DOI: 10.12688/f1000research.184528.2 ISSN: 2046-1402

Adolescent Digital Engagement and Well-being Patterns Among Spanish Youth: A Data Note on Social Media Use, Mental Health Perceptions, and Digital Well-being (SMARS, 2024)

Mireia Montaña-Blasco, Mònika Jiménez-Morales
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The rapid proliferation of social media platforms among adolescents has generated significant concern about its implications for mental health and digital well-being. In Spain, where social network use is near-universal among minors, this intersection is especially acute given the country’s high rates of psychological disorders among young people. This article describes a dataset generated within the National R&D&i Project “Adolescent Recipients and Creators of Mental Health Content on Social Media” (SMARS, ref. PID2022-141454OB-I00). The dataset provides a comprehensive, multidimensional quantitative record of the digital lives of 1,043 Spanish adolescents aged 12 to 18, collected through a structured online survey administered between April 24 and May 6, 2024. It captures detailed information on platform usage patterns (TikTok and Instagram), content consumption preferences across 20 categories, social perceptions of digital technology impact, and validated digital well-being self-assessments. The instrument incorporates an adapted Social Perception Scale (α = 0.89) and a three-factor Digital Well-being on TikTok Scale (α = 0.79–0.83), validated through Exploratory Factor Analysis. This dataset offers a reusable, platform-specific resource for interdisciplinary research in communication, psychology, sociology, and digital health, enabling comparative studies, gender-differentiated analyses, and evidence-based digital literacy program development.

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