Social Media Use and Marital Cohesion-Related Outcomes among Married Couples: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Global Evidence (2015–2026)
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Abstract
Social media and marital life increasingly intersect within contemporary family systems, yet robust evidence on whether this digital integration strengthens or undermines marital cohesion-related outcomes remains limited. The gap that the current systematic review and meta-analysis address is that no dedicated global meta-analysis has synthesised evidence on the topic of social media use and marital cohesion-related outcomes among married couples based on global studies published between 2015 and 2026. The research performed a thorough search of Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, PsycINFO, Google Scholar, and reference lists. The inclusion criteria were empirical quantitative studies that reported cohesion-related outcomes in married couples. The quality of the studies was evaluated with the help of the JBI Critical Appraisal Tools. The effect sizes were transformed to the Fisher z and pooled with a random-effects model. Heterogeneity was assessed using Cochran’s Q, I², and τ². Exploratory subgroup analysis was conducted by type of digital exposure, while publication-bias assessment was interpreted cautiously because fewer than ten studies were included in the primary meta-analysis. The results indicate that there is a weak negative correlation between the use of social media and marital cohesion-related outcomes, and the heterogeneity of the results is significant between studies. Routine or communication-oriented shared use showed negligible or slightly positive associations with marital cohesion-related outcomes, whereas problematic, excessive, intrusive, or conflict-related use demonstrated stronger negative associations. These results indicate that social media is not always positive or negative to married couples; instead, its relational effects are determined by the use of social media, the context of use, and the patterns of behaviour. The review offers the initial dedicated international synthesis of this evidence base and identifies the necessity to tackle problematic digital behaviours, enhance couple communication skills, and create family policies that acknowledge intimate relationships as an important area of technology influence.
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