The relationship between social media use and perceived social support, loneliness, and emotional connection across 7 countries

Abstract

Social media plays a central role in shaping interpersonal connections, yet its association with socioemotional well-being remains widely debated. This study examines the relationship between social media use, loneliness, emotional connection, and perceived social support across seven diverse countries using data from the 2022 Gallup/Meta State of Social Connections Survey. To address inconsistencies in prior research, we employ Specification Curve Analysis (SCA) to assess how different measurements and analytical choices shape how these relationships are reported. Findings suggest limited and context-dependent relationships, with social media use showing a small but positive association with emotional connection and perceived social support, while its link to loneliness remains weak. These results highlight the contextual and methodological complexities of studying social media’s association with socioemotional well-being and emphasize the need for diverse measures and expanded analytical
approaches to fully capture these multifaceted relationships, ultimately enhancing our understanding of how digital platforms use intersects with human well-being.