Digital Life Balance and Adolescent Flourishing: The Mediating Roles of Life Satisfaction and Self-Esteem

This study aimed to examine the association between digital life balance and flourishing in a sample of adolescents with a particular focus on the mediating roles of self-esteem and life satisfaction in the relationship between the two variables. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with a sample of 338 Romanian adolescents (mean age = 16.17 years; 66% girls) who completed measures of digital life balance (Digital Life Balance Scale), self-esteem (Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale), life satisfaction (Satisfaction with Life Scale), and flourishing (Flourishing Scale). Data were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The results showed that digital life balance was positively associated with flourishing both directly (β = 0.125) and indirectly through life satisfaction and self-esteem (β = 0.309). The total association was also significant (β = 0.434) (all p < 0.001). These findings suggest that digital life balance represents an important correlate of flourishing in adolescence.