Subjective happiness moderates the relationship between implicit and explicit attitudes and excessive digital media use among adolescents

Excessive digital media use (EDMU) represents a growing mental health concern among adolescents. However, it is unclear how implicit and explicit attitudes-automatic emotional vs. conscious rational evaluation-contribute to EDMU, and how these mechanisms differ according to subjective happiness. We analyzed data from 1,425 adolescents (M age = 13.12), to compare high (n = 312) and low subjective happiness (n = 171). Unhappy adolescents exhibited higher EDMU and impulsivity, and lower self-control compared to their happier peers. In this group, positive implicit attitudes toward social media predicted EDMU both directly and indirectly through impulsivity and self-control, while explicit attitudes had only a direct effect. No significant effects of attitudes were found among happy adolescents; however, with higher self-control having a protective effect. The results suggest that implicit and explicit attitudes influence EDMU differently, with their impact depending on subjective happiness, highlighting the need for a graded approach in intervention strategies.