A Systematic Review of Longitudinal Studies on Youth Internet Behavior Using the Positive Youth Development Frameworks

BACKGROUND: Positive youth development (PYD) is a strength-based approach that promotes positive outcomes to support the well-being of youth. With digital technology becoming central to adolescents' lives, understanding how PYD is related to internet behaviors is crucial. The current study addresses this growing need by systematically reviewing the studies that examined how PYD-related constructs are associated with youth internet behaviors over time. METHOD: This systematic review synthesized findings from 10 longitudinal studies identified from 794 screened records that examined the association between PYD-related variables and youth internet behaviors. Following PRISMA guidelines, the methodological quality of the studies was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute checklist for cohort studies. A narrative synthesis approach was employed to integrate findings. RESULT: Findings indicate that high PYD attributes, developmental assets, and school assets were shown to negatively predict problematic internet behaviors, including internet addiction, internet gaming disorder, and cyberbullying victimization, both concurrently and longitudinally. Importantly, these associations were rarely direct. Positive mediators and moderators strengthened the protective effects of PYD, whereas adverse psychological states and contextual risks weakened these associations. CONCLUSION: This review highlights that PYD functions mainly as a protective developmental resource operating through indirect and conditional pathways in digital contexts. However, the literature remains heavily focused on risk-oriented internet outcomes, with limited attention to positive forms of digital engagement. Conceptual inconsistencies in PYD operationalization and a strong geographic concentration of studies further underscore the need for more robust, theoretically integrated, and cross-cultural longitudinal research.