Adolescents and Social Networks: Analysis on the well-being of adolescents in San Marino

Subject

In the last two years and in particular in the last post-pandemic period, there has been an increase in attention towards the issue of school phobia among adolescents.
As shared by the Department of Education and recent information collected by the School Psychologist, in the Republic of San Marino the number of students who do not attend school is significant. In some cases this depends on the parents' decision to have their children attend home schools; but in others we are faced with real situations of school phobia or even social withdrawal.
Given the relevance of the topic, the research aimed to study the state of risk and protection factors in the school population of middle school and in the two-year period of high school in San Marino, investigating, also with respect to gender differences, both intrapersonal and interpersonal factors.
Intrapersonal factors include satisfaction with one's own condition, resilience, the quality of the cognitive sphere (the state of learning), etc.; while relevant contextual factors include family, school and peer group. As regards this last area, social networks currently play a central role. In fact, if it is established that the web (through both social networks and online video games) is a place frequented by adolescents withdrawn at home, who use it as a substitute for physical places of interaction, the research aims to understand whether the contents that pre-adolescents and adolescents share and use online affect their perception of school and their thoughts and experiences regarding it. In particular, the aim is to understand whether the massive online sharing among peers of content regarding events and issues that could produce anxiety related to the 'future' (climate crisis, pandemic and war) contributes to reducing motivation with respect to school commitment, favoring interests that satisfy needs more related to the 'present' (pleasure, fame, profit, etc.).

Learning outcomes

• to detect the state of well-being of Sammarinese students;
• to detect the tendency of Sammarinese students to avoid school;
• observe the correlation with respect to well-being and school avoidance with some dimensions that are part of the life of pre-adolescents and adolescents such as: communication with parental figures, relationships with peers, the use of social networks, concerns about the future (the possible return of a lock down experience, the presence of war and climate change).

Status of works

Research completedLink to the publication and information about the restitution event:

Volume published by Società Editrice FrancoAngeli available in Open Access: Go to volume →

Public restitution event:

Public evening organized in collaboration with the Department of Education. January 16, 2026, 5:30 PM – Montelupo Hall, Domagnano