Six-year trends in problematic social media use prevalence and sociodemographic predictors in German adolescents (2019–2024)

Key Points

• Problematic social media use has increased in German adolescents from 2019 to 2024, highlighting a growing concern.
• Data shows a prevalence rate of 30% among adolescents, emphasizing the impact of digital life on youth well-being.
• Longitudinal analysis focuses on sociodemographic predictors such as age, gender, and socioeconomic status over six years in Germany.
• Findings suggest urgent need for targeted interventions, given the rising trends in social media challenges among youth.