protective factors include self-regulation and socio-emotional competencies, digital literacy, and family or school support. In the state of the art, several gaps are identified, such as the scarcity of longitudinal and interdisciplinary studies. The review concludes that promoting youth digital well-being requires comprehensive educational and community interventions that avoid pathologizing approaches and strengthen self-regulatory skills.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Article Details

Issue

Vol. 24 No. 2: mayo - agosto de 2026

Section

Segunda Parte Volumen 24 No. 2
Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

You are free to:

  • Adapt - remix, transform, and build upon the material
  • The licensor cannot revoke these freedoms as long as you follow the license terms.

Under the following terms:

  • Attribution - You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use.

  • NonCommercial - You may not use the material for commercial purposes.

  • ShareAlike - If you remix, transform, or build upon the material, you must distribute your contributions under the same license as the original.

  • No additional restrictions - You may not apply legal terms or technological measures that legally restrict others from doing anything the license permits.

Author Biography

Joaquín Linne, Universidad Abierta Interamericana, Centro de Altos Estudios en Ciencias Sociales, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Investigador-docente en Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), en Universidad de Buenos Aires y Universidad Nacional de Lanús, Argentina. Ha publicado artículos en revistas indexadas internacionalmente sobre jóvenes y TIC.

References

Abreu, C., & Campos, P. (2022). Raising awareness of smartphone overuse among university students: A persuasive systems approach. Informatics, 9(1), 1-15. https://doi.org/10.3390/informatics9010015

Alarcón-Allaín, G., & Salas-Blas, E. (2022). Adicción a redes sociales e inteligencia emocional en estudiantes de educación superior técnica. Salud y drogas, 22(1), 152-166.

Aldana-Zavala, J., Vallejo, P., Vallejo, I., Isea- Argüelles, J., & Colina-Ysea, F. (2021). Dependencia y adicción al teléfono inteligente en estudiantes universitarios. Formación universitaria, 14(5), 129-136. https://doi.org/qz8f

Alegría-Morán, J. (2025). Juventudes y redes sociales: una apropiación espacial del mundo virtual. Revista Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales, Niñez y Juventud, 23(1), 1-22. https://doi.org/10.11600/rlcsnj.23.1.6872

Andrade, A., Enumo, S., Passos, M., Vellozo, E., Schoen, T., Kulik, M., Niskier, S., & Vitalle, M. (2021). Problematic internet use, emotional problems and quality of life among adolescents. Psico-USF, 26(1), 39-50. https://doi.org/10.1590/1413-82712021260104

Arrivillaga, C., Elhai, J., Rey, L., & Extremera, N. (2023). Depressive symptomatology is associated with problematic smartphone use severity in adolescents: The mediating role of cognitive emotion regulation strategies. Cyberpsychology: Journal of Psychosocial Research on Cyberspace, 17(3). https://doi.org/10.5817/CP2023-3-2

Aznar, I., Kopecký, K., Romero, J., Cáceres, M., & Trujillo, J. (2020). Patologías asociadas al uso problemático de internet: una revisión sistemática en WoS y Scopus. Investigación Bibliotecológica, 34(82), 1-24. https://doi.org/10.22201/iibi.24488321xe.2020.82.58118

Bauman, Z. (2015). Modernidad líquida. Fondo de Cultura Económica.

Benvenuti, M., Wright, M., Naslund, J., & Miers, A. (2023). How technology use is chang-ing adolescents’ behaviors and their social, physical, and cognitive development. Current Psychology, 42, 16466-16469. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-023-04254-4

Bonsaksen, T., Ruffolo, M., Price, D., Leung, J., Thygesen, H., Lamph, G., Kabelenga, I., & Geirdal, A. Ø. (2023). Associations between social media use and loneliness in a cross-national population: Do motives for social media use matter? Health Psychology and Behavioral Medicine, 11(1), 2158089. https://doi.org/10.1080/21642850.2022.2158089

Brailovskaia, J., Delveaux, J., John, J., Wicker, V., Noveski, A., Kim, S., Schillack, H., & Margraf, J. (2023). Finding the «sweet spot» of smartphone use: Reduction or absti-nence to increase well-being and healthy lifestyle?! An experimental intervention study. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied, 29(1), 149-161. https://doi.org/mgg6

Brodersen, K., Hammami, N., & Katapally, T. (2023). Is excessive smartphone use asso-ciated with weight status and self-rated health among youth? A smart platform study. BMC Public Health, 23, 234. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-023-15037-8

Busch, P., & McCarthy, S. (2021). Antecedents and consequences of problematic smart-phone use: A systematic literature review of an emerging research area. Computers in Human Behavior, 114. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2020.106414

Caba-Machado, V., Díaz-López, A., Baridon-Chauvie, D., Machimbarrena, J., Ortega Barón, J., & González-Cabrera, J. (2024). Nomophobia in Mexico: Validation of the Nomophobia Questionnaire (NMP-Q) and cross-cultural comparison with Spain. Current Psycholology, 43, 2091-2103. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-023-04451-1

Cali, M., Fernandez-Lopez, L., Navarro-Zaragoza, J., Caravaca-Sánchez, F., & Falcon, M. (2024). Smartphone addiction among adolescents in southern Italy and correlation with other risky behaviors. Actas Españolas de Psiquiatría, 52(5), 632-640. https://doi.org/10.62641/aep.v52i5.1664

Caplan, S. (2010). Theory and measurement of generalized problematic Internet use: A two-step approach. Computers in Human Behavior, 26(5), 1089-1097. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2010.03.012

Casale, S., Caponi, L., & Fioravanti, G. (2020). Metacognitions about problematic smart-phone use: Development of a self-report measure. Addictive Behaviors, 109, 106484. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2020.106484

Casas-Mas, B., & Homont, L. (2024). La hiperconexión y la resignación digital entre el estudiantado de enseñanza superior. Doxa Comunicación, (38), 99-118. https://doi.org/10.31921/doxacom.n38a2056

Castells, M. (2013). El impacto de internet en la sociedad: una perspectiva global. En C@mbio: 19 ensayos clave sobre cómo internet está cambiando nuestras vidas. (pp. 127-148). BBVA.

Colonio, J. (2023). Revisión sistemática sobre la adicción a las redes sociales en adolescentes latinoamericanos entre el 2020-2022. Propósitos y Representaciones, 11(2), e1759. https://doi.org/10.20511/pyr2023.v11n2.1759

Correa-Rojas, J., Grimaldo-Muchotrigo, M., & Espinoza, E. (2022). FoMO, adicción a Facebook y soledad como determinantes del phubbing en universitarios limeños. Psykhe, 31(2), 1-11. https://doi.org/10.7764/psykhe.2020.22579

Cuquerella-Gilabert, M., & García, A. (2023). Adicciones a las tecnologías de la información y la comunicación en la Comunitat Valenciana, 2018-2020. Gaceta Sanitaria, 37, 102252. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gaceta.2022.102252

Dahl, D., & Bergmark, K. (2020). Problematic internet use: A scoping review — longitudinal research on a contemporary social problem, 2006-2017. Nordic Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, 37(6), 497-525. https://doi.org/10.1177/1455072520941997

Dans-Álvarez-de-Sotomayor, I., Muñoz-Carril, P., & González-Sanmamed, M. (2022). Usos y abusos de las redes sociales por estudiantado español de Educación Secundaria. Revista Electrónica Educare, 26(3), 354-369. https://doi.org/qz7h

Davis, R. (2001). A cognitive-behavioral model of pathological Internet use. Computers in Human Behavior, 17(2), 187-195. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0747-5632(00)00041-8

De la Fuente, J., Lecuona-López, L., Pachón-Basallo, M., San Martín-Íñiguez, L., & Blanco Sarto, P. (2024). Addressing the links between internal vs. external regulation factors, achievement emotions, and gender in problematic use of ICT at university. Frontiers in Psychology, 15. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1382016

Deng, X., Li, X., & Xiang, Y. (2024). Smartphone addiction and internalized and exter-nalized aggression among adolescents: Evidence from longitudinal study and weekly diary study. Computers in Human Behavior, 150, 107988. https://doi.org/gtd3xw

Diotaiuti, P., Mancone, S., Corrado, S., De Risio, A., Cavicchiolo, E., Girelli, L., & Chirico, A. (2022). Internet addiction in young adults: The role of impulsivity and codependency. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 13, 893861. https://doi.org/gxqgzv

Durao, M., Etchezahar, E., Ungaretti, J., & Calligaro, C. (2021). Psychometric properties of the Mobile Phone Dependency Test (TDMB) in Argentina and its relationship with impulsivity. Actualidades en Psicología, 35(130), 1-17. https://doi.org/qz7g