Smartphones, Emotions and Bullying Among Adolescents: A PRISMA Systematic Review

This systematic review, following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, analyzes scientific literature on bullying and cyberbullying among adolescents (aged 12–16) in educational settings, focusing on ICT, smartphone hyperconnectivity, and emotional education. An exhaustive search across Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, Dialnet, CSIC, SciELO, and Google Scholar identified 34 empirical studies. A narrative synthesis was performed due to methodological heterogeneity. The synthesized evidence suggests that cyberbullying frequently acts as a persistent extension of school violence, where continuous digital exposure makes it difficult for victims to emotionally disconnect. Empirical data indicate a concerning correlation between prolonged bullying and psychosocial distress, including self-harming behaviors and suicidal ideation. Furthermore, results highlight systemic gaps: heightened vulnerability is reported among girls and LGBTQ+ students, alongside disparities between public and state-subsidized schools regarding institutional involvement and emotional support resources. Educational implications suggest reactive protocols are insufficient. Evidence supports that systematic emotional education, enhancing socio-emotional skills like impulse control, empathy, self-esteem and emotional regulation, acts as a key protective factor. Consequently, fostering “digital emotional intelligence” emerges as a promising preventive educational strategy to protect adolescents’ well-being in hyperconnected environments.