Family: a core topic in teenagers' use of social networks

Various studies indicate that a significant proportion of adolescents have some Degree problematic use of social networks, which has a negative impact on their lifestyle, interferes with their daily activities, disorganizes their routines and affects multiple areas of theirstaff and social development . What role do families play in the Education and prevention of their children in this area?

In the research work developed as part of her doctoral thesis Social network use and regulatory processes in the adolescent population, Leyre San Martín, a professor at the University of Navarra, analyzed the social network use patterns of adolescents and the influence of their families on this behavior.

The goal the study was to examine the role played by the regulatory behaviors of young people and their families in relation to the use of social networks. "We analyzed the search for information, planning and reflection on their use, as well as compliance with the limits and rules followed by these adolescents and their families in terms of the time, mode and way in which they used social networks," explains San Martín. To this end, a scale was validated to measure the regulatory behavior of 339 young people - adolescents between 14 and 17 years of age - and their families in different cities in Spain. 

The results showed that adolescents were positively predisposed to learn and internship behaviors that favor appropriate use of social networks. However, the data reflect a lower level of proactivity on the part of families with respect to monitoring and supervising the use of these platforms, which can translate into a lack of information, support or the absence of a clear patron saint of limits and rules. "This finding reinforces the need not to forget the role of the family environment in promoting the manager use of social networks," concludes the researcher.

These results underscore the importance of developing prevention and intervention programs that include resources and tools that also target families and other significant contexts of the adolescent.

The research work is part of theresearch and development graduate project Effect of the degree of regulation (staff and contextual) on competence for psychological well-being, emotional health and flourishing, in different psychological contexts. The thesis , which has international accredited specialization , was directed by Prof. Elkin Luis García, director of the Master's Degree in General Health Psychology at the University of Navarra, and Ignacio Morón, Dean and Professor of the School of Psychology at the University of Granada.