Seeking connectedness through social media use: associations with adolescent empathic understanding and perspective-taking

Adolescence is a significant developmental period for building social connections. Technology has provided new ways to engage with others, particularly through social media. The current study examines developmental characteristics that support seeking connection through social media and considers how the parent–child relationship influences adolescents. Within a nationally representative sample of adolescents (N = 4952, Mage = 14.62), adolescent-report of greater empathic concern (feeling similar emotions to others) and perspective-taking (ability to understand others’ emotions) were associated with using social media for social connectedness. Furthermore, the parent–child relationship moderated these associations such that associations were no longer significant among adolescents who reported stronger parent–child relationships. While adolescents are drawn online for social connection, the family remains an important context.