Jorge Enrique Torralbas Oslé

Background. Problematic social media use and emotional regulation difficulties have been associated with increased appearance-related concerns among adolescents. However, these associations may vary depending on the interaction of psychosocial factors and contextual influences such as parental mediation.

Objective. To identify profiles based on adolescents’ levels of problematic social media use and online emotional intelligence, and to examine their relationship with appearance-related social media consciousness, considering the mediating role of parental mediation strategies and the moderating role of gender.

Design. A total of 636 Cuban adolescents aged 12 to 15 participated in the study, the majority of whom were female (n = 351, 55.2%). Measures included validated scales of social media disorder, online emotional intelligence, parental mediation, and appearance-related social media consciousness (ASMC). Latent Profile Analysis was used to identify profiles, followed by parallel multiple mediation and moderated mediation models using the PROCESS macro.

Results. Four latent profiles were identified, reflecting different combinations of emotional competence and problematic use. Only active parental mediation emerged as a significant mediator between profiles and appearance-related social media consciousness (ASMC), with stronger effects among adolescents with lower emotional intelligence. No significant moderated mediation by gender was found, although girls reported higher exposure to mediation and more pronounced indirect effects in high-risk profiles.

Conclusion. These findings emphasize that adolescents’ digital and emotional profiles shape how appearance-related risks develop in social media contexts. They underscore the protective value of active parental mediation and suggest that interventions should not only address problematic social media use but also promote emotional competencies and strengthen family involvement, offering practical guidelines for prevention programs and school-based interventions. 

Background. Personal exposure is a crucial aspect of digital socialization. It pertains to the amount of time spent on social networks, the number of active accounts, interactions on different platforms, the content published on social networks, the purpose for which the content is shared, the degree of personal exposure, and the changes in social life caused by the exposure. Gender plays an important role in predicting online behavior, but previous studies have yielded contradictory results.

Objective. To characterize personal exposure to social media in young Cubans (networks used, hours of exposure, published content, how much of one's private life is exposed, alterations due to its use). To define the differences in personal exposure based on the gender variable.

Design. A survey specifically created for this research was used. The sample was composed of 3345 young Cuban residents between 18 and 35 years old. 

Results. The young people spent a considerable amount of time per day on WhatsApp, Instagram*, and Facebook/Messenger*. Users shared content related to humor, music/art, and their personal lives. These interactions served as a source of entertainment, a means of communication and socialization, and a platform for expressing opinions on various topics. Personal content was shared frequently. The young people reported experiencing disturbances such as family demands, decreased attention span, difficulty sleeping, and decreased social interactions. There were gender differences in the level of personal exposure, with females reporting higher levels of exposure.

Conclusion.There are high levels of personal exposure among Cuban youth. Different qualities are manifested according to gender. Females reflect the highest levels of personal exposure.