Online social networking in adolescence: patterns of use in six European countries and links with psychosocial functioning

Association of Childhood Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder With Adolescent Traditional and Cyberbullying Victimization in the Digital Generation: A Population-Based Cohort Study

PURPOSE

This population-based cohort study aimed to examine the association with childhood attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and bullying experiences during adolescence among Digital Generation individuals, exploring both traditional and cyberbullying.

METHODS

This study included data from 15,240 participants, collected from the Taiwan Adolescent to Adult Longitudinal Study project. Participants, initially in seventh and 10th grade in 2015, were selected through a multistage stratified sampling approach. Self-report questionnaires assessed traditional and cyberbullying victimization experiences during adolescence, with 5-year longitudinal follow-up. Childhood ADHD diagnoses were identified by linking data to Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database from 2000 to 2015. Logistic regression models were employed to examine the relationship between childhood ADHD and bullying victimization while controlling for relevant covariates.

RESULTS

Individuals diagnosed with childhood ADHD exhibited a significantly higher likelihood of experiencing bullying during adolescence (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 1.52, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.28-1.80). This association extended to various forms of bullying, including physical (aOR = 1.42, 95% CI: 1.20-1.68), verbal (aOR = 1.42, 95% CI: 1.20-1.67), relational (aOR = 1.45, 95% CI: 1.22-1.71), and cyber (aOR = 1.35, 95% CI: 1.14-1.61). Additional factors positively associated with bullying victimization included male, binge drinking, and depression, while a positive campus atmosphere was protective against bullying. However, there is no evidence for interactions between these factors and ADHD in their associations with bullying.

DISCUSSION

Childhood ADHD increases the risk of both traditional and cyberbullying during adolescence. Recognizing this risk is essential for targeted interventions and further research on underlying mechanisms.

The Research on Risk Factors for Adolescents' Mental Health

There is a growing tendency for mental health disorders to emerge during adolescence. These disorders impair emotional, cognitive, and behavioral functioning, such as unsatisfying peer relationships, disruptive behavior, and decreased academic performance. They also contribute to vulnerability in later adulthood which negatively influences life-long well-being. Thus, research into etiology is imperative to provide implications for prevention and intervention within family and school practices. It is suggested that the onset of psychological disorders, such as depression and anxiety, is closely related to stress levels and patterns of stress reaction. Therefore, considerable research has investigated the link between hereditary factors, economic status, dispositional vulnerability, social relationships, and stress levels. The current study examines existing evidence and identifies multifaceted risk factors for adolescents' mental problems across three layers, including individual traits and personality, family status and practices, as well as peer relationships, and school climate. It is also suggested that factors from these three perspectives interact and are closely interconnected, directly or indirectly contributing to adolescent psychopathology. The implications for future development of prevention and intervention programs, as well as therapy, are discussed.

A scoping review of social media in child, adolescents and young adults: research findings in depression, anxiety and other clinical challenges

BACKGROUND

Social media and other technologies are reshaping communication and health.

AIMS

This review addresses the relationship between social media use, behavioural health conditions and psychological well-being for youth aged <25 years.

METHOD

A scoping review of 11 literature databases from 2000 to 2020 explored research studies in youth in five areas: clinical depression and anxiety, quantitative use, social media mode, engagement and qualitative dimensions and health and well-being.

RESULTS

Out of 2820 potential literature references, 140 met the inclusion criteria. The foci were clinical depression and anxiety disorders (n = 78), clinical challenges (e.g. suicidal ideation, cyberbullying) (n = 34) and psychological well-being (n = 28). Most studies focused on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube. Few studies are longitudinal in design (n = 26), had comparison groups (n = 27), were randomised controlled trials (n = 3) or used structured assessments (n = 4). Few focused on different youth and sociodemographic populations, particularly for low-income, equity-seeking and deserving populations. Studies examined association (n = 120; 85.7%), mediating (n = 16; 11.4%) and causal (n = 4; 2.9%) relationships. Prospective, longitudinal studies of depression and anxiety appear to indicate that shorter use (≤3 h/day) and purposeful engagement is associated with better mood and psychological well-being. Depression may predict social media use and reduce perception of support. Findings provide families, teachers and providers ways to engage youth.

CONCLUSIONS

Research opportunities include clinical outcomes from functional perspective on a health continuum, diverse youth and sociodemographic populations, methodology, intervention and privacy issues. More longitudinal studies, comparison designs and effectiveness approaches are also needed. Health systems face clinical, training and professional development challenges.

Heavy social media use and psychological distress among adolescents: the moderating role of sex, age, and parental support

Background

Despite increasing evidence that social media use is associated with adolescents' mental well-being, little is known about the role of various factors in modifying the effect of this association during adolescence. This study examined the association between social media use and psychological distress among adolescents and explored whether sex, age, and parental support moderate this association.

Methods

Data came from a representative sample of middle and high school students in Ontario, Canada. Cross-sectional analyses included 6,822 students derived from the 2019 Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey.

Results

Our results showed that 48% of adolescents used social media for 3 h or more per day, and 43.7% had moderate to severe psychological distress, with a higher prevalence among females (54%) than males (31%). After adjustment for relevant covariates, heavy social media use (≥3 h/day) was associated with increased odds of severe psychological distress [odds ratio (OR): 2.01; 95% confidence interval (CI):1.59-2.55]. The association of social media use with psychological distress was modified by age (p < 0.05) but not sex or parental support. The association was stronger among younger adolescents.

Conclusion

Heavy social media use is associated with higher levels of psychological distress, with younger adolescents being the most vulnerable. Longitudinal studies are recommended for future research to examine in more depth the role of sex, age, and parental support in the association between social media use and psychological distress to better determine the strength and of the association.

Scrolling Through the COVID-19 Pandemic: Exploring the Perceived Effects of Increased Social Media Use on the Mental Health of Undergraduate University Students

Social media has become increasingly integrated into the lives of students for the past decade; however, the public health restrictions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic have led to a sharp increase in social media use in a short period of time. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of social media use on university students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Fifteen students from a mid-sized Canadian city were interviewed to share their experiences with social media during the COVID-19 pandemic. Purposive sampling was conducted to gather a diverse sample of participants, including individuals of various ages, gender and sexual identities, and ethnicities. Thematic analysis on the 15 interviews was completed using NVivo (version 12). Participants experienced both advantages and disadvantages associated with social media use. Ease of communication and stress relief were acknowledged as the strongest benefits. Social comparison, loneliness, development of bad habits, and lack of focus were cited as major disadvantages to social media use during the pandemic. Cost-benefit analysis of social media was common, and participants expressed the importance of using social media with moderation, balance, and awareness. Our study indicates that the focus on health with respect to the pandemic should not be solely based on physical health, rather the potential mental health risks associated with social media use during the pandemic should be recognized and addressed by healthcare providers.

Factors of heavy social media use among 13-year-old adolescents on weekdays and weekends

BACKGROUND

Few studies have investigated which factors were related to adolescents' social media use. This study aimed to evaluate which factors were associated with heavy social media use on weekdays and weekends among 13-year-old adolescents.

METHODS

We analyzed data from 3727 children from the Generation R Study, a population-based cohort study in the Netherlands. Associations of demographic factors (child age, sex, ethnic background, and family situation), socioeconomic position (parental educational level, parental employment status, and net household income), screen-based behaviors (computer playing and TV viewing), and the home environment (communication, supervision, and restriction) with adolescents' heavy social media use (≥ 2 hours/day) were assessed separately on weekdays and weekends. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was applied.

RESULTS

The prevalence of heavy social media use was 37.7% on a weekday and 59.6% on a weekend day. Being a girl, living in a one-parent family, and more time spent playing on the computer were associated with heavy social media use on weekdays and weekends (all P < 0.05). Low socioeconomic position adolescents (low parental educational level and low household income) were more likely to show heavy social media use only on weekends (all P < 0.05). Children whose social media use was restricted by parents on weekdays or children whose social media use was supervised by parents on weekends had lower odds of heavy social media use (all P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Being a girl, living in a one-parent family, or having a longer computer playing time were associated with heavy social media use on weekdays and weekends. More studies are needed to understand the factors associated with heavy social media use and the impact of heavy social media use on child health.

Sense of Belonging at School and on Social Media in Adolescence: Associations with Educational Achievement and Psychosocial Maladjustment

Belongingness is a key factor in the psychological development and school adjustment of children and adolescents. Going beyond the existing literature, the present study evaluated the association between two sources of belongingness, namely sense of belonging at school (SOBAS) and on social media (SOBOSM), and both psychological maladjustment and educational achievement. Sample consisted of 698 early-to-late adolescents (52.3% female, mean age = 13.79 ± 2.09). Both SOBAS and SOBOSM showed negative direct associations with psychological maladjustment. SOBOSM showed a negative direct association with educational achievement. Social media addiction mediated the links between both SOBAS and SOBOSM and psychological maladjustment and education achievement. Overall, findings suggest that adolescents reporting high sense of belonging both at school and on social media may at lower risk for psychological maladjustment. However, adolescents reporting low SOBAS and high SOBOSM may also be a greater risk of SMA, possibly impacting their psychological health and school adjustement.

Premorbid Personality Traits as Risk Factors for Behavioral Addictions: A Systematic Review of a Vulnerability Hypothesis

The debate on personality structure and behavioral addictions is an outstanding issue. According to some authors, behavioral addictions could arise from a premorbid personality, while for others, it could result from a pathological use of technological tools. The current study aims to investigate whether, in the latest literature, personality traits have been identified as predictors of behavioral addictions. A literature search was conducted under the PRISMA methodology, considering the most relevant studies of the five-factor model from the past 10 years. Overall, most studies on addiction, personality traits, and personality genetics proved that behavioral addiction may be an epiphenomenon of a pre-existing personality structure, and that it more easily occurs in vulnerable subjects with emotional instability, negative affects, and unsatisfactory relationships with themselves, others, and events. Such neurotic personality structure was common to any addictive behavior, and was the main risk factor for both substance and behavioral addictions. Therefore, in clinical and educational contexts, it becomes crucial to primarily focus on the vulnerability factors, at-risk personality traits, and protective and moderating traits such as extroversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and openness to experience; meanwhile, treatment of behavioral addictions is frequently focused on overt pathological behaviors.

Parents Rate Problematic Video Streaming in Adolescents: Conceptualization and External Assessment of a New Clinical Phenomenon Based on the ICD-11 Criteria of Gaming Disorder

In recent years, video streaming (VS) increased substantially. Adolescents are at significant risk of presenting problematic VS patterns associated with a spectrum of mental-health difficulties. Because VS platforms rely on similar mechanisms as digital games, the ICD-11 criteria for Gaming Disorder (GD) have been successfully implemented to measure Streaming Disorder (StrD) in adolescents. For proper diagnoses, external rating scales are urgently required in addition to self-reports. The Streaming Disorder Scale for Parents (STREDIS-P) was created and validated in a representative sample of n = 891 adolescent-parent dyads. Mental health problems were assessed with standardized instruments. Confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to examine the underlying factor structure. Cutoff scores were determined using ROC analysis. Accordance between parental and adolescents' self-ratings was calculated. Consistent with the results of previous validation studies for screening instruments assessing similar phenomena based on ICD-11-GD criteria, two factors, cognitive-behavioral symptoms and negative consequences, were confirmed. STREDIS-P demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency, criterion validity, and discriminatory power. Accordance with adolescents' self-ratings was moderate. STREDIS-P is the first screening tool for assessing StrD in adolescents by parental ratings. It is highly relevant for conceptualizing a new phenomenon in clinical routine and academic research.

Social media use and body image issues among adolescents in a vulnerable Louisiana community

Widespread concern has been expressed regarding unrealistic body image and adolescent eating disorder promoting content on social media (SM) platforms. Numerous research studies have examined the impact of SM on body image as well as social vulnerability on negative mental health outcomes. Despite this, few previous studies have examined the impact of SM on body image specifically in vulnerable, underserved, or predominantly minority communities. This study examines the impact of SM on body image issues (BII) in adolescents in a public school system where greater than 50% of the students live in impoverished households. In late 2019, high school student leaders in Northwest Louisiana developed a survey alongside Step Forward, a collective impact initiative. Questions investigated adolescent SM use and mental health in Caddo Parish, namely BII. Teachers within Caddo Parish Public School System administered the survey. Out of the 11,248 total high school students in the school system, nearly 50% were sampled for a sample size of 5,070. Hypotheses included: (1) females were more likely to use SM than males, (2) increasing time spent on SM would correlate with females reporting BII, with males remaining largely unaffected, and (3) highly visual social media (HVSM) platforms would be associated with greater reports of BII than non-HVSM platforms. Results showed females were more likely to use SM (p < 0.001) and report BII (p < 0.001) compared to males, while both sexes reported BII with increasing time spent on SM (p < 0.001). A diversity of platforms were associated with increased BII among SM users compared to non-users (p < 0.001): Pinterest, Reddit, Snapchat, TikTok, Twitter, and YouTube. This conclusion is tempered by the omission of race as a variable in the study design, the use of self-report, and the use of an unvalidated instrument. These findings suggest that the harmful association between SM use and BII may transcend culture and socioeconomic status for a broadly deleterious effect on adolescent mental wellbeing.

Social Media Use and Health-Related Quality of Life Among Adolescents: Cross-sectional Study

BACKGROUND

Using social media is a time-consuming activity of children and adolescents. Health authorities have warned that excessive use of social media can negatively affect adolescent social, physical, and psychological health. However, scientific findings regarding associations between time spent on social media and adolescent health-related quality of life (HRQoL) are not consistent. Adolescents typically use multiple social media platforms. Whether the use of multiple social media platforms impacts adolescent health is unclear.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between social media use, including the number of social media platforms used and time spent on social media, and adolescent HRQoL.

METHODS

We analyzed the data of 3397 children (mean age 13.5, SD 0.4 years) from the Generation R Study, a population-based cohort study in the Netherlands. Children reported the number of social media platforms used and time spent on social media during weekdays and weekends separately. Children's HRQoL was self-reported with the EuroQol 5-dimension questionnaire-youth version. Data on social media use and HRQoL were collected from 2015 to 2019. Multiple logistic and linear regressions were applied.

RESULTS

In this study, 72.6% (2466/3397) of the children used 3 or more social media platforms, and 37.7% (1234/3276) and 58.3% (1911/3277) of the children used social media at least 2 hours per day during weekdays and weekends, respectively. Children using more social media platforms (7 or more platforms) had a higher odds of reporting having some or a lot of problems on "having pain or discomfort" (OR 1.55, 95% CI 1.20 to 1.99) and "feeling worried, sad or unhappy" (OR 1.99, 95% CI 1.52 to 2.60) dimensions and reported lower self-rated health (β -3.81, 95% CI -5.54 to -2.09) compared with children who used 0 to 2 social media platforms. Both on weekdays and weekends, children spent more time on social media were more likely to report having some or a lot of problems on "doing usual activities," "having pain or discomfort," "feeling worried, sad or unhappy," and report lower self-rated health (all P<.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings indicate that using more social media platforms and spending more time on social media were significantly related to lower HRQoL. We recommend future research to study the pathway between social media use and HRQoL among adolescents.

The effect of social media on the development of students’ affective variables

The use of social media is incomparably on the rise among students, influenced by the globalized forms of communication and the post-pandemic rush to use multiple social media platforms for education in different fields of study. Though social media has created tremendous chances for sharing ideas and emotions, the kind of social support it provides might fail to meet students’ emotional needs, or the alleged positive effects might be short-lasting. In recent years, several studies have been conducted to explore the potential effects of social media on students’ affective traits, such as stress, anxiety, depression, and so on. The present paper reviews the findings of the exemplary published works of research to shed light on the positive and negative potential effects of the massive use of social media on students’ emotional well-being. This review can be insightful for teachers who tend to take the potential psychological effects of social media for granted. They may want to know more about the actual effects of the over-reliance on and the excessive (and actually obsessive) use of social media on students’ developing certain images of self and certain emotions which are not necessarily positive. There will be implications for pre- and in-service teacher training and professional development programs and all those involved in student affairs.

Effects of WeChat use on the subjective health of older adults

Objectives

In this study, the effect of WeChat use on the subjective health of older adults was examined.

Methods

Using 2018 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) survey data, we attempted to rule out potential endogeneity bias by employing instrumental variable regression to estimate the effects of WeChat use on the health of older individuals. Mobile phone price was chosen as the instrumental variable, and the health of older adults was measured from two aspects: self-rated health and the Center for Epidemiological Studies of Depression Scale (CES-D10).

Results

WeChat use has a significant positive impact on the subjective health of older adults and can significantly improve their self-rated health and mental health status. WeChat use has significant positive effects on the subjective health of both older men and women, but relatively younger older adults obtain more health benefits from WeChat use.

Conclusion

The virtual social participation prompted by WeChat use affects the health of older adults. This finding provides a reference for promoting the active integration of older adults into digital life.

Association between WeChat Use and Memory Performance among Older Adults in China: The Mediating Role of Depression

Changes to memory performance in the course of aging may be influenced by behavioral factors. The use of social media among elderly people is increasing, but studying its effect on cognitive functions such as memory remains at an early stage of development. Meanwhile, the linking mechanisms underlying the association between social media use and memory performance, if any exist, have not been revealed. This study attempted to examine the association between the use of WeChat, the most popular social media platform in China, and memory performance among older people, and to test the possible mediating role of depression underlying this association. Data were drawn from the five-wave survey of the China Family Panel Study (CFPS), and 4929 respondents aged 60 or older (mean age = 68.19, SD = 5.84, 48.2% females) were included. Based on the descriptive statistics, the chi-squared test, Student’s t-test, correlation analysis, and mediation analysis were conducted. The results indicated that the usage rate of WeChat among the sample was 20.1%. After controlling for demographic variables, the use of WeChat was related to higher levels of memory performance and lower levels of depression. Moreover, depression partially mediated the relationship between WeChat use and memory performance. To maintain memory performance and promote cognitive health in the course of aging, using social media and alleviating depression merit special attention.

Applying ICD-11 criteria of Gaming Disorder to identify problematic video streaming in adolescents: Conceptualization of a new clinical phenomenon

Background and aims

Internet video streaming (VS) has become a popular leisure activity among the majority of adolescents, especially under the COVID-19 pandemic. Research on binge watching patterns in adults suggests an addictive potential of VS. To date, no unified conceptualization on problematic VS and no standardized assessment tools for adolescents exist even though they might be especially vulnerable.

Methods

STREDIS-A is based on the ICD-11 criteria of gaming disorder. It was validated in a representative sample of 959 dyads of 10- to 17-year old adolescents with frequent VS and a respective parent using standardized questionnaires on Internet addiction, depressive and anxiety symptoms, insomnia, loneliness, and academic performance in an online survey. Item structure was investigated by factorial analyses. Cutoffs were estimated and latent profile analysis was performed.

Results

The two-factorial structure of STREDIS-A describes cognitive-behavioral symptoms and negative consequences of VS. Internal consistency and criterion validity were good to excellent. It could excellently discriminate between affected and non-affected adolescents.

Discussion and conclusions

The present study makes a significant contribution to the conceptualization of a new phenomenon. It provides the very first tool to assess streaming disorder in adolescents for clinical and research settings. Clinical validation is highly warranted.

Peer Facilitators as Core Co-developers of an Online Peer Encouragement Network (OPEN2chat) for Austrian Adolescents

Adolescence is a crucial developmental time, and it is essential to ensure stable mental health during the transition to adulthood. Peer-to-peer networks seem to be a promising tool to support adolescents during that time. While co-development often concentrates on the end-user, this paper focuses on the peer facilitators of an online peer encouragement network (OPEN2chat), where adolescents can chat with peer facilitators about their problems. We conducted 3 group discussions with 18 peer facilitators after a testing phase to improve the process of these interactions. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data after transcription. The four main themes were the responsibility of the peer facilitators toward their peers, especially their role of giving advice; the interaction process itself; time management; and technology aspects of the application. Including these stakeholders in the development process empowered the young people, helped eliminate problems with the application, and made the researchers more sensitive toward potential issues and emotions that peer facilitators encounter that may have been missed without a co-development process. Eliminating these problems might also help establish a better environment and support system for the actual end-users.

Excessive use of social media by high school students in southern Brazil

OBJECTIVE

To assess the prevalence of excessive use of social media and associated factors, as well as possible health consequences in high school students in southern Brazil.

METHODS

This is a population-based cross-sectional study, conducted with high school students in the city of Rio Grande, RS. All students who were attending high school at the Federal Institute of Rio Grande do Sul, campus Rio Grande, were eligible for this research in the second semester of 2019. In total, 513 students participated in the study. The dependent variable was excessive use of social media, defined as more than five hours per day. Descriptive and bivariate analyses were carried out and the Poisson regression was used to verify associations, with robust adjustment of variance.

RESULTS

The prevalence of students who reported excessive use of social media was 35.9%. The groups that were most susceptible to excessive use of social media had the following profile: female, black/brown skin, aged between 18 and 20 years old, attending the first year of high school. Excessive use of social media was shown to be associated with smoking, risk of depression, anxiety and stress, high risk of suicide and drug use.

CONCLUSIONS

More than a third of students used social media excessively. This behavior was associated with negative health outcomes.

Problematic Social Media Use in Adolescents and Young Adults: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Technology is ever evolving, with more and more diverse activities becoming possible on screen-based devices. However, participating in a heavy screen-based lifestyle may come at a cost. Our hypothesis was that problematic social media use increased the prevalence of mental health outcomes.

OBJECTIVE

This study seeks to systematically examine problematic social media use in youth and its association with symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress.

METHODS

A systematic search was conducted to identify studies in adolescents and young adults, using the databases Engineering Village, Psycinfo, Pubmed, and Web of Science. A total of 18 studies were identified, with a total of 9269 participants in our review and included in the meta-analysis.

RESULTS

Our metaregression shows moderate but statistically significant correlations between problematic social media use and depression (r=0.273, P<.001), anxiety (r=0.348, P<.001), and stress (r=0.313, P<.001). We did not find evidence of heterogeneity of these summary correlations by age, gender, or year of publication.

CONCLUSIONS

This study provides further evidence of the association between problematic social media use and negative mental health among adolescents and young adults and supports future research to focus on the underlying mechanisms of problematic use of social media.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

PROSPERO CRD42021222309; https://tinyurl.com/2p9y4bjx.

Social media use and health and wellbeing of LGBTQ youth: A systematic review (Preprint)

Background

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) individuals are at higher risk of poor mental health and well-being. Social media platforms can provide LGBTQ youths with a space that counters heteronormative environments and potentially supports mental health and well-being. Mental health includes an individual’s state of psychological and emotional well-being and not merely the absence of mental disorders.

Objective

We sought to identify how LGBTQ youths and adolescents use social media for connection with other LGBTQ peers and groups, identity development, and social support and how these affect mental health and well-being.

Methods

PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) procedures were used to guide this review. Searches were conducted in ACM Digital Library, CINAHL, Ovid Embase, Ovid MEDLINE, and Web of Science in March 2021. This review focused on LGBTQ youths aged 10 to 24 years. Included peer-reviewed studies must comprise social media; explore peer connection, identity development, or social support; and be published from 2012 onward. In total, 2 researchers extracted data and performed quality assessments independently using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale for quantitative articles and the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme for qualitative articles. Qualitative synthesis was performed on articles that satisfied the eligibility criteria.

Results

A total of 26 studies (n=15, 58% qualitative; n=8, 31% quantitative; n=3, 12% mixed methods) met the inclusion criteria. Of the 8 quantitative studies, 6 (75%) were cross-sectional, and 2 (25%) were cohort studies. All studies ranged from moderate to high quality. Social media was a popular tool used by LGBTQ youths to connect with LGBTQ communities. In qualitative data, we found that LGBTQ youths negotiated and explored identity and obtained support from peers on social media. Instagram, Tumblr, and Twitter were commonly used to access LGBTQ content owing to ease of anonymity. Identity management was the most studied social media affordance, important to LGBTQ youths for strategic disclosure. Key strategies for managing identities included being anonymous, censoring locations or content, restricting audiences, and using multiple accounts. Quantitative studies (3/8, 38%) showed that social media was associated with reduced mental health concerns and increased well-being among LGBTQ youths. Mental health concerns arising from social media use were attributed to discrimination, victimization, and policies that did not accommodate changed identities.

Conclusions

We found that social media may support the mental health and well-being of LGBTQ youths through peer connection, identity management, and social support, but findings were limited by weaknesses in the evidence. More robust and longitudinal studies are needed to determine the relationship between social media use and LGBTQ mental health, particularly among adolescents. The findings may inform interventions to promote social media health literacy and the mental health and well-being of this vulnerable group.

Trial Registration

PROSPERO CRD42020222535; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=222535

The relationship between problematic Internet use in adolescents and emotion regulation difficulty and family Internet attitude

The study aims to determine the relationship between problematic Internet use in adolescents and emotion regulation difficulty and family Internet attitude. The study used a descriptive and correlational design. The sample of the study consisted of 5916 students. The data were collected using the "Problematic Internet Use Scale," "Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale," "Internet Parental Style Scale." The total score on the Problematic Internet Use Scale was 55.41 ± 19.60 while the total score on the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale was 97.51 ± 17.84. Considering the Internet parental styles, it was found that 42.89% of the parents had a negligent attitude. According to the results of the logistic regression analysis performed, grade level was found to affect problematic Internet use. A highly significant correlation was found between problematic Internet use and emotional regulation difficulties and family control of family Internet attitude (p < 0.01). This study determined that adolescents' grade level and excessive Internet use of the father were effective in the problematic Internet use of the adolescents. Adolescents' difficulties in emotion regulation and the type of families' attitudes towards Internet use were associated with problematic Internet use. In accordance with these results, it can be recommended to form programs to decrease problematic Internet use.

A Double-Edged Impact of Social Smartphone Use on Smartphone Addiction: A Parallel Mediation Model

Evidence supports predictive roles of non-social smartphone use for smartphone addiction, but the relationship of social smartphone use and smartphone addiction is unclear. This study explored whether social smartphone use has a double-edged impact on smartphone addiction. Using data from a sample of 909 Chinese undergraduates, we tested a parallel mediation model that considered online social support and realistic social support as mediators. As predicted, social smartphone use weakened smartphone addiction through realistic social support and contributed to smartphone addiction through online social support. Moreover, we tested the moderating role of agreeableness in the mediation path of online social support. Agreeableness only moderated the indirect effects. Specifically, the predictive effects of online social support on smartphone addiction was greater for lower rather than higher agreeableness. The results suggest that social needs play an important role in the formation of smartphone addiction. Several limitations and implications are also discussed herein.

Cognitive behavioral intervention in dealing with Internet addiction among Arab teenagers in Israel

The current study examines the effectiveness of a cognitive-behavioral intervention program for improving self-control and reducing Internet addiction among Arab adolescents in Israel. The study sample included 160 students who were 7th to 9th graders, recruited from eight schools in northern Israel. All participants exhibited high scores on a questionnaire indicating elevated symptoms of Internet addiction. Students were randomized to one of two groups: the experimental group underwent a systematic intervention to reduce Internet addiction and the control group met once a week for a group conversation. The experimental group (n = 80) included 58 boys and 22 girls with an average age of 13.45 (SD = 1.46). The control group (n = 80) included 54 boys and 26 girls with an average age of 13.91 (SD = 1.92). Each intervention consisted of 8 sessions, with the experimental group receiving cognitive-behavioral treatment and the control group having a weekly classroom conversation. The results demonstrated preliminary efficacy for the intervention, as higher levels of self-control were reported among the experimental group (p < .01) but not the control group, and this contributed to a reduction in scores on the questionnaire assessing Internet addiction in the experimental group (p < .01). The findings suggest that cognitive-behavioral treatments may be a promising avenue for enhancing self-control and reducing symptoms of Internet addiction among this unique student population.

The Mental Health and Social Media Use of Young Australians during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Young people may be particularly vulnerable to the mental health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and may also be more likely to use social media at this time. This study aimed to explore young people’s mental health and social media use during the COVID-19 pandemic and examined their use of social media to seek and provide support for suicidal thoughts and self-harm during this period. Young people aged 16–25 (n = 371, M = 21.1) from the general population in Australia completed an anonymous, cross-sectional online survey advertised on social media from June to October 2020. Participants reported high levels of psychological distress, with over 40% reporting severe levels of anxiety and depression, and those with a mental health diagnosis were more likely to perceive the pandemic to have had a negative impact on their mental health. Gender-diverse participants appeared the most negatively impacted. Social media use was high, with 96% reporting use at least once a day, and two-thirds reporting an increase in social media use since the start of the pandemic. One-third had used social media to seek support for suicidal thoughts or self-harm, and half had used it to support another person. This study adds to a growing literature suggesting social media can provide an opportunity to support young people experiencing psychological distress and suicide risk. Uniquely, this study points to the utility of using social media for this purpose during high-risk periods such as pandemics, where access to face-to-face support may be limited. To promote the quality and safety of support provided on social media, resources for help-seekers and help-givers should be developed and disseminated. Social media companies must consider the vulnerability of some users during pandemics and do what they can to promote wellbeing and safety.

Validation of the Romanian Version of the Social Media Addiction Scale-Student Form (SMAS-SF) Among Undergraduate Medical Students

PURPOSE

Internet addiction is a recently recognized condition that has been linked to decreased academic performance, clinical symptoms of depression or anxiety, alongside decreased empathy levels. This study examined the validity and reliability of "the Social Media Addiction Scale - Student Form (SMAS-SF)".

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The final Romanian version of the questionnaire was tested in a focus group for the understandability of each question. For confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling, a sample of 649 students was recruited. A subsample of 67 undergraduate students was used to measure reliability by Cronbach's alpha and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC).

RESULTS

A 2-step confirmatory factor analysis was used and 4 factors emerged, similar to the original questionnaire: virtual tolerance, virtual problems, virtual information, and virtual communication, showing acceptable levels of fit. The structural equation modeling measured the structural relationship between measured variables and latent constructs and acknowledged that the 4-factor model had satisfactory levels for comparative fit index (0.916) and Tucker-Lewis index (0.897), root mean square error of approximation (0.062, with 95% CI between 0.055-0.069), and standardized root mean square residual (0.053). Values of Cronbach's alpha = 0.817 and ICC = 0.829 for the overall 16 item questionnaire were acceptable.

CONCLUSION

The Romanian version of the SMAS-SF is a reliable and valid tool to measure social media addiction among undergraduate medical students that may be further used in subsequent research.

Uso excessivo de redes sociais por estudantes de ensino médio do sul do Brasil

Resumo Objetivo: Avaliar a prevalência do uso excessivo de redes sociais e identificar os seus fatores associados em estudantes do ensino médio do Sul do Brasil. Métodos: Trata-se de um estudo transversal de base populacional. Foram elegíveis para esta pesquisa todos os estudantes que estavam cursando o ensino médio no Instituto Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, campus Rio Grande, no 2º semestre de 2019. No total, 513 alunos participaram do estudo. A variável dependente deste estudo foi o uso excessivo de redes sociais, definido como mais de cinco horas por dia. Foram realizadas análises descritivas e bivariadas e, para verificar as associações, foi utilizada a regressão de Poisson, com ajuste robusto da variância. Resultados: A prevalência de estudantes que relataram uso excessivo de redes sociais foi de 35,9%. Os grupos mais suscetíveis a usar excessivamente as redes sociais foram: sexo feminino, cor de pele preta/parda e faixa etária entre 18 e 20 anos. Houve associação entre uso excessivo de redes sociais com tabagismo, risco de depressão, ansiedade e estresse, risco elevado de suicídio e uso de drogas. Conclusões: Mais de um terço dos estudantes usava em excesso as redes sociais. Esse comportamento esteve associado com desfechos negativos em saúde.

Adolescents' Online Pornography Exposure and Its Relationship to Sociodemographic and Psychopathological Correlates: A Cross-Sectional Study in Six European Countries

The aim of the study was to assess the prevalence of online exposure to pornography in European adolescents and its relationship to sociodemographic and psychopathological correlates. A cross-sectional school-based survey of 10,930 adolescents (5211 males/5719 females), aged 14-17 years old (mean age 15.8 ± 0.7) was carried out in six European countries (Greece, Spain, Poland, Romania, the Netherlands, and Iceland). Anonymous self-completed questionnaires covered exposure to pornography, internet use and dysfunctional internet behavior, and psychopathological syndromes (measured by Achenbach's Youth Self-Report). The prevalence of any online exposure to pornography was 59% overall and 24% for exposure at least once a week. The likelihood of online exposure to pornography was greater in male adolescents, heavier internet users, and those who displayed dysfunctional internet behavior. Country-specific analyses confirmed that the gender effect existed in every country, although its strength varied, from an odds ratio of 1.88 in Poland to 14.9 in Greece. Online exposure to pornography was shown to be associated with externalizing problem scale scores, especially rule-breaking and aggressive behavior, but also associated with higher scores in competences, namely activities and social competence. Exposure to pornography is ubiquitous, more relevant to boys, and is associated with both positive qualities/competences and externalizing behavioral problems.

Trait Anxiety and Social Media Fatigue: Fear of Missing Out as a Mediator

Background

Interdisciplinary literature indicates different correlates of social media fatigue (hereinafter: SMF). Some studies show that high levels of anxiety may induce lowered Internet use and lead social media users to withdraw from Internet activities. Since the relationship between anxiety and social media use is complex, it is important to investigate mediating factors that may indirectly contribute to or exacerbate this association. Therefore, the main aim of this study is to verify whether fear of missing out (hereinafter: FoMO) is a potential factor accounting for why anxiety is associated with SMF.

Participants Methods and Data Collection

The research was conducted on a group of 264 adolescents and adults (85% women). The mean age of the respondents was M = 23.76 with SD = 5.98 (range = 14-50 years). The data were collected via online social networking among college students, their family members and friends. The participants answered the Trait Anxiety Scale (TAS), Social Media Fatigue Scale (SMFS), Fear of Missing Out Scale (FoMO), and  Revised Life Orientation Test (LOT-R).

Results

The outcomes showed that respondents with higher levels of trait anxiety report more intense cognitive, behavioral, emotional, and overall online fatigue. Concurrently, individuals who experience  FoMO on the Internet declare being tired of social media use. Moreover, FoMO mediates the association between trait anxiety and all three dimensions of SMF, and its overall result.

Conclusion

The present research increases our understanding of the possible role of apprehension related to missing out on the anxiety and fatigue connected to engagement in social media. It is possible to assess that trait anxiety might induce higher SMF when individuals experience a general apprehension that others are doing or having things that they do not.

Roles of Psychosocial Factors on the Association Between Online Social Networking Use Intensity and Depressive Symptoms Among Adolescents: Prospective Cohort Study

BACKGROUND

The potential mechanisms underlying the association between online social networking use intensity and depressive symptoms are unclear and underresearched.

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to investigate the potential roles of interpersonal psychosocial factors on the association between online social networking use intensity and depressive symptoms among early adolescents.

METHODS

A total of 4237 adolescents from a 9-month longitudinal study were included. Score changes (indicated as △) for the social function use intensity (SFUI) and entertainment function use intensity (EFUI) subscales of the Online Social Networking Activity Intensity Scale and for friendship quality, perceived family support, perceived friend support, parent-adolescent conflict, social nonconfidence, and depressive symptoms were analyzed. The potential mediation effects of unfavorable psychosocial factors and suppression effects of favorable psychosocial factors on the association of △SFUI with △CES-D and the association of △EFUI with △CES-D were tested using hierarchical regression models.

RESULTS

The association between △SFUI and △CES-D was partially mediated by △mother-adolescent conflict (mediation effect size 5.11%, P=.02) and △social nonconfidence (mediation effect size 20.97%, P<.001) but partially suppressed by △friendship quality, △perceived family support, and △perceived friend support, with suppression effects of -0.011 (P=.003), -0.009 (P=.003), and -0.022 (P<.001), respectively. The association between △EFUI and △CES-D was partially mediated by △social nonconfidence (mediation effect size 30.65%, P<.001) but partially suppressed by △perceived family support and △perceived friend support, with suppression effects of -0.036 (P<.001) and -0.039 (P<.001), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The association between online social networking use intensity and depressive symptoms was partially mediated through the indirect increase in social nonconfidence and mother-adolescent conflict; however, better perceived social support and friendship quality would partially compensate for the harmful impact of online social networking use intensity on depressive symptoms among early adolescents.

Association between the use of social networking sites and mental health of young generation in Bangladesh: A cross-sectional study

The social networking sites (SNS) are popular among people of all levels. Here we aimed to evaluate the relationship between the use of SNS and the mental health of the young generation in Bangladesh. We conducted this cross-sectional study among 791 subjects aged between 15 and 40 years. Self-reported questionnaires were used to collect demographics and SNS usage patterns of the respondents. We have measured the levels of loneliness, depression, generalized anxiety, and sleep disturbance using the recommended mental health assessment scales. The estimations of loneliness, depression, generalized anxiety, and sleep disturbance among the respondents were 64%, 38%, 63%, and 75%, respectively. Young adults, female sex, unmarried individuals, students, and urban residents reported higher psychological issues regarding the SNS use. Reported mental health issues were associated with time spent in SNS, the number of friends and groups connected with, personal beliefs, and feeling about SNS. A notable association between the use of SNS and the mental health issues of users has been ascertained. The present study findings might have significant implications in the field of clinical psychology and psychotherapy. Therefore, we recommend more comprehensive clinical interventions to find the tangible impact of SNS on the mental health of users.

Adolescent Sexting: The Role of Body Shame, Social Physique Anxiety, and Social Networking Site Addiction

The aim of this study was to analyze the relationship between body shame and participation in sexting among adolescents by examining the mediational roles of social physique anxiety and misuse of social networking sites (SNSs). Four hundred thirty-nine adolescents completed self-report measures for assessing their levels of body shame, social physique anxiety, SNS addiction symptoms, and sexting participation. Female adolescents reported higher scores in body shame, social physique anxiety, and SNS addiction symptoms, whereas male adolescents reported higher participation in sexting behaviors. In addition, gender did not moderate the relationship between body shame and higher sexting behaviors. Finally, the results showed an indirect (but not a direct) association between body shame and sexting behaviors through social physique anxiety and SNS addiction symptoms. These findings provide empirical evidence for the development of sexting prevention programs that are focused on body acceptance with the aim of reducing body shame, social physique anxiety, and SNS addiction.

Hooked on virtual social life. Problematic social media use and associations with mental distress and addictive disorders

Background

Social media is an important and growing part of the lives of the vast majority of the global population, especially in the young. Although still a young and scarce subject, research has revealed that social media has addictive potential. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to explore the associations between problematic use of social media and mental distress, problematic gaming and gambling, within the Swedish general population.

Methods

Data from 2,118 respondents was collected through self-report questions on demographics and validated scales measuring addiction-like experiences of social media, problem gaming, problem gambling, and mental distress. Associations were analyzed in unadjusted analyses and–for variables not exceedingly inter-correlated–in adjusted logistic regression analyses.

Results

In adjusted analyses, problematic use of social media demonstrated a relationship with younger age, time using instant messaging services, and mental distress, but not with education level, occupational status, or with treatment needs for alcohol or drug problems. Behavioral addictions (internet, gaming and gambling) were substantially inter-correlated, and all were associated with problematic use of social media in unadjusted analyses.

Conclusions

Social media use is associated with other addictive behaviors and mental distress. While factors of causality remain to be studied, these insights can motivate healthcare professionals to assess social media habits, for example in individuals suffering from issues concerning gambling, gaming or mental health.

Assessing Problematic Social Media Use in Adolescents by Parental Ratings: Development and Validation of the Social Media Disorder Scale for Parents (SMDS-P)

Background: The problematic use of social media (SM) is a rising phenomenon, especially in adolescents. It can be assessed by self-rating screeners such as the Social Media Disorder Scale (SMDS). However, young age or symptom denial might reduce adolescent assessment accuracy. Therefore, the development and validation of a parental scale (SMDS-P) is desirable. Method: A representative sample of 961 parents and corresponding frequently SM-using children aged 10 to 17 years participated in an online study. Factorial analyses were performed to determine item structure. Adolescents’ SMDS self-reports, SM usage time, emotional dysregulation, and academic performance were used to assess validity. The SMDS-P cut-off value was calculated by ROC-analysis. Results: A one-factorial structure of the SMDS-P could be confirmed. The internal consistency was good (Cronbach’s α = 0.85, McDonald’s ω = 0.88) and the accordance between parental and self-ratings moderate (kappa = 0.51). SMDS-P was positively associated with adolescents’ self-ratings (r = 0.68), SM usage time (r = 0.26) and frequency (ϱ = 0.16) as well as with emotional dysregulation (r = 0.35) in a highly significant manner. Conclusions: SMDS-P offers a promising new approach to assess problematic SM usage in adolescence. Further studies including clinical validations are required.

Stressful Life Events and Resilience During the COVID-19 Lockdown Measures in Italy: Association With Mental Health Outcomes and Age

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic, due to its disproportionated higher morbidity and mortality rates in the older age, has been considered to be a "geropandemic." Several studies, however, have found that older age is associated with lower psychological distress in relation to the COVID-19 outbreak and related lockdown measures. Aim: To explore the role of Resilience as a mediator between stressful COVID-19 related life events and depressive and, anxiety symptoms and perceived stress, and to ascertain the role of age as a moderator of the mediator's effect. Methods: An on-line survey was spread through social networks during the first lockdown in Italy. Depressive and anxiety symptoms and perceived stress were measured using the Italian version of the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Questionnaire-7 (GAD-7) and the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). Resilience was measured using the Italian version of the Resilience Scale for Adults (RSA). Stressful COVID-19 related life events were explored using a checklist of events derived from the International Adjustment Disorder Questionnaire (IADQ). After a preliminary panel of linear regressions, mediation was tested using Structural Equation Modeling and inspecting the bootstrapped indirect effects. Afterwards, age was introduced as a mediator of the indirect effect in a moderated mediation analysis. Results: Twenty one thousand three hundred and thirty four subjects completed the questionnaire, 17,178 (80.52%) were female, 748 (3.5%) were >60 years old. In the whole sample, the presence of any stressful event was associated with depressive and anxiety symptoms and perceived stress. Resilience mediated the effects of stressful COVID-19-related events on depressive and anxiety symptoms and perceived stress. The moderated mediation analysis revealed that age moderated the mediation effect of Resilience between the presence of a stressful event and the selected outcomes. Conclusion: Taken together, our results show that age moderates the mediating effect of Resilience in the relationship between COVID-19-related stressful events and depressive and anxiety symptoms and perceived stress. Older adults' Resilience was less influenced by stressful events, and this could be one of the reasons accounting for the better mental health outcomes observed in the older age.

Higher emotional investment in social media is related to anxiety and depression in university students

Objectives

Most studies that have reported the adverse effects of social media (SM) usage on mental health have been conducted on adolescents. Additionally, such studies have used frequency or duration as the only indicator of SM usage. The present study aims to relate SM usage (frequency, duration, and emotional investment) with anxiety, depression, and self-esteem in university students.

Methods

In this cross-sectional study, we adapted a non-probability convenience sampling technique. The data from 893 university students was collected through questionnaires, which were developed in Google forms and their links were shared in social media groups. The study tools used were Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Rosenberg self-esteem scale, Social Integration and Emotional Connection subscale of the Social Media Use Integration Scale. We recorded variables for overall SM use (volume and frequency), night-time specific SM usage, emotional investment in SM, anxiety, depression, and self-esteem levels. Based on the scores achieved in SM variables, participants’ data were classified into different quartiles.

Results

We found a significant positive correlation of emotional investment in SM with anxiety (r = 0.71; p-value < 0.001) and depression (r = 0.72; p-value 0.003). The results of the one-way ANOVA revealed significantly increased anxiety and depression scores (p-value 0.03 and 0.02, respectively) in quartile four versus quartile one. The probability or likelihood of being anxious and depressed significantly increased by factors of 1.76 and 1.48, respectively with per unit increase in emotional investment in SM.

Conclusion

Higher Emotional Investment in Social Media is related to Anxiety and Depression in University Students. The probability of being anxious and depressed significantly increases with per unit increase in emotional investment in SM.

Compulsive Internet and Prevalence Substance Use among Spanish Adolescents

This paper analyses compulsive Internet use among Spanish adolescents as measured by the Compulsive Internet Use Scale (CIUS) of the ESTUDES 2016 survey (national survey on drug use in secondary schools), which was recently added to the statistical programme of the Spanish National Plan on Drugs. We examined two subsamples of Spanish adolescents (those who suffer from compulsive Internet use and those who do not) while taking into account gender and age. Our general hypothesis was that adolescents who suffer from compulsive Internet use have a greater prevalence of alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, sedative, and new substance consumption as well as a greater prevalence of modes of consumption such as getting drunk, drinking with friends in public places (botellón), and binge drinking. While our results confirm these assumptions, they also suggest that gender and age play an ambivalent role in these associations.

Classification of probable online social networking addiction: A latent profile analysis from a large-scale survey among Chinese adolescents

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Problematic online social networking use is prevalent among adolescents, but consensus about the instruments and their optimal cut-off points is lacking. This study derived an optimal cut-off point for the validated Online Social Networking Addiction (OSNA) scale to identify probable OSNA cases among Chinese adolescents.

METHODS

A survey recruited 4,951 adolescent online social networking users. Latent profile analysis (LPA) and receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analyses were applied to the validated 8-item OSNA scale to determine its optimal cut-off point.

RESULTS

The 3-class model was selected by multiple criteria, and validated in a randomly split-half subsample. Accordingly, participants were categorized into the low risk (36.4%), average risk (50.4%), and high risk (13.2%) groups. The highest risk group was regarded as "cases" and the rest as "non-cases", serving as the reference standard in ROC analysis, which identified an optimal cut-off point of 23 (sensitivity: 97.2%, specificity: 95.2%). The cut-off point was used to classify participants into positive (probable case: 17:0%) and negative groups according to their OSNA scores. The positive group (probable cases) reported significantly longer duration and higher intensity of online social networking use, and higher prevalence of Internet addiction than the negative group.

CONCLUSIONS

The classification strategy and results are potentially useful for future research that measure problematic online social networking use and its impact on health among adolescents. The approach can facilitate research that requires cut-off points of screening tools but gold standards are unavailable.

Peer Pressure and SNS Addiction in Adolescents: The Mediating Role of SNS-Use Motives

The present research was carried out to clarify relationships between peer pressure, social networking site (SNS) addiction, and SNS-use motives in Korean adolescents. Adolescent SNS users ( N = 300, 52.70% female) completed self-report measures of peer pressure, SNS addiction, and SNS-use motives. Findings indicated that adolescents reporting more peer pressure had higher levels of SNS addiction. Moreover, the relationship between peer pressure and SNS addiction was mediated by coping and social-conformity use motives. Results are discussed in terms of implications for prevention and intervention, for adolescents facing peer pressure.

Unpacking Associations between Mood Symptoms and Screen Time in Preadolescents: a Network Analysis

Mounting evidence highlights the link between screen time and adolescent mood problems. However, there are several shortcomings to the extant literature: (1) this link is underexplored in preadolescents, (2) most existing studies look at mood problems using categorical diagnoses rather than from a symptom-level perspective, despite the heterogeneity within mood disorders, (3) few studies have simultaneously examined the links of mood symptoms with different types of screen time, and (4) family/child-level factors that have shown links to youth psychopathology are not typically considered. This study, for the first time, examined the relationships of mood symptoms with different types of screen time, while accounting for theoretically important factors-parental monitoring and the behavioral inhibition/activation systems (BIS/BAS)-in preadolescents aged 9 to 10 from 9986 families participating in the Adolescent Brain and Cognitive Development Study. Using mixed graphical models, we found that screen time involving age-inappropriate content was stably and significantly associated with various elevated mood symptoms, independent from other types of screen time, BIS/BAS, and parental monitoring. Additionally, age-inappropriate screen time was associated with increased overall symptom connectivity. Further, preadolescents engaged in high levels of age-inappropriate screen time reported different symptom profiles (i.e., differences in symptom centralities) from common pediatric mood problems. Our findings underline the multifaceted role (i.e., direct associations with symptoms, a moderator for symptom relationships, associations with distinct symptom profiles) of age-inappropriate screen time in preadolescent mood problems. These findings serve as foundations for future research that may facilitate early detection of preadolescents at risk of mood problems.

Classification of probable online social networking addiction: A latent profile analysis from a large-scale survey among Chinese adolescents

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Problematic online social networking use is prevalent among adolescents, but consensus about the instruments and their optimal cut-off points is lacking. This study derived an optimal cut-off point for the validated Online Social Networking Addiction (OSNA) scale to identify probable OSNA cases among Chinese adolescents.

METHODS

A survey recruited 4,951 adolescent online social networking users. Latent profile analysis (LPA) and receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analyses were applied to the validated 8-item OSNA scale to determine its optimal cut-off point.

RESULTS

The 3-class model was selected by multiple criteria, and validated in a randomly split-half subsample. Accordingly, participants were categorized into the low risk (36.4%), average risk (50.4%), and high risk (13.2%) groups. The highest risk group was regarded as "cases" and the rest as "non-cases", serving as the reference standard in ROC analysis, which identified an optimal cut-off point of 23 (sensitivity: 97.2%, specificity: 95.2%). The cut-off point was used to classify participants into positive (probable case: 17:0%) and negative groups according to their OSNA scores. The positive group (probable cases) reported significantly longer duration and higher intensity of online social networking use, and higher prevalence of Internet addiction than the negative group.

CONCLUSIONS

The classification strategy and results are potentially useful for future research that measure problematic online social networking use and its impact on health among adolescents. The approach can facilitate research that requires cut-off points of screening tools but gold standards are unavailable.

Cross-Sectional Study on Relationships Among FoMO, Social Influence, Positive Outcome Expectancy, Refusal Self-Efficacy and SNS Usage

Objectives: Use of social networking sites (SNS; i.e., Facebook or Instagram) is common, and people use SNS to communicate and share information. Literature indicates the extent of SNS usage could be influenced by fear of missing out (FoMO). FoMO means a process of appraisal and psychological need for SNS use. This study proposes a model that integrates three determinants of social cognitive theory (SCT) to explain the impact of FoMO on SNS usage. Design: A cross-sectional study was conducted using data from 259 participants recruited from a website. Main Outcome Measures: The analysis focused on FoMO, social influence, positive outcome expectancy, refusal self-efficacy, and SNS-related behavior cloud-based sites. Data are examined using descriptive analysis and structural equation modeling. Results: The proposed model reported proper goodness of fit. FoMO did not directly or indirectly impact SNS usage through the determinants of SCT. However, social influence and refusal self-efficacy had a direct effect. Conclusions: The roles of the three determinants of SCT vary by stage of SNS usage. FoMO and refusal self-efficacy are more strongly related with SNS addiction. Further research, particularly longitudinal and intervention studies, is needed to examine the effects of specific factors on SNS addiction.

What Media Helps, What Media Hurts: A Mixed Methods Survey Study of Coping with COVID-19 Using the Media Repertoire Framework and the Appraisal Theory of Stress

Background

Social and physical distancing in response to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has made screen-mediated information and communication technologies (media) indispensable. Whether an increase in screen use is a source of or a relief for stress remains to be seen.

Objective

In the immediate aftermath of the COVID-19 lockdowns, we investigated the relation between subjective stress and changes in the pattern of media use. Based on Lazarus’s transactional model of appraisal and coping, and building on an earlier similar survey, we hypothesize that individual differences in the appraisal of media predict variations in approach or avoidance of media for coping with COVID-19 stress.

Methods

Between March 20 and April 20, 2020, a brief snowball survey entitled: “What media helps, what media hurts: coping with COVID19 through screens” was distributed via Concordia University’s mailing lists and social media (PERFORM Centre, EngAGE Centre, and Media Health Lab). Using a media repertoire method, we asked questions about preferences, changes in use, and personal appraisal of media experiences (approach, avoid, and ignore) as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and investigated interindividual differences in media use by factors such as subjective stress, age, gender, and self-reported mental health.

Results

More than 90% of the survey respondents were in Canada and the east coast of the United States. From 685 completed responses, 169 respondents were “very stressed” and 452 were “slightly worried” about the pandemic. COVID-19 stress led to increased use of Facebook (χ²₃=11.76, P=.008), television (χ²₃=12.40, P=.006), YouTube (χ²₃=8.577, P=.04), and streaming services such as Netflix (χ²₃=10.71, P=.01). Respondents who considered their mental health “not good” were twice as likely to prefer streaming services as a coping tool for self-isolation. Women and nonbinary respondents were twice as likely than men to pick social media for coping. Individuals younger than 35 years were 3 times more likely to pick computer games, and individuals older than 55 years were more likely to pick network television or print media. Gender affected the appraisal of media (less in men than others) in terms of avoid (F_1,637=5.84, P=.02) and approach scores (F_1,637=14.31, P<.001). Subjective mental health affected the ignore score (less in those who said “good” than others; F_1,637=13.88, P<.001). The appraisal score and use increase explained variations in worrying about physical and mental health stress due to increased screen time. A qualitative analysis of open-ended questions revealed that media (especially social networks) were important for coping if they provided support and connection through the dissemination of factual and positive information while avoiding the overflow of sensational and false news.

Conclusions

The relationship between appraisal of media’s positive and negative facets vary with demographic differences in mental health resiliency. The media repertoire approach is an important tool in studies that focus on assessing the benefits and harms of screen overuse in different populations, especially in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Association between Internet Use Behavior and Palpitation among Adolescents: A Cross-Sectional Study of Middle School Children from Northwest Romania

PURPOSE

The use of the internet is a tool and media literacy has become an essential skill among adolescents. Related to this behavior, some adolescents evoke cardiovascular effects. The purpose of this study was to explore a possible correlation between internet use behavior and occurrence of palpitations and related symptoms among a representative cohort of adolescents from the north-west region of Romania.

METHOD

The study included students of seven middle schools from Northwest Romania. Participants completed an anonymous questionnaire consisting of 18 questions about internet use.

RESULTS

In total, 1147 students responded to the study. Mean duration of daily internet usage was 2.57 h during school time and 3.57 h during the holidays. A total of 77% of adolescents had more than one symptom related to internet use, and 11% of them reported palpitations and related symptoms. We found an independent relation between palpitation and urban background, palpitations and the internet usage time interval 20:00-24:00, and palpitations and tobacco smoking. Strong heartbeats were independently associated with the time interval 12:00-16:00, tobacco smoking, and energy drink consumption.

CONCLUSION

In our cohort, the most important factors associated with the occurrence of palpitations and related symptoms were the timeframe of internet usage and smoking.

The Role of Facebook Intrusion, Depression, and Future Time Perspective in Sleep Problems Among Adolescents

The main aim of the study was to examine the determinants of sleep problems including Facebook intrusion, depression, and future time perspective. The participants were 426 adolescents, aged M = 14.68. The Future Time Perspective Scale, the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, the Facebook Intrusion Questionnaire, and the Medical Outcomes Study Sleep Scale were used. It was found that FTP goals were a negative predictor of Facebook intrusion and depression was a positive predictor of Facebook intrusion and sleep problems. Additionally, Facebook intrusion turned out to contribute positively to sleep problems. The results contribute to knowledge on excessive social media use and its relations with mental health; they can be applied in the treatment of addictive social media use.

A cluster randomized controlled trial of the SoMe social media literacy body image and wellbeing program for adolescent boys and girls: Study protocol

Youth spend substantial time on social media, which can foster self-critical processes that increase risk of body dissatisfaction, disordered eating, and depressed mood. To date, there have been few investigations of interventions to decrease the negative impacts of social media engagement in adolescent boys and girls. This paper outlines the protocol for a cluster randomized controlled trial (RCT) of a four-lesson social media literacy program that was developed based on pilot results and aims to decrease body dissatisfaction, dietary restraint, and strategies to increase muscles. The RCT will be conducted with grades 7-8 students from Australian secondary schools. Using block randomization, grade levels within schools will be assigned to either the SoMe program (intervention) or health lessons as usual (control). Primary outcomes will be body satisfaction, dietary restraint, and strategies to increase muscles. Secondary outcomes will be self-esteem and depressed mood. Participants will complete assessments on four occasions - baseline, five-weeks post-baseline, and six- and 12-month post-baseline. Analyses will compare outcomes in the intervention compared to the control group. This study will be the first to implement a RCT design to evaluate the impact of a school-based social media literacy program designed to mitigate negative impacts of social media.

Normal and Maladaptive Personality Traits as Predictors of Motives for Social Media Use and Its Effects on Well-Being

This study aimed to identify the motives for social media sites use in the general population and determine what personality traits (normal and maladaptive) predict different motives for social media sites use. Another objective was to analyze which motives for SMSs use are related to well-being. The sample consisted of 420 subjects (211 men, 209 women), mean age 40.29 years (SD = 14.93). Data were gathered using the Big Five Inventory, the Personality Inventory for DSM-5-Brief Form -Adult, the Mental Health Continuum-Short Form, and a scale designed ad hoc to evaluate the motives for social media sites use. The results showed that the most frequent motives were Personal relationship maintenance/Search for information, Pastime/Exhibitionism, and Search for companionship. In addition, it was found that normal and, especially, maladaptive personality traits increased the explained variance for the three motives for social media sites use, beyond age and gender. Predictors of relationship initiation and pastime/exhibitionism motives were related to more negative features (e.g., antagonism and disinhibition) than predictors of personal relationship maintenance/search for information. Finally, personal relationship maintenance/search for information was positively related to all the components of well-being, while the other motives for social media sites use were negatively associated with well-being.