“The Only Place I Feel Understood”: A Mixed Methods Survey of Adolescent and Caregiver Perspectives on Social Media and Parental Controls

Melanie Watt Ramos, Constance M. Wiemann, Lauren A. Bretz, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Adolescent Medicine and Sports Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children, s Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, University of Tennessee College of Medicine, LeBonheur Children, s Hospital

Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry

Published online on February 24, 2026

Abstract

Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry, Ahead of Print.
PurposeGiven adolescents’ extensive social media use and its mixed impacts, this study explores: (1) adolescent and young adult (AYA) social media habits, (2) familial factors associated with parental controls, and (3) social media use among AYA with ...