The Protective Role of Multisystem Resilience in the Relationship of Social Media Literacy and Psychological Well-Being Among Emerging Adults

The dual-edged nature of social media use has garnered substantial scholarly interest, as it does not always guarantee building a healthy online environment. Emerging adults (EAs), in their developmental phase (typically aged 18 to 25), are the most active social media users and susceptible to various usage risks (i.e., cyberbullying, sexting, and harmful content). EAs with higher social media literacy (SML), may be capable of mitigating such risks. In contrast, those with lower SML may experience heightened risks potentially leading to adverse psychological well-being (PWB). We thus hypothesize that low (high) SML is negatively (positively) associated with PWB among EAs, as research directly probing this association remained limited. In the context of negative social media experiences, resilience has been proposed as a protective factor against online risks. The multisystem resilience theoretical framework, including family, social, and school systems, may help EAs with low SML cope with adversities by mobilizing resources, circulating information, and providing companionship. Thereby, we hypothesize that multisystem resilience embedded in the social circles of EAs protects them from online risks and enhances their PWB. An online survey will be distributed to 385 EAs in Hong Kong to examine the hypotheses based on sample size calculation. The survey will assess the types and frequency of online risks, SML levels, multisystem resilience factors, PWB, social media usage patterns, and demographic information collection. Structural equation modeling will be employed to evaluate the adequacy of the proposed theoretical framework, and the inferred linkages. Theoretically, this research aims to deepen understanding of how SML influences PWB among EAs and to elucidate the protective role of multisystem resilience. Practically, it highlights the importance of promoting SML education and expanding more support to the EAs to enhance their well-being both online and offline and continuously bring a positive impact into their later adulthood.