The Relationship Between Family Conflict and Problematic Social Media Use Among Adolescents: A Serial Mediation Model of Social Exclusion and Executive Function Deficits

This study examined the relationship between family conflict and problematic social media use among adolescents, and tested the serial mediating roles of social exclusion and executive function deficits. A cluster sampling approach was utilized to recruit 1129 adolescents aged 15–19 years, who completed a battery of standardized questionnaires. The results showed that: (1) Family conflict was significantly and positively correlated with social exclusion (r = 0.35, p < 0.01), executive function deficits (r = 0.38, p < 0.01), and PSMU (r = 0.22, p < 0.01). (2) The total effect of family conflict on PSMU was significant (b = 0.28, p < 0.001), whereas the direct effect was not (b = 0.07, p = 0.06). The serial mediation pathway “family conflict → social exclusion → executive function deficits → PSMU” yielded a significant effect (b = 0.02, 95% CI [0.01, 0.04]). Additionally, both social exclusion (b = 0.05, 95% CI [0.01, 0.08]) and executive function deficits (b = 0.14, 95% CI [0.09, 0.17]) exhibited significant independent mediating effects. These results suggest an association pathway from family conflict to adolescents’ peer relationships, then to impaired cognitive control, and ultimately to heightened risk for PSMU. The findings have practical implications for adolescent digital literacy programs and cognitive training interventions.