ESP-4727

Published

2026-03-31

Issue

Vol. 11 No. 3 (2026): Publishing

Section

Research Articles

License

Copyright (c) 2026 Yueni Wang, Gang Cheng

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

The journal adopts the Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0), which means that anyone can reuse and redistribute the materials for non-commercial purposes as long as you follow the license terms and the original source is properly cited.

Author(s) shall retain the copyright of their work and grant the Journal/Publisher rights for the first publication with the work concurrently licensed since 2023 Vol.8 No.2.

Under this license, author(s) will allow third parties to download, reuse, reprint, modify, distribute and/or copy the content under the condition that the authors are given credit. No permission is required from the authors or the publisher.

This broad license intends to facilitate free access, as well as the unrestricted use of original works of all types. This ensures that the published work is freely and openly available in perpetuity.

By providing open access, the following benefits are brought about:

  • Higher Visibility, Availability and Citations-free and unlimited accessibility of the publication over the internet without any restrictions increases citation of the article.
  • Ease of search-publications are easily searchable in search engines and indexing databases.
  • Rapid Publication – accepted papers are immediately published online.
  • Available for free download immediately after publication at https://esp.as-pub.com/index.php/ESP

 

Copyright Statement

1.The authors certify that the submitted manuscripts are original works, do not infringe the rights of others, are free from academic misconduct and confidentiality issues, and that there are no disputes over the authorship scheme of the collaborative articles. In case of infringement, academic misconduct and confidentiality issues, as well as disputes over the authorship scheme, all responsibilities will be borne by the authors.

2. The author agrees to grant the Editorial Office of Environment and Social Psychology a licence to use the reproduction right, distribution right, information network dissemination right, performance right, translation right, and compilation right of the submitted manuscript, including the work as a whole, as well as the diagrams, tables, abstracts, and any other parts that can be extracted from the work and used in accordance with the characteristics of the journal. The Editorial Board of Environment and Social Psychology has the right to use and sub-licence the above mentioned works for wide dissemination in print, electronic and online versions, and, in accordance with the characteristics of the periodical, for the period of legal protection of the property right of the copyright in the work, and for the territorial scope of the work throughout the world.

3. The authors are entitled to the copyright of their works under the relevant laws of Singapore, provided that they do not exercise their rights in a manner prejudicial to the interests of the Journal.

About Licence

Environment and Social Psychology is an open access journal and all published work is available under the Creative Commons Licence, Authors shall retain copyright of their work and grant the journal/publisher the right of first publication, and their work shall be licensed under the Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0).

Under this licence, the author grants permission to third parties to download, reuse, reprint, modify, distribute and/or copy the content with attribution to the author. No permission from the author or publisher is required.

This broad licence is intended to facilitate free access to and unrestricted use of original works of all kinds. This ensures that published works remain free and accessible in perpetuity. Submitted manuscripts, once accepted, are immediately available to the public and permanently accessible free of charge on the journal’s official website (https://esp.as-pub.com/index.php/ESP). Allowing users to read, download, copy, print, search for or link to the full text of the article, or use it for other legal purposes. However, the use of the work must retain the author's signature, be limited to non-commercial purposes, and not be interpretative.

Click to download <Agreement on the Licence for the Use of Copyright on Environmental and Social Psychology>.

How to Cite

Yueni Wang, & Gang Cheng. (2026). How image construction and reality discrepancy on social media reshape adolescent self-concept: A study on psychological mechanisms in virtual liminal space. Environment and Social Psychology, 11(3), ESP-4727. https://doi.org/10.59429/esp.v11i3.4727

How image construction and reality discrepancy on social media reshape adolescent self-concept: A study on psychological mechanisms in virtual liminal space

Yueni Wang

aSSIST University,46, Ewhayeodae 2-gil, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, Korea

Gang Cheng

No. 19, Xinjiekou Outer Street, Haidian District, Beijing


DOI: https://doi.org/10.59429/esp.v11i3.4727


Keywords: social media; image construction; image-reality discrepancy; self-concept; virtual liminal space; adolescent mental health

Abstract

Social media has become deeply embedded in adolescent daily life. This prolonged exposure places young people in a persistent tension between their virtual self-presentations and their offline identities. How this image-reality discrepancy reshapes adolescent self-concept through specific psychological mechanisms has emerged as a pressing concern in environmental and social psychology. This study introduces "virtual liminal space" as its central theoretical framework. A mixed-methods design was adopted, combining qualitative and quantitative approaches. The sample consisted of 1,000 school-enrolled adolescents aged 12 to 18. Three interconnected dimensions were examined: the behavioral patterns and environmental drivers underlying online image construction; the perceptual structure and emotional experience of image discrepancy within virtual liminal spaces; and the dual pathways—internalization and externalization—through which image discrepancy reshapes self-concept. Several key findings emerged. First, adolescent image construction behaviors vary significantly across platforms. Second, a stable triadic tension exists among the ideal self, the online self, and the real self. Third, image discrepancy drives self-concept reconstruction through two coordinated routes. The internalization pathway follows a chain of social comparison, cognitive dissonance, and self-schema updating. The externalization pathway operates through behavioral compensation, identity experimentation, and re-socialization. Finally, outcomes diverge markedly based on individual psychological resilience and available social support. Some adolescents achieve positive identity integration, while others experience self-fragmentation. These findings offer both theoretical grounding and practical implications for understanding the distinctive features of adolescent self-development in the digital age.

References

[1]. 1.Xiong Z, Yu J Y, Zhuo Y, et al. The impact of social media on adolescent mental health [J]. International Journal of Psychiatry, 2025, 52(06): 1706–1708+1729. DOI: 10.13479/j.cnki.jip.2025.06.004.

[2]. 2.Yan J, Wan B, Toussaint J P, et al. Modeling individualized adolescent mental health through a multifactorial causal framework to identify potential intervention strategies [J]. bioRxiv: the preprint server for biology, 2025. DOI: 10.64898/2025.12.25.696521.

[3]. 3.Demkowicz O, Panayiotou M. Current directions in child and adolescent psychotherapy: Overview and introduction to the Special Issue [J]. Psychology and Psychotherapy, 2025. DOI: 10.1111/PAPT.70032.

[4]. 4.Gilbert C J, Thompson P M, Ryan S, et al. Learning modalities during COVID-19 and adolescent mental health in North Carolina [J]. The Journal of School Health, 2026, 96(1): e70093. DOI: 10.1111/JOSH.70093.

[5]. 5.Sannes A, Rognli W E, Bauer H K, et al. Barriers to and facilitators of implementation of internet-delivered therapist-guided therapy in child and adolescent mental health services: Systematic review and Bayesian meta-analysis [J]. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 2025, 27: e83543. DOI: 10.2196/83543.

[6]. 6.Bond L, Gordon A, Parkin R, et al. A qualitative study exploring the lived experience of caregivers' attending child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) [J]. Administration and Policy in Mental Health, 2025, (prepublish): 1–12. DOI: 10.1007/S10488-025-01485-4.

[7]. 7.Koullourou I, Kotsis K, Salum A G, et al. Borderline Personality Features Scale for Children - 11: Psychometric properties in a Greek early adolescent clinical sample from a community child and adolescent mental health service [J]. Psychiatrike = Psychiatriki, 2025. DOI: 10.22365/JPSYCH.2025.028.

[8]. 8.Nufi P E. When dissociation is mistaken for possession: Implications for adolescent mental health in Indonesia [J]. European Journal of Trauma & Dissociation, 2026, 10(1): 100627. DOI: 10.1016/J.EJTD.2025.100627.

[9]. 9.O'Hare K, Chitsabesan P, Ford J T, et al. Trends in annual and lifetime prevalence of child and adolescent mental health service use in the UK between 1991 and 2023: Welsh healthcare register linkage study [J]. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 2025: 1–8. DOI: 10.1192/BJP.2025.10480.

[10]. 10.Wright B, Frausto P I D, Hindmarch M G, et al. Differences in adolescent psychological distress and perceived need for help: Findings from a state population-based survey [J]. The Journal of Adolescent Health, 2025, 78(2): 276–282. DOI: 10.1016/J.JADOHEALTH.2025.10.014.

[11]. 11.Kristensen M S, Vestad L. The ubiquitous sex differences in adolescent mental health: Do we overlook parts of a more complex puzzle? [J]. Frontiers in Psychology, 2025, 16: 1707505. DOI: 10.3389/FPSYG.2025.1707505.

[12]. 12.Bennett M, O'Dwyer C, Murthy E V, et al. Early-stage profiles of adolescent mental health difficulties and well-being: A systematic review of cluster analyses in large school and community samples [J]. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 2025, 35(4): e70061. DOI: 10.1111/JORA.70061.

[13]. 13.Mancini G, Özal Z, Biolcati R, et al. Trait emotional intelligence and adolescent psychological well-being: A systematic review [J]. International Journal of Adolescence and Youth, 2024, 29(1). DOI: 10.1080/02673843.2023.2292057.

[14]. 14.Sursely M A, Baran B, Bardhoshi G, et al. Time out: A scoping review of non-duration based social media use measures and adolescent mental health [J]. Journal of Adolescence, 2025. DOI: 10.1002/JAD.70088.

[15]. 15.Wal D V A, Beyens I, Janssen C H L, et al. Diverse platforms, diverse effects: Evidence from a 100-day study on social media and adolescent mental health [J]. Current Psychology, 2025, 45(1): 36. DOI: 10.1007/S12144-025-08893-7.

[16]. 16.Li B C, Zhang Y M. The influence of social media use on adolescent subjective well-being and its psychological mechanisms [J]. Psychology: Techniques and Applications, 2025, 13(11): 691–704. DOI: 10.16842/j.cnki.issn2095-5588.2025.11.005.

[17]. 17.Tao X D, Zhang T. The influence of social media algorithms on adolescents and comprehensive governance [J]. News Forum, 2025, 39(01): 27–31. DOI: 10.19425/j.cnki.cn15-1019/g2.2025.01.005.

[18]. 18.Ren M F, Zhang B Q. The impact of social media on adolescent mental health and coping strategies [J]. Western China Broadcasting and Television, 2024, 45(14): 62–65.

[19]. 19.Li Y Z, Chen Y P. Research on adolescent social media dependency, problems, and countermeasures in the context of pan-entertainment [J]. Journalism and Communication, 2025, (03): 29–31.

[20]. 20.Ikegame T, Bundo M, Nagaoka D, et al. Association study on multi-timepoint DNA methylation levels of serotonin transporter gene and adolescent psychological-behavioral development [J]. Neuropsychopharmacology Reports, 2025, 45(4): e70081. DOI: 10.1002/NPR2.70081.

[21]. 21.Groot D R, Graaff D V F, Doelen D V D, et al. Implementing Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable (FAIR) principles in child and adolescent mental health research: Mixed methods approach [J]. JMIR Mental Health, 2024, 11: e59113. DOI: 10.2196/59113.

[22]. 22.Radley J, Penhallow J, Wickersham A, et al. Factors affecting usability and acceptability of an online platform used by caregivers in child and adolescent mental health services: Mixed methods study [J]. JMIR Pediatrics and Parenting, 2024, 7: e60042. DOI: 10.2196/60042.

[23]. 23.Soria N I, Adorjan B. Addressing the child and adolescent mental health gap after the pandemic: Why translational, practice-oriented research matters [J]. Children, 2025, 12(12): 1648. DOI: 10.3390/CHILDREN12121648.

[24]. 24.Younis S, Jami H, Riaz F, et al. Adolescent's mental health in context of indirect exposure to terrorism: A qualitative study [J]. Journal of Child & Adolescent Trauma, 2024, 18(1): 1–15. DOI: 10.1007/S40653-024-00675-W.

[25]. 25.Gaag D V J R. Reflections on the future of child & adolescent mental health [J]. International Review of Psychiatry, 2025: 1–8. DOI: 10.1080/09540261.2025.2596169.

[26]. 26.Kaoser R, Thakore P, Peterson S, et al. The relationship between neighbourhood income and youth mental health service use differs by immigration experience: Analysis of population-based data in British Columbia, Canada [J]. International Journal for Equity in Health, 2024, 23(1): 270. DOI: 10.1186/S12939-024-02352-8.

[27]. 27.Chen Y H, Xie B. Research progress on the impact of social media use on adolescent mental health [J]. Chinese Journal of School Health, 2023, 44(12): 1916–1920. DOI: 10.16835/j.cnki.1000-9817.2023.12.033.

[28]. 28.Koenig J, Farhat C L, Bloch H M. Editorial: From adolescence into young adulthood – the importance of a longitudinal perspective across development in child and adolescent mental health [J]. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 2024, 66(1): 1–3. DOI: 10.1111/JCPP.14094.

[29]. 29.Greene L P, Lee S J, Zhu J, et al. Neglect and adolescent internalizing mental health: Testing competing longitudinal hypotheses [J]. Development and Psychopathology, 2024: 11. DOI: 10.1017/S0954579424001767.

[30]. 30.Osborne A, Ahinkorah O B. The paternal influence on early childhood development in Africa: Implications for child and adolescent mental health [J]. Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health, 2024, 18(1): 156. DOI: 10.1186/S13034-024-00847-4.

[31]. 31.Casline E, Douglas S, Sonsbeek V M, et al. Measurement-based care as a tool to detect and prevent harm in youth psychotherapy [J]. Research on Child and Adolescent Psychopathology, 2024, 53(5): 1–14. DOI: 10.1007/S10802-024-01262-1.

[32]. 32.Chen C J. How social media affects adolescent digital reading literacy [J]. Distance Education in China, 2023, 43(12): 59–67. DOI: 10.13541/j.cnki.chinade.2023.12.005.

[33]. 33.Mizen A, Fry R, Williams S, et al. Building policy around the built environment for adolescent mental health [J]. The Lancet. Child & Adolescent Health, 2024, 9(2): 81–82. DOI: 10.1016/S2352-4642(24)00259-1.

[34]. 34.Kumar M, Mugo C, Falkenström F, et al. Reflections on best practices for evidence synthesis in youth mental health for low- and middle-income countries [J]. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 2024, 64(3): 309–311. DOI: 10.1016/J.JAAC.2024.07.931.

[35]. 35.Nordh W L E, Grip K, Axberg U. The patient and the family: Investigating parental mental health problems, family functioning, and parent involvement in child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) [J]. European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 2024, 34(7): 1–12. DOI: 10.1007/S00787-024-02607-3.

[36]. 36.Rudolf R, Kim N. Smartphone use, gender, and adolescent mental health: Longitudinal evidence from South Korea [J]. SSM - Population Health, 2024, 28: 101722. DOI: 10.1016/J.SSMPH.2024.101722.

[37]. 37.Jiang Y Z, Bai X L. The relationship between adolescent social media use and well-being: Multiple mediating effects [J]. Chinese Journal of Drug Dependence, 2023, 32(01): 61–64+70. DOI: 10.13936/j.cnki.cjdd1992.2023.01.012.

[38]. 38.Yuan M, Yin Y, Liu J, et al. Adolescent mental time travel predicting meaning in life: The potential mediating role of self-continuity [J]. Journal of Adolescence, 2024, 97(3): 675–686. DOI: 10.1002/JAD.12444.

[39]. 39.Flynn K, Stimpson K, Brown S, et al. A qualitative service evaluation of the introduction of single session therapy for families in a child and adolescent mental health service in England, United Kingdom [J]. Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice, 2024, 31(6): e14222. DOI: 10.1111/JEP.14222.

[40]. 40.Hagler M. Leaders in the history of clinical child and adolescent psychology past presidents series: Milton Shore (1974–1975) [J]. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, 2024, 53(6): 858–862. DOI: 10.1080/15374416.2024.2405811.

[41]. 41.Allen K, Trethewey P S, Mathews F, et al. Experiences of commissioning services for child and adolescent mental health in England (UK): A qualitative framework analysis [J]. BMJ Open, 2024, 14(10): e086403. DOI: 10.1136/BMJOPEN-2024-086403.

[42]. 42.Luo Y W. The relationship between adolescent social media use and negative emotions [J]. Education Review, 2022, (07): 91–98.

[43]. 43.Richelle J, Dow R B, Pasch M A, et al. Digital attention training: Improving the mental health and well-being of adolescent youth [J]. Creative Education, 2024, 15(10): 2151–2173. DOI: 10.4236/CE.2024.1510132.

[44]. 44.Gupta M, Ladegard K, Gupta N, et al. Antecedents and trajectories of the child and adolescent mental health crisis: Assimilating empirically guided pathways for stakeholders [J]. The Primary Care Companion for CNS Disorders, 2024, 26(5). DOI: 10.4088/PCC.24NR03747.

[45]. 45.Frisch M, Canale R, Yantz L C, et al. Autism or not? A case series of evaluation decision points in child and adolescent psychological assessment [J]. Applied Neuropsychology: Child, 2024: 11–12. DOI: 10.1080/21622965.2024.2418447.

[46]. 46.Liu N H. Research on influencing factors and strategies for adolescent mental health development [J]. Modern Communication, 2021, (08): 142–144.

[47]. 47.Conte G, Iorio D G, Esposito D, et al. Scrolling through adolescence: A systematic review of the impact of TikTok on adolescent mental health [J]. European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 2024, 34(5): 1–17. DOI: 10.1007/S00787-024-02581-W.

[48]. 48.Amenah A M, Ibrahim N, Tapsoba G D L, et al. Adolescent mental health services in West Africa: A comparative analysis of Burkina Faso, Ghana, and Niger [J]. Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health, 2024, 18(1): 130. DOI: 10.1186/S13034-024-00827-8.

[49]. 49.Borg E M, Heffer T, Willoughby T. Generational shifts in adolescent mental health: A longitudinal time-lag study [J]. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 2024, 54(4): 1–12. DOI: 10.1007/S10964-024-02095-3.

[50]. 50.Aggarwal N. Attending child and adolescent mental health services is a risk factor for developing bipolar and psychotic disorders in adulthood [J]. Evidence-Based Nursing, 2025. DOI: 10.1136/EBNURS-2025-104380.



21 Woodlands Close #02-10, Primz Bizhub,Postal 737854, Singapore

Email:editorial_office@as-pub.com