Consequences of Ghosting on the Mental Health of Adolescents and Young Adults: A Systematic Review
Keywords:
adolescents; interpersonal relations; young adult; mental health; systematic reviewAbstract
Introduction: Ghosting is a common practice in technology-mediated interpersonal relationships that raises concerns regarding its impact on the mental health of adolescents and young adults.
Objective: Synthesize available scientific evidence on the consequences of ghosting for the mental health of adolescents and young adults.
Methodology: A systematic review was conducted of articles published between 2016 and 2026 in Scopus, WoS, and ProQuest, including Open Access texts in Spanish and English. Thirty-nine records were identified, of which only two met the eligibility criteria.
Results: The studies showed that ghosting had a negative effect on mental health and on aspects of the social dimension, such as the need for belonging, social comparison, and social identity. However, no significant effect was found regarding aspects of the emotional dimension—such as life satisfaction, helplessness, and loneliness—although an effect was observed when analyzed in conjunction with other variables.
Conclusion: Ghosting is associated with various aspects of mental health, although its effects vary across cases, and available evidence remains limited, particularly regarding adolescents and young adults.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Christian Andrew Chavez Ayala, Evelin Milagros Irigoin Mendoza, Valeria Milagros Hernández Barrientos
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