Exploring the relationship between social media use and loneliness in adolescents and young adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis

PURPOSE: As social media becomes increasingly integrated into adolescents' daily lives, concerns have grown regarding its potential association with loneliness, a prevalent challenge during this developmental period. This meta-analysis examines the relationship between social media use and loneliness, with particular attention to different patterns of engagement. METHODS: A systematic search of six databases was conducted for studies published between January 2000 to May 2025. Fifty-nine eligible studies were identified, comprising 67 independent samples with a total of 81,344 participants (59.5% female; mean age = 17.6 years, range = 12.5-24.9). Random-effects models were used to compute pooled effect sizes. Meta-regression and subgroup analyses examined potential moderators, including geographic region, gender, and publication year. RESULTS: = 87.86%-97.01%). Meta-regression analyses showed no significant moderating effects of geographic region, gender, or participants' year. However, problematic social media use showed a moderate and consistent association with greater loneliness (r = 0.29, 95% CI [0.22-0.35], p < 0.001), whereas time spent on social media demonstrated a smaller but significant correlation (r = 0.07, 95% CI [0.01-0.12], p = 0.014). No significant differences were found between active and passive use in relation to loneliness. CONCLUSIONS: These findings underscore the importance of distinguishing usage patterns when examining the psychological effects of social media and indicate the need for additional rigorous investigation to clarify the mechanisms underlying its relationship with loneliness in adolescence.