{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,18]],"date-time":"2026-10-18T19:16:21Z","timestamp":1792350981241,"version":"4.4.0"},"reference-count":47,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"6","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,3]],"date-time":"2025-06-03T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1748908800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["EJIHPE"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Adolescents\u2019 pervasive use of social media has been increasingly linked to aggression, including cyberbullying and hostile online interactions. While this association is well documented, the psychological and contextual mechanisms that mediate or moderate it remain unclear. This scoping review maps quantitative evidence on mediators and moderators between social media use and aggression among adolescents. A comprehensive search using ProQuest\u2019s Summon platform was conducted across PsycINFO, Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science, following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Eligible studies, published between January 2020 and March 2025, included adolescents aged 11\u201318 and reported at least one statistical mediation or moderation analysis. Forty-four studies from 19 countries (N &gt; 90,000) were thematically synthesized. Key mediators included problematic use, moral disengagement, depression, attention-seeking, and risky digital behaviors. Moderators included gender, body satisfaction, cultural setting, school type, and family attachment. Most of the studies used structural equation modeling or PROCESS macro, although cross-sectional designs predominated. Limitations included reliance on self-reports and inconsistent social media measures. The findings suggest that social media\u2013aggression links are indirect and shaped by emotional, cognitive, and ecological factors. Multi-level interventions targeting digital literacy, moral reasoning, and resilience are needed. This review was not registered and received no external funding.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ejihpe15060098","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,3]],"date-time":"2025-06-03T08:01:07Z","timestamp":1748937667000},"page":"98","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":10,"title":["Mediating and Moderating Mechanisms in the Relationship Between Social Media Use and Adolescent Aggression: A Scoping Review of Quantitative Evidence"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"15","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7427-1776","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Georgios","family":"Giannakopoulos","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Child Psychiatry, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 115 27 Athens, Greece"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Afroditi","family":"Prassou","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"4th Directorate of Secondary Education of Athens, 171 21 Athens, Greece"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,3]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e11813","DOI":"10.1016\/j.heliyon.2022.e11813","article-title":"Theoretical perspectives of parental influence on adolescent cyber behaviour: A bi-national Instagram-based study","volume":"8","author":"Achuthan","year":"2022","journal-title":"Heliyon"},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"320","DOI":"10.1057\/s41599-022-01318-x","article-title":"Cyberbullying and cybervictimization on digital media platforms: The role of demographic variables and parental mediation strategies","volume":"9","author":"Aljasir","year":"2022","journal-title":"Humanities and Social Sciences Communications"},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"75","DOI":"10.1016\/j.copsyc.2017.03.034","article-title":"The General Aggression Model","volume":"19","author":"Allen","year":"2018","journal-title":"Current Opinion in Psychology"},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"143","DOI":"10.15581\/003.37.4.143-162","article-title":"Parenting in the digital age: Mediation strategies as a preventive factor against cyberbullying on social media among saudi parents","volume":"37","author":"Alsebaei","year":"2024","journal-title":"Communication & Society"},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"5519519","DOI":"10.1155\/adph\/5519519","article-title":"The shield of resilience: Mediating the effects of internet addiction on adolescent anger control","volume":"2024","author":"Sahmurova","year":"2024","journal-title":"Advances in Public Health"},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Bronfenbrenner, U. (1999). Environments in developmental perspective: Theoretical and operational models. Measuring environment across the life span: Emerging methods and concepts, American Psychological Association.","DOI":"10.1037\/10317-001"},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"107230","DOI":"10.1016\/j.chb.2022.107230","article-title":"Cybergossip and problematic internet use in cyberaggression and cybervictimisation among adolescents","volume":"131","author":"Orejudo","year":"2022","journal-title":"Computers in Human Behavior"},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Chen, Q., Guo, S., and Chan, K. L. (2025). Exploring the relationships among online social capital, internet self-efficacy, mental health, and cyberbully-victim roles in adolescents: A structural equation model. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 16.","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyt.2025.1427655"},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Colella, G. M., Palermiti, A. L., Bartolo, M. G., Servidio, R. C., and Costabile, A. (2024). Problematic social media use, retaliation, and moral disengagement in cyberbullying and cybervictimization among italian preadolescents: A moderated mediation model. International Journal of Bullying Prevention.","DOI":"10.1007\/s42380-024-00265-2"},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Colella, G. M., Servidio, R. C., Palermiti, A. L., Bartolo, M. G., Garc\u00eda-Carrera, P., Ortega-Ruiz, R., and Romera, E. M. (2025). Cyberbullying perpetration and socio-behavioral correlates in italian and spanish preadolescents: A cross-national study and serial mediation analysis. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 22, (3).","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph22030389"},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Do\u011frusever, C., and Bilgin, M. (2025). From family social support to problematic internet use: A serial mediation model of hostility and depression. BMC Psychology, 13, (1).","DOI":"10.1186\/s40359-025-02535-0"},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"960","DOI":"10.1177\/1461444820905531","article-title":"Online verbal aggression, social relationships, and self-efficacy beliefs","volume":"23","author":"Ferreira","year":"2021","journal-title":"New Media & Society"},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"NP16060","DOI":"10.1177\/08862605211023486","article-title":"Social comparison orientation and cyberbullying perpetration and victimization: Roles of envy on social networking sites and body satisfaction","volume":"37","author":"Geng","year":"2022","journal-title":"Journal of Interpersonal Violence"},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"289","DOI":"10.4103\/indianjpsychiatry.indianjpsychiatry_34_21","article-title":"Effects of psychiatric symptoms, age, and gender on fear of missing out (FoMO) and problematic smartphone use: A path analysis with clinical-based adolescent sample","volume":"64","author":"Gul","year":"2022","journal-title":"Indian Journal of Psychiatry"},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"106569","DOI":"10.1016\/j.chb.2020.106569","article-title":"The risk of sexual-erotic online behavior in adolescents\u2014Which personality factors predict sexting and grooming victimization?","volume":"114","author":"Schoeps","year":"2021","journal-title":"Computers in Human Behavior"},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"285","DOI":"10.3233\/EFI-180221","article-title":"The Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT) version 2018 for information professionals and researchers","volume":"34","author":"Hong","year":"2018","journal-title":"Education for Information"},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"389","DOI":"10.1007\/s42380-023-00162-0","article-title":"Testing the bystander intervention model in cyberbullying across students of color and white students","volume":"6","author":"Jenkins","year":"2024","journal-title":"International Journal of Bullying Prevention"},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"530","DOI":"10.1002\/ab.21968","article-title":"Online dating applications and risk of youth victimization: A lifestyle exposure perspective","volume":"47","author":"Kaakinen","year":"2021","journal-title":"Aggressive Behavior"},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"108000","DOI":"10.1016\/j.chb.2023.108000","article-title":"Cyberbullying victimization and suicide ideation: The mediating role of psychological distress among Malaysian youth","volume":"150","author":"Kee","year":"2024","journal-title":"Computers in Human Behavior"},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"223","DOI":"10.1007\/s10560-022-00857-1","article-title":"Problematic social media use and conflict, social stress, and cyber-victimization among early adolescents","volume":"41","author":"Kim","year":"2024","journal-title":"Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal"},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Laeheem, K. (2024). Causal factors contributing to youth cyberbullying in the deep south of Thailand. Children, 11, (7).","DOI":"10.3390\/children11070790"},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"41","DOI":"10.1177\/02724316231160142","article-title":"Social media addiction and aggressive behaviors in early adolescents: The mediating role of nighttime social media use and sleep quality","volume":"44","author":"Lin","year":"2024","journal-title":"The Journal of Early Adolescence"},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Liu, S., Wu, W., Zou, H., Chen, Y., Xu, L., Zhang, W., Yu, C., and Zhen, S. (2023). Cybervictimization and non-suicidal self-injury among Chinese adolescents: The effect of depression and school connectedness. Frontiers in Public Health, 11.","DOI":"10.3389\/fpubh.2023.1091959"},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e70018","DOI":"10.1002\/cl2.70018","article-title":"Exposure to hate in online and traditional media: A systematic review and meta-analysis of the impact of this exposure on individuals and communities","volume":"21","author":"Madriaza","year":"2025","journal-title":"Campbell Systematic Reviews"},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"tyac017","DOI":"10.1093\/cybsec\/tyac017","article-title":"Contribution threat perception, school climate and prejudice as mediator to student\u2019s cyber aggression","volume":"9","author":"Mardianto","year":"2023","journal-title":"Journal of Cybersecurity"},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"297","DOI":"10.3390\/adolescents4020021","article-title":"Social media, online gaming, and cyberbullying during the COVID-19 pandemic: The mediation effect of time spent online","volume":"4","author":"Marinoni","year":"2024","journal-title":"Adolescents"},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"155","DOI":"10.5093\/pi2021a5","article-title":"Cybervictimization, offline victimization, and cyberbullying: The mediating role of the problematic use of social networking sites in boys and girls","volume":"30","year":"2021","journal-title":"Psychosocial Intervention"},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Maurya, C., Muhammad, T., Das, A., Fathah, A., and Dhillon, P. (2023). The role of self-efficacy and parental communication in the association between cyber victimization and depression among adolescents and young adults: A structural equation model. BMC Psychiatry, 23, (1).","DOI":"10.1186\/s12888-023-04841-6"},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"n71","DOI":"10.1136\/bmj.n71","article-title":"The PRISMA 2020 statement: An updated guideline for reporting systematic reviews","volume":"372","author":"Page","year":"2021","journal-title":"BMJ"},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"108164","DOI":"10.1016\/j.chb.2024.108164","article-title":"Protective factors contributing to adolescents\u2019 multifaceted digital resilience for their wellbeing: A socio-ecological perspective","volume":"155","author":"Pan","year":"2024","journal-title":"Computers in Human Behavior"},{"key":"ref_31","first-page":"274","article-title":"The relationship between game addiction and aggression among adolescents with mediating role of narcissism and self-control","volume":"19","author":"Pan","year":"2024","journal-title":"Iranian Journal of Psychiatry"},{"key":"ref_32","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"9773","DOI":"10.1038\/s41598-024-59509-2","article-title":"Problematic social media use mediates the effect of cyberbullying victimisation on psychosomatic complaints in adolescents","volume":"14","author":"Peprah","year":"2024","journal-title":"Scientific Reports"},{"key":"ref_33","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e18910","DOI":"10.1016\/j.heliyon.2023.e18910","article-title":"A cross-sectional study of gender role adherence, moral disengagement mechanisms and online vulnerability in adolescents","volume":"9","author":"Piccardi","year":"2023","journal-title":"Heliyon"},{"key":"ref_34","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Qiu, Y., Sun, Q., Wu, B., and Li, F. (2024). Is high exposure to antisocial media content associated with increased participation in malicious online trolling? exploring the moderated mediation model of hostile attribution bias and empathy. BMC Psychology, 12, (1).","DOI":"10.1186\/s40359-024-01898-0"},{"key":"ref_35","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Ram\u00edrez, S., Gana, S., Garc\u00e9s, S., Z\u00fa\u00f1iga, T., Araya, R., and Gaete, J. (2021). Use of technology and its association with academic performance and life satisfaction among children and adolescents. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 12.","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyt.2021.764054"},{"key":"ref_36","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"NP5561","DOI":"10.1177\/0886260518801933","article-title":"The association between stereotypical gender and dating beliefs and digital dating abuse perpetration in adolescent dating relationships","volume":"36","author":"Reed","year":"2021","journal-title":"Journal of Interpersonal Violence"},{"key":"ref_37","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"969","DOI":"10.1080\/10926771.2019.1575302","article-title":"Sadism and cyber aggression: Moral identity as a possible moderator","volume":"29","author":"Shahnawaz","year":"2020","journal-title":"Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment & Trauma"},{"key":"ref_38","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Soriano-Molina, E., Limi\u00f1ana-Gras, R. M., Patr\u00f3-Hern\u00e1ndez, R. M., and Rubio-Aparicio, M. (2025). The association between internet addiction and adolescents\u2019 mental health: A meta-analytic review. Behavioral Sciences, 15, (2).","DOI":"10.3390\/bs15020116"},{"key":"ref_39","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"769","DOI":"10.1007\/s10826-022-02433-8","article-title":"The interaction between adolescent cyber dating abuse and parenting on mental health outcomes","volume":"32","author":"Strickland","year":"2023","journal-title":"Journal of Child and Family Studies"},{"key":"ref_40","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Tamarit, A., Schoeps, K., Peris-Hern\u00e1ndez, M., and Montoya-Castilla, I. (2021). The impact of adolescent internet addiction on sexual online victimization: The mediating effects of sexting and body self-esteem. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18, (8).","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph18084226"},{"key":"ref_41","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"659","DOI":"10.1108\/EJM-12-2022-0932","article-title":"All by myself: Examining social media\u2019s effect on social withdrawal and the mediating roles of moral disengagement and cyberaggression","volume":"58","author":"Tan","year":"2024","journal-title":"European Journal of Marketing"},{"key":"ref_42","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"467","DOI":"10.7326\/M18-0850","article-title":"PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR): Checklist and Explanation","volume":"169","author":"Tricco","year":"2018","journal-title":"Annals of Internal Medicine"},{"key":"ref_43","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"494","DOI":"10.1002\/cbm.2356","article-title":"Low sense of mattering in society and delinquency among young people: An initial investigation","volume":"34","author":"Virat","year":"2024","journal-title":"Criminal Behaviour and Mental Health"},{"key":"ref_44","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"540","DOI":"10.1177\/01650254231198034","article-title":"Lonely, impulsive, and seeking attention: Predictors of narcissistic adolescents\u2019 antisocial and prosocial behaviors on social media","volume":"47","author":"Wang","year":"2023","journal-title":"International Journal of Behavioral Development"},{"key":"ref_45","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"240","DOI":"10.24191\/ajue.v17i1.12616","article-title":"Cyber aggression-victimization among Malaysians youth","volume":"7","author":"Yusuf","year":"2021","journal-title":"Asian Journal of University Education (AJUE)"},{"key":"ref_46","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Zhang, Y., Xu, C., Dai, H., and Jia, X. (2021). Psychological distress and adolescents\u2019 cyberbullying under floods and the COVID-19 pandemic: Parent\u2013child relationships and negotiable fate as moderators. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18, (23).","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph182312279"},{"key":"ref_47","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Zhang, Z., Bian, S., Zhao, H., and Qi, C. (2022). Dark triad and cyber aggression among Chinese adolescents during COVID-19: A moderated mediation model. Frontiers in Psychology, 13.","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyg.2022.1011123"}],"container-title":["European Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2254-9625\/15\/6\/98\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,9]],"date-time":"2025-10-09T17:46:19Z","timestamp":1760031979000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2254-9625\/15\/6\/98"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,3]]},"references-count":47,"journal-issue":{"issue":"6","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,6]]}},"alternative-id":["ejihpe15060098"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/ejihpe15060098","relation":{},"ISSN":["2254-9625"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2254-9625","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,3]]}}}