A multidimensional framework for understanding problematic use of short video platforms: The role of individual, socio-ecological and platform factors

Provisionally accepted

Short-form video platforms have rapidly become a prominent form of social media, but their problematic use is a growing concern. This review synthesizes existing research to propose a comprehensive framework that integrates individual, social-ecological, and platform-related factors that contribute to this problem. Individual factors are classified into distal (e.g., personality, psychopathology) and proximal (e.g., usage expectations, cognitive, emotional, and behavioral responses during use) categories, with distal factors often shaping proximal factors that more directly influence usage behavior. Social-ecological factors such as family dynamics and peer interactions, as well as platform-related features, also significantly impact the likelihood of problematic use. Beyond their direct effects, our framework emphasizes the importance of examining the combined effects of these factors, particularly through mediation and moderation processes. Mediation processes reveal how distal individual factors influence problematic use by shaping more immediate, proximal factors. Similarly, social-ecological influences and platform features may affect problematic use by altering individual factors. Moderation processes further illustrate how individual characteristics or social-ecological factors may alter the strength of these relationships. Understanding these complex, multidimensional relationships is critical to developing effective interventions to mitigate the risks associated with problematic use of short video platforms. Future research should examine these processes in more detail.