Understanding youth drinking decline: Similarity and change in the function and social meaning of alcohol use (and non-use) in adolescent cohorts 20 years apart

INTRODUCTION

Qualitative research aimed at understanding the decline in youth drinking has so far been hampered by a lack of baseline data for comparison. This New Zealand study overcomes this limitation by comparing archival qualitative data collected at the height of youth drinking (1999-2001) with contemporary data collected for this study (June-October 2022). The aim is to explore changes in the function and social meaning of alcohol use (and non-use) for two cohorts about 20 years apart.

METHODS

Both archival and contemporary data were collected from 14 to 17 year old secondary school students (years 10-12) through individual and small-group/pair interviews in matched suburban co-ed schools. Interviews explored friendships, lifestyles, romantic relationships and experiences and perceptions of substance use and non-use.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Comparative analysis highlighted changes that may help to explain the decline in youth drinking, including an increased value placed on personal choice and acceptance of diversity; decreased face-to-face socialising and the emergence of social media as a central feature of adolescent social life, perhaps displacing key functions of drinking and partying; increased pervasiveness of risk discourses and increased awareness of health and social risks of alcohol; and increased framing of alcohol use as a coping mechanism by both drinkers and non-drinkers.

CONCLUSIONS

Collectively, these changes appear to have shifted the social position of drinking from an almost compulsory component of adolescent social life in 1999-2001, to an optional activity that many contemporary adolescents perceive to have high risks and few benefits.

Understanding and preventing the advertisement and sale of illicit drugs to young people through social media: A multidisciplinary scoping review

ISSUES

The sale of illicit drugs online has expanded to mainstream social media apps. These platforms provide access to a wide audience, especially children and adolescents. Research is in its infancy and scattered due to the multidisciplinary aspects of the phenomena.

APPROACH

We present a multidisciplinary systematic scoping review on the advertisement and sale of illicit drugs to young people. Peer-reviewed studies written in English, Spanish and French were searched for the period 2015 to 2022. We extracted data on users, drugs studied, rate of posts, terminology used and study methodology.

KEY FINDINGS

A total of 56 peer-reviewed papers were included. The analysis of these highlights the variety of drugs advertised and platforms used to do so. Various methodological designs were considered. Approaches to detecting illicit content were the focus of many studies as algorithms move from detecting drug-related keywords to drug selling behaviour. We found that on average, for the studies reviewed, 13 in 100 social media posts advertise illicit drugs. However, popular platforms used by adolescents are rarely studied.

IMPLICATIONS

Promotional content is increasing in sophistication to appeal to young people, shifting towards healthy, glamourous and seemingly legal depictions of drugs. Greater inter-disciplinary collaboration between computational and qualitative approaches are needed to comprehensively study the sale and advertisement of illegal drugs on social media across different platforms. This requires coordinated action from researchers, policy makers and service providers.

Snapchat Story-I Need a Heart Transplant: Benefits of Social Media Use in Serious Illness

Diagnosis of a serious illness among adolescents and young adults (AYAs) can be socially isolating. Social media platforms may provide a method for AYAs to communicate with peers about their health. The following is a case report of a 16-year-old male diagnosed with heart failure and undergoing heart transplant evaluation. During his prolonged hospitalization, he identified the social media platform, Snapchat, as a tool to communicate with his peers about his diagnosis, treatment, and hospital course. Social media may provide a means for coping and relationship building for AYAs in the setting of serious illness. Further exploration into understanding how AYAs use social media as a platform to process a serious illness may help providers to counsel patients and families about safe social media practice regarding information gathering and sharing online.

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.

Digital media use frequency, online behaviors, and risk for negative mental health in adolescents in high-achieving schools

Replicated evidence shows that adolescents enrolled in high-achieving schools exhibit elevated mental health problems relative to national norms, reflecting risk factors such as achievement and social pressures. The frequency of digital media use is similarly a potential risk factor for poor youth mental health, although mediators of this association have not been identified. 2952 youth from three high-achieving U.S. high schools reported the frequency of their digital media use as well as internalizing and externalizing problems and substance use. Using a multiple mediation framework, the frequency of social comparison, receiving negative feedback, and risky self-presentation online each uniquely mediated the association of digital media use with internalizing and externalizing problems in boys and girls; for substance use, risky self-presentation mediated this association in both boys and girls and negative feedback mediated substance use in girls only. Measurable online behaviors in the form of social comparison, negative feedback, and self-presentation may crucially underlie the association of digital media use frequency with socio-emotional development in adolescents. Implications for intervention focused on impacting online behaviors for improving youth mental health are discussed.

Problematic smartphone and social media use among undergraduate students during the COVID-19 pandemic: In the case of southern Ethiopia universities

BACKGROUND

Smartphone and social media use are supposed to be integral parts of university students' daily lives. More specifically, smartphones and social media are frequently used for communication in daily life during the COVID-19 pandemic. Nonetheless, uninterrupted and persistent use of these technologies may lead to several psychological problems. Even though smartphones and social media were used more frequently during the pandemic, there is no evidence suggesting that the studies were not undertaken in low-income countries, including Ethiopia. Therefore, the current study aimed to assess problematic smartphone use and social media use among undergraduate university students in southern Ethiopia.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was carried out among 1,232 university students using a simple random sampling technique. The Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale and Smartphone Application-Based Addiction Scale were used to collect data on social media and smartphone use, respectively. The Beck Depression Inventory, Generalized Anxiety Assessment Tool, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index were standardized tools used to measure other independent variables. To identify factors, simple and multiple linear regression analyses were performed. A p-value of 0.05 was used to determine statistical significance.

RESULTS

The overall response rate was 95%. The mean scores for problematic smartphone and problematic social media use were 17 ± 3.3/36 and 12.7 ± 2.2/30, respectively. A linear regression model revealed that being female, first-year students and poor sleep quality were significantly associated with problematic smartphone use. Factors associated with problematic social media use (PSMU) were depression, substance use, and urban residence.

CONCLUSIONS

This study identified significant problems with smartphone and social media use among university students. Therefore, it is preferable to provide psychological counselling, educate students about safe, beneficial, and healthy internet use, and focus on recognized high-risk groups in order to give them special attention. It is also preferable to seek counselling about substance use. It is preferable to regularly screen and treat individuals with psychological problems in collaboration with stakeholders.

Negative experiences, social exclusion and unwanted attention on social media: exploring the association with adolescent alcohol use

BACKGROUND

Adolescents' presence on Social Media (SoMe) facilitates peer connections making them susceptible to peer-influences and approval. Negative experiences on SoMe can affect adolescent stress and wellbeing, impelling their use of alcohol. This paper provides a novel understanding of the relationship between negative experiences on SoMe and key indicators of alcohol use in adolescents.

METHODS

Data was collected from upper secondary school students (n = 3528, ages 16-19, 45% boys) in Bergen (Norway) using a web-based questionnaire during school-hours in 2020 and 2021. Dependent variables were alcohol consumption, binge drinking and scoring ≥ 2 points on the CRAFFT instrument screening for substance use problems in adolescents. Independent variables were two scales indicating "negative acts and exclusion" and "unwanted attention from others". Covariates included age, gender, country of birth and subjective socioeconomic status. Results are presented as relative risk ratios (RRR), odds ratios (OR) and incidence rate ratios (IRR) with 95% confidence intervals.

RESULTS

Using multinomial logistic regression models, "negative acts and exclusion" and "unwanted attention" were positively associated with trying alcohol (OR: 1.50 (95% CI 1.28-1.76) and 1.86 (95% CI 1.66-2.09) respectively, both p ≤ 0.001), with frequency and amount of alcohol consumed. Findings from logistic regression models indicated that "negative acts and exclusion" and "unwanted attention" were positively associated with i. CRAFFT-caseness (OR: 2.13 and 1.86) and ii. frequent binge drinking (OR: 1.55 and 1.89).

CONCLUSION

Both exclusion and unwanted attention on SoMe were associated with indicators of problematic drinking, including frequency, quantity, and consequences related to alcohol.

The Association of Internet Use Intensity and Lifestyle Behaviors During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study in Chinese Adults

The COVID-19 pandemic substantially increased the intensity of internet use in humans, which has made public opinion around health and public perceptions of it more vital, and this phenomenon has had a significant impact on human lifestyle behavior. This study used cross-sectional data during the COVID-19 pandemic to explore how internet use intensity influenced lifestyle behaviors among adults, and compared the differences between samples of different ages. The findings showed that the internet use intensity among adults increased the probability of physical activity, staying up late, and high-quality eating behaviors, and that they had a statistically significant positive association. Such associations were also found in independent younger, middle-aged, and older samples. However, the internet use intensity elevated the probability of body weight gain only in the independent samples of younger, middle-aged, and older adults. Besides, internet use intensity was able to increase the probability of smoking & drinking only among the younger sample. Notably, the effect of internet use intensity on lifestyle behaviors, including body weight gain, physical activity, staying up late, and a high-quality diet, was strongest among the elderly, followed by the middle-aged, and weakest among the younger. In the process of rural and urban governance regarding citizens' health, public health agencies should remind citizens to spend a reasonable amount of time on internet use to reduce the probability of unhealthy lifestyle behaviors and improve their physical health.

Time spent on social media and alcohol use among adolescents: A longitudinal study

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Research into the association between use of social media (SoMe) and alcohol use among adolescents is still in its infancy. The aim of the current longitudinal study was to examine if time spent on SoMe was prospectively associated with alcohol use among adolescents, and whether these associations differed for boys and girls.

DESIGN

Prospective cohort study among Norwegian adolescents who completed e-questionnaires in the autumn of 2017 (t1), 2018 (t2), 2019 (t3) and 2020 (t4).

SETTING

Norway.

PARTICIPANTS

A nation-wide sample of N = 3096 adolescents (mean age at t1: 14.3 years (SD = 0.85), 43% boys).

MEASUREMENTS

Self-report data were collected on adolescents' alcohol use, time spent on SoMe, parental monitoring, sensation-seeking, and positive and negative urgency, gender, and age.

FINDINGS

Latent growth modelling adjusted for time invariant covariates (i.e., parental monitoring, sensation-seeking, and positive and negative urgency at t1) showed a positive association between time spent on SoMe and alcohol use at the start of the study; standardized b (β) = 0.17 (95% CI: 0.09, 0.26). Time spent on SoMe at t1 was a strong positive predictor of increase in alcohol use β = 0.31 (95% CI: 0.23, 0.40). There was also an association between degree of increase in alcohol use and increase in time on SoMe, β = 0.14 (95% CI: 0.05, 0.24). Subsequent multigroup analysis found little evidence for gender differences (p > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The more time Norwegian adolescents aged 13-15 years spend on SoMe, the greater is their subsequent increase in alcohol use over time.

Perceptions matter: speeding behavior varies as a function of increasing perceived exposure to content encouraging the behavior

OBJECTIVE

Speeding is a high-risk behavior that accounts for a significant number of crashes and fatalities across the globe. Prior research indicates that a relationship exists between exposure to speeding behavior (via one's peers or mass media) and subsequent engagement in the behavior. However, no study to date has quantified the perceived extent to which individuals are exposed to such content. Further, the impact of social media content on speeding behavior, relative to peer engagement and mass media sources, has not been investigated. Accordingly, this exploratory study aimed to: (a) quantify the self-reported extent to which the sample believe they were exposed to content encouraging speeding on social media, mass media and peer engagement in the behavior, and (b) examine whether speeding behavior varied as a function of increasing exposure to the behavior via these mediums.

METHODS

A total of 628 Queensland motorists with a Facebook account were included in this study. Participation involved completing an online survey of 20-25 minutes duration.

RESULTS

Consistent with previous research, half of the sample reported speeding more than 10% of the time they drive (n = 315). On average, participants believed they were exposed to content encouraging speeding behavior 40% of the time via mass media (e.g., television, movies or gaming) and 29% of the time on social media. In addition, they perceived their friends to exceed the speed limit 39% of the time. Finally, self-reported speeding behavior varied as a function of exposure, such that exposure levels were significantly higher in speeders than non-speeders.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings from this study suggest that perceptions concerning the frequency with which individuals are exposed to material encouraging speeding via mass media or social media, and their perceptions regarding their peers' engagement in the behavior, all correspond with engagement in speeding behavior. Future research is needed to disentangle the relative impact of such mediums on speeding behavior, and the levels of exposure required to induce behavior change on the road.

An examination of the role of changes in country-level leisure time internet use and computer gaming on adolescent drinking in 33 European countries

INTRODUCTION

Adolescent alcohol consumption has been declining in many high-income countries since the turn of this century. Research investigating the plausible explanations for these declines has been mostly based on individual-level studies, which are largely inconclusive. Changes in leisure time internet use and computer gaming (referred to in this article as 'computer activities') have been hypothesised to play a role in declining adolescent alcohol consumption at a country-level. The aim of this study was to examine the association between country-level changes over time in computer activities and adolescent drinking in 33 European countries.

METHODS

This is a multi-level repeated cross-national study examining the role of changes over time in country-level and individual-level computer activities on regular drinking. We utilised four waves of the European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Drugs (ESPAD) from 2003, 2007, 2011 and 2015. At an individual-level the primary exposure of interest was daily engagement in computer activities and aggregated means were used to measure country-level daily computer activities in each included country. Data were analysed using three-level hierarchical linear probability methods.

RESULTS

In the fully adjusted model, for between individual effects, we found significant positive association between daily computer activities and regular drinking (β = 0.043, p-value <0.001 and 95% CI = 0.033-0.054). However, at a country-level, we did not find any association between within-country changes in daily computer activities and regular drinking (β = 0.031, p-value = 0.652 and 95% CI = -0.103-0.164.

CONCLUSION

Findings from this study suggest that broad cultural shifts towards increased computer-based activities among adolescents has played a little or no role in declining adolescent drinking. Future research should be directed towards examining other high-level cultural changes which may have influenced cross-national reductions in adolescent drinking.

“#BingeDrinking: Using Social Media to Understand College Binge Drinking (Preprint)

Background

Objective

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Modern lifestyle risks associated with alcohol consumption and cigarette smoking in Ukraine

Background

Substance uses confer huge risks for public health in modern society. This study aimed to evaluate current factors related to alcohol drinking and tobacco smoking in the republic of Ukraine.

Methods

We distributed a questionnaire to healthy volunteers in four Ukrainian regions and collected 929 responses regarding demographic information, reasons for starting substance use, substance use family history, environmental factors, use pattern (internet, drinking or smoking), consequences of drinking, and insomnia. Linear regression and logistic regression analyses were performed to identify factors related to alcohol drinking and cigarette smoking.

Results

Aging appeared to attenuate either drinking or smoking. To reduce school- or job-related stress, staying awake, peer pressure, friend-related issues, or to increase sexual desire and single parenting all would trigger drinking; male gender, family divorce, unhealthy diet and lack of awareness about harmful consequences were the main factors leading to smoking. Logistic regression suggested that education background, sleep problems, celebration events and lengthy internet work all could contribute to drinking.

Conclusions

Various real-world factors related to substance uses were identified for the public of Ukraine. A validated instrument would help to identify risk factors in patients with substance use disorders.

Drinking and Social Media Use Among Workers During COVID-19 Pandemic Restrictions: Five-Wave Longitudinal Study

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic restricted everyday life during 2020-2021 for many people worldwide. It also affected alcohol consumption patterns and leisure activities, including the use of social media.

Objective

The aim of this study was to analyze whether social media use predicts increased risky drinking over time and during the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions in particular.

Methods

This 5-wave longitudinal survey study, based on a nationwide sample of workers, was conducted in Finland in 2019-2021. A total of 840 respondents (male: 473/840, 56.31%; age range 18-64 years; mean age 43.90, SD 11.14 years) participated in all 5 waves of the study. The outcome variable was risky drinking, measured using the 3-item Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT-C). Multilevel linear hybrid modeling enabled the investigation of both within-person and between-person effects. Predictors included social media use and communication, involvement in social media identity bubbles, psychological distress, and remote working. Controls included sociodemographic factors and the Big Five personality traits.

Results

Increased involvement in social media identity bubbles was associated with an increase in risky drinking behavior. Of all social media platforms examined, online dating app use was associated with riskier use of alcohol over time during the COVID-19 crisis. Daily social media communication with colleagues about nonwork topics was associated with risky drinking. Female gender, younger age, university education, nonindustrial occupational field, conscientiousness, agreeableness, and neuroticism were associated with lower levels of risky drinking.

Conclusions

Social media use during a pandemic carries some risks for alcohol consumption. Involvement in social media identity bubbles and online dating are risk factors for excessive drinking during the COVID-19 pandemic.

[Measuring adolescents' use of social media: A systematic review]

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this review was to provide an overview of the methods used to measure social network site use among adolescents. Such a review is important given the number and diversity of sites and the prevalence of their use among adolescents.

METHODS

A systematic review of the literature was conducted in line with PRISMA guidelines to arrive at an analysis of 58 peer-reviewed studies indexed in PubMed, PsychInfo, or Scopus. To be included in the review, articles had to be peer-reviewed, available in full text, and published in French or English. For inclusion, studies were required to pertain to adolescents aged between 11 and 18 years; to focus on social network site use and indicate how their use was estimated. Studies that simultaneously examined social network sites and general internet use or video games and only provided a combined analysis were excluded. The keywords for the search were: social media use, social media usage, social media misuse, measure, teen, and adolescents.

RESULTS

In the literature, different methods were used to operationalize the use of social network sites: quantitative methods with the measurement of frequency and duration of use of social network sites, and qualitative methods to measure the different activities adolescents engage in on such sites. In this review, 28 articles investigated the use of social media through a measurement of frequency and 22 articles through a measurement of the duration of use. Most of the studies focused on social network sites in general, without specifying which sites in particular were considered by the respondents when answering the question. However, some articles provided cross measures of quantitative and qualitative measurements resulting in the examination of both the frequency of use and the time spent on specific activities on social network sites.

CONCLUSIONS

The present review highlights the great diversity in the methods used to measure the use of social network sites among adolescents. The reliance on frequency-based measurements without taking into account the specificities of the activities or sites involved limits the investigation of their impact on adolescent functioning and behaviors. Given the observed discrepancies in the literature concerning the measurement of social network site use among adolescents and their associated biases, the development of specific instruments is needed to advance in this important field of research.

U.S. Trends in Adolescent Substance Use and Conduct Problems and Their Relation to Trends in Unstructured In-Person Socializing With Peers

PURPOSE

This study examined whether national trends in unstructured in-person socializing with peers (i.e., socializing without goals or supervision) among adolescents could help explain recent declines in adolescent risk behaviors (e.g., substance use, fighting, theft).

METHODS

The sample contained of 44,842 U.S. 12th-grade students (aged 17-18 years) from the Monitoring the Future survey (years 1999-2017). Analyses examined (1) prevalence trends, (2) latent factor structure of risk behaviors and unstructured in-person socializing, and (3) whether trends in the unstructured in-person socializing factor accounted for the relationship between time (i.e., survey year) and the risk behavior factor.

RESULTS

Adolescent risk behaviors and unstructured in-person socializing declined by approximately 30% in the U.S., and both formed coherent latent factors. After adjusting for sociodemographics, declines in unstructured in-person socializing accounted for approximately 86% of declines in risk behaviors.

CONCLUSIONS

The prevalence of risk behaviors and unstructured in-person socializing behaviors declined among U.S. 12th graders from 1999 to 2017. It is unknown whether such effects are directly causal and/or influenced by unmeasured variables. However, the results provide evidence that national declines in unstructured in-person socializing are a likely component of the explanation for national declines in adolescent risk behaviors.

Trends in alcohol intoxication among native and immigrant youth in Sweden, 1999-2017: A comparison across family structure and parental employment status

BACKGROUND

Developing a better understanding of drinking patterns across immigrant generations and how these change over time is important for the development of effective alcohol polices. This study investigates the direction and rate of change in youth alcohol intoxication over time, based on immigrant status, and by family structure and parental employment status.

METHOD

The study is based on eight nationally representative school surveys conducted by the Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention between 1999 and 2017, with a combined sample of 50,657 adolescents. Group by time interactions were examined to compare rates of change of alcohol intoxication over time across immigrant generations.

RESULTS

The results show a decreasing trend in alcohol intoxication among both first and second generation immigrant youth, and also among immigrant youth across different family structures and parental employment statuses. The results also show that the decrease in alcohol intoxication over time is greater for youths born abroad and for youths with two immigrant parents than for native Swedes, and that the decrease over time is greater for youths from intact families than for native Swedish youths from non-intact families and youths with one immigrant parent.

CONCLUSION

Native and first- and second-generation immigrant youth may differ substantially from one another in many ways, and may therefore manifest different patterns of drinking behaviours. From a policy and prevention perspective, the data in this study imply that native youths and youths with one immigrant parent should be a central target group for alcohol prevention policy in Sweden.

Fear of missing out and binge-drinking among adolescents

INTRODUCTION

No previous studies have examined the cross-sectional association between fear of missing out (FOMO) and binge-drinking among adolescents. The aim of the present study was: (i) to estimate the magnitude of this association; (ii) to assess the impact of potential confounders (i.e. sensation-seeking, symptoms of depression and self-regulation); and (iii) determine if it is uniform across all levels of these characteristics.

METHODS

Cross-sectional study of adolescents from 33 middle schools in Norway, stratified according to geographic location, urban and rural locations, and standard of living. Participants were a nation-wide sample of N = 2646 adolescents (mean age 16.2 years, 43% boys). Self-report data were collected on binge-drinking, FOMO, sensation-seeking, symptoms of depression and self-regulation.

RESULTS

Overall, 21% reported binge-drinking ≤ once per month in the past 12 months, while 9% reported binge-drinking more than once per month. Multinomial logistic regression showed that the crude effect, where greater FOMO was associated with greater risk of binge-drinking, was substantial (relative-risk ratio = 1.50 [1.35, 1.66], P < 0.001), but somewhat attenuated after including all potential confounders (relative-risk ratio = 1.28 [1.14, 1.43], P < 0.001). Effect modification analyses showed that the effect of FOMO on binge-drinking ≤ once per month was stronger for adolescents with low symptom levels of depression and weaker for adolescents at high levels of depression.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION

Norwegian adolescents with higher FOMO have greater risk of binge-drinking.

It's the Content That Counts: Longitudinal Associations between Social Media Use, Parental Monitoring, and Alcohol Use in an Australian Sample of Adolescents Aged 13 to 16 Years

(1) Background: More time spent on social media has been linked to increased alcohol use, with exposure to peer alcohol-related content on social media (content exposure) named as a critical factor in this relationship. Little is currently known about whether early content exposure may have lasting effects across adolescent development, or about the capacity of parental monitoring of social media use to interrupt these links. (2) Methods: These gaps were addressed in both cross-sectional and longitudinal contexts among a longitudinal sample of Australian secondary school students (n = 432) across the ages of 13–16. (3) Results: Evidence was found for links between social media use and alcohol use frequency in early development. Social media time at age 13 was significantly associated with concurrent alcohol use frequency. At age 13, alcohol use frequency was significantly higher among those who reported content exposure compared to those who reported no exposure. Longitudinally, the frequency of alcohol use over time increased at a faster rate among participants who reported content exposure at age 13. In terms of parental monitoring, no longitudinal effects were observed. However, parental monitoring at age 13 did significantly reduce the concurrent relationship between alcohol use frequency and content exposure. (4) Conclusion: The impact of social media content exposure on alcohol use in adolescence may be more important than the time spent on social media, and any protective effect of parental monitoring on content exposure may be limited to the time it is being concurrently enacted.

Effects of Social Media on Adolescents' Willingness and Intention to Use E-Cigarettes: An Experimental Investigation

INTRODUCTION

This study examined the effects of experimentally manipulated social media exposure on adolescents' willingness and intention to use e-cigarettes.

AIMS AND METHODS

Participants were 135 adolescents of age 13-18 (52.6% female, mean age = 15.3) in California. Participants viewed six social media posts online in a 2 (post source: peer or advertisement) × 2 (e-cigarette content exposure: heavy or light) between-subjects design. Analyses were weighted to population benchmarks. We examined adolescents' beliefs, willingness, and intention to use e-cigarettes in association with social media use intensity in daily life and with experimentally manipulated exposure to social media posts that varied by source (peer or advertisement) and content (e-cigarette heavy or light).

RESULTS

Greater social media use in daily life was associated with greater willingness and intention to use e-cigarettes and more positive attitudes, greater perceived norms, and lower perceived danger of e-cigarette use (all p-values <.01). In tests of the experimental exposures, heavy (vs. light) e-cigarette content resulted in greater intention (p = .049) to use e-cigarettes and more positive attitudes (p = .019). Viewing advertisements (vs. peer-generated posts) resulted in greater willingness and intention (p-values <.01) to use e-cigarettes, more positive attitudes (p = .003), and greater norm perceptions (p = .009). The interaction effect of post source by post content was not significant for any of the outcomes (all p-values >.529).

CONCLUSIONS

Greater social media use and heavier exposure to advertisements and e-cigarette content in social media posts are associated with a greater risk for e-cigarette use among adolescents. Regulatory action is needed to prohibit sponsored e-cigarette content on social media platforms used by youth.

IMPLICATIONS

Adolescents who use social media intensely may be at higher risk for e-cigarette use. Even brief exposure to e-cigarette content on social media was associated with greater intention to use and more positive attitudes toward e-cigarettes. Regulatory action should be taken to prohibit sponsored e-cigarette content on social media used by young people, including posts by influencers who appeal to young people.

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.

Prospective Association of Digital Media Use with Alcohol Use Initiation and Progression Among Adolescents

BACKGROUND

Although adolescents commonly use digital media and consume alcohol , longitudinal evidence of the association between these behaviors is scant. This study examined the association between the frequency of digital media use and the subsequent initiation or progression of alcohol use. We also examined whether these associations were moderated by gender and race/ethnicity.

METHODS

The study included 2,473 adolescents from a prospective cohort in the Los Angeles, CA area who were surveyed in fall 2015 (11th grade, baseline for the current study) and every 6 months through the end of high school (Spring 2017, 12th grade). At baseline, youth self-reported the total number of 14 digital media activities (e.g., checking social media, streaming music/videos, texting) they engaged in at a high frequency (i.e., many times a day) over the past week. Scores ranged from 0 (i.e., no reported high-frequency digital media use) to 14 (i.e., reported engagement in all 14 digital media activities at a high frequency). Self-report measures of ever using alcohol, number of days of alcohol use in the past 30 days (0 to 30), binge drinking (yes/no), and covariates (i.e., demographics and measures of behavioral health and other substance use) were assessed at each time point.

RESULTS

Among respondents who at baseline reported never using alcohol (n = 1,214), high-frequency engagement in each additional digital media activity was associated with 4% higher odds of initiating alcohol use (aOR = 1.04, 95% CI: 1.01 to 1.07) across follow-up. Among respondents who at baseline reported ever using alcohol (n = 1,259), baseline high-frequency engagement in each additional digital media activity was associated at follow-up with 3% more days of alcohol use in the past 30 days (aIRR = 1.03, 95% CI: 1.00 to 1.06). Digital media use and binge drinking were not statistically significantly associated at follow-up. There was no evidence of moderation by gender or race/ethnicity.

CONCLUSIONS

Digital media use frequency was modestly associated with increased risk of initiation and progression of alcohol use in adolescence. Additional research is needed to determine potential mechanisms for these associations.

Adolescents' Perceived Drinking Norms Toward Alcohol Misuse: An Integrative Review

The purpose of this integrative review is to synthesize prior research on the relationship between adolescents' perceived subjective and descriptive drinking norms and their drinking intention and behaviors. Four databases (CINAHL, PubMed, Cochrane, and Sociological Abstracts) were searched to identify relevant articles. Thirty-one peer-reviewed articles published from 2010 to 2020 were reviewed. The results highlight that adolescents' perceived drinking norms derived from their parents and peers, such as approving or disapproving attitudes, significantly influence adolescents' drinking intention and behaviors. Moreover, pro-drinking messages, advertisements, and postings from electronic media (i.e., TV, movies, and the Internet) and online social networks (e.g., Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter) shape adolescents' drinking intention and encourage adolescents to initiate alcohol consumption early and/or escalate their drinking. Thus, future interventions should focus on subjective drinking norms that stem from interpersonal relationships in combination with perceived descriptive drinking norms derived from various media exposure.

Trends in adolescent alcohol and other risky health- and school-related behaviours and outcomes in Australia

INTRODUCTION

Adolescent drinking has been declining in Australia over the past two decades, but this trend may be part of a broader shift towards healthier lifestyles for adolescents. We examined trends in the prevalence of multiple risky health- and school-related behaviours and outcomes to test whether this was the case.

METHODS

Data on multiple behaviours and outcomes were collated from Australian government agencies and other relevant sources for 10-19-year-olds from the year 2000 onward. Trends were examined descriptively.

RESULTS

Rates of substance use, youth offending and injuries due to underage driving declined over the study period. Some health-related behaviours (physical activity and diet) worsened between 2001 and 2017; however, obesity rates remained stable. Risky sexual behaviours increased in terms of early initiation of lifetime sexual intercourse and decreased condom use. However, sexual health outcomes improved with a reduction in teenage pregnancies and there was a recent decline in sexually transmitted infection rates from 2011 onward. Suicide rates and rates of major depressive disorders increased. School attendance and engagement in full-time work or study remained stable.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

The decline in adolescent drinking does not appear to correspond with increased engagement in healthier behaviours; however, it may be related to a more risk-averse way of living. Future work could be directed towards identifying which social, economic, policy and environmental factors have impacted positive changes in risky behaviours. Public health efforts can then be directed towards behaviours or outcomes, which have not yet improved.

Online Peers and Offline Highs: An Examination of Online Peer Groups, Social Media Homophily, and Substance Use

Research indicates that youths are particularly susceptible to peer influence and that identifying with substance using peer groups predicts substance use. Today, youth spend more time interacting with distal peer groups via the Internet and have increased access to online drug cultures. Theoretically, this should have important implications for substance use. This study employs a nationally representative sample of U.S. youth (n = 1212), ages 15-25 years old, to examine whether online peer group identification and social media homophily predict substance use. Results indicate that online belonging and social media homophily are associated with some forms of substance use. While these factors were not significantly associated with regular marijuana or alcohol use among those who had initiated use, they predicted regular stimulant and opioid use among substance users. This suggests that online peer groups may promote progression into more problematic forms of substance use. Additional analyses of adolescent and young adult subgroups revealed important similarities and differences among the groups. The findings imply several directions for future research, and suggest that prevention policies and programs should continue to consider the role of online peers, and the Internet generally, in substance use initiation, escalation, and prevention.

Are changes in binge drinking among European adolescents driven by changes in computer gaming?

INTRODUCTION

There is currently no good explanation for the decline in adolescent drinking reported for many Western countries in recent years. As modern computer gaming is highly exciting and socially rewarding, it may function as a substitute for adolescent binge drinking. We hypothesized a negative correlation between country-level changes in computer gaming and binge drinking.

METHODS

We analysed within-country changes based on data from 15-16 year-old pupils (n = 517 794) participating in the European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Drugs from 1995 to 2015. Binge drinking in the last 30 days (5+ units on one occasion) was regressed on frequency of computer gaming and three control variables measuring the frequency of engagement in other hobbies, reading books and going out (to a disco, cafe, etc.).

RESULTS

Descriptive data showed no general decline in binge drinking across European countries. In contrast to our prediction, the association between binge drinking and computer gaming was not negative [b = 0.26, one-sided 95% confidence interval (-∞, 0.47), P = 0.98, Bayes Factor = 0.21]. We found the same pattern of result in a secondary analysis on six Nordic countries that have experienced declines in adolescent drinking recent years. In analyses with covariates reflecting engagement in other activities, we only observed statistical evidence for an effect of going out.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

A substantial decline in adolescent binge drinking during the years 1995-2015 is only evident in some European countries, and it is likely not caused by increased computer gaming.

A meta-analysis of the association between adolescent social media use and depressive symptoms

BACKGROUND

The association of adolescent social media use with mental health symptoms, especially depression, has recently attracted a great deal of interest in public media as well as the scientific community. Some studies have cited statistically significant associations between adolescent social media use and depression and have proposed that parents must regulate their adolescents' social media use in order to protect their mental health.

METHOD

In order to rigorously assess the size of the effect that has been reported in the current scientific literature, we conducted a meta-analysis of studies that measured the association between social media use specifically and depressive symptoms amongst early- to mid- adolescents (11-18 years-old). We searched Psychnet, PubMed, and Web of Science with the following terms: online social networks, social media, internet usage, facebook, twitter, instagram, myspace, snapchat, and depression.

RESULTS

We found a small but significant positive correlation (k=12 studies, r=.11, p<.01) between adolescent social media use and depressive symptoms. There was also high heterogeneity (I²=95.22%) indicating substantial variation among studies.

CONCLUSIONS

High heterogeneity along with the small overall effect size observed in the relationship between self-reported social media use and depressive symptoms suggests that other factors are likely to act as significant moderators of the relationship. We suggest that future research should be focused on understanding which types of use may be harmful (or helpful) to mental health, rather than focusing on overall use measures that likely reflect highly heterogeneous exposures.

Social Media Use and Mental Health and Well-Being Among Adolescents - A Scoping Review

Introduction: Social media has become an integrated part of daily life, with an estimated 3 billion social media users worldwide. Adolescents and young adults are the most active users of social media. Research on social media has grown rapidly, with the potential association of social media use and mental health and well-being becoming a polarized and much-studied subject. The current body of knowledge on this theme is complex and difficult-to-follow. The current paper presents a scoping review of the published literature in the research field of social media use and its association with mental health and well-being among adolescents. Methods and Analysis: First, relevant databases were searched for eligible studies with a vast range of relevant search terms for social media use and mental health and well-being over the past five years. Identified studies were screened thoroughly and included or excluded based on prior established criteria. Data from the included studies were extracted and summarized according to the previously published study protocol. Results: Among the 79 studies that met our inclusion criteria, the vast majority (94%) were quantitative, with a cross-sectional design (57%) being the most common study design. Several studies focused on different aspects of mental health, with depression (29%) being the most studied aspect. Almost half of the included studies focused on use of non-specified social network sites (43%). Of specified social media, Facebook (39%) was the most studied social network site. The most used approach to measuring social media use was frequency and duration (56%). Participants of both genders were included in most studies (92%) but seldom examined as an explanatory variable. 77% of the included studies had social media use as the independent variable. Conclusion: The findings from the current scoping review revealed that about 3/4 of the included studies focused on social media and some aspect of pathology. Focus on the potential association between social media use and positive outcomes seems to be rarer in the current literature. Amongst the included studies, few separated between different forms of (inter)actions on social media, which are likely to be differentially associated with mental health and well-being outcomes.

Internet use and adolescent drinking: Does it matter what young people do online?

BACKGROUND

In this study we examine whether the association between internet use and drinking could be different for different types of internet activities among adolescents. We also adjust for a number of theoretically relevant factors such as peer influence, unstructured activities, impulsivity and parental monitoring.

METHOD

The data are drawn from four cross-sectional surveys from the years 2016-2019 in eight municipalities in southern Sweden. The sample consist of 3733 adolescents in year 9 of compulsory education, aged 14-15.

RESULTS

The results show that there is an association between internet activities and drinking and that there are differences depending on what young people do online. Self-presentation and online sociality are both positively associated with drinking, whereas news consumption and playing games are negatively associated with drinking. The results also show that the association between the different internet activities and drinking becomes weaker when adjusting for the control variables.

CONCLUSION

This study suggests that more research is needed to examine the correlations between different forms of internet activities and drinking among adolescents in more detail.

Associations between digital technology and substance use among U.S. adolescents: Results from the 2018 Monitoring the Future survey

OBJECTIVE

Social media and other digital technology use facilitate connection among adolescents, but also may reinforce norms and substance-related content from peers and advertisers. We use nationally representative data to examine the association between digital technology and past 30-day use of alcohol, cannabis, and vaping.

METHODS

Data were drawn from the 2018 Monitoring the Future survey of US adolescents (N = 44,482). Poisson regressions estimated the association between hours/day of technology use and past 30-day use of alcohol, cannabis, and vaping adjusting for grade, sociodemographics, and other past-year drug use.

RESULTS

Across grades, mean hours of social media/day was 3.06 (standard deviation = 2.90), past 30-day alcohol, cannabis, flavor vaping, cannabis vaping, and nicotine vaping were 15.7 %, 12.6 %, 10.6 %, 4.9 %, and 11.2 %, respectively. Digital technology use that required interaction with others was associated with increased risk of past 30-day drinking, cannabis use, and vaping. For example, social media 3+ hours/day was associated with past 30-day drinking (adjusted relative risk [aRR]: 1.99, 95 % CI: 1.65, 2.41). The magnitude of association was consistent across texting, phone calls, and video chatting, which were all more strongly associated with substance use than with activities that do not require interaction such as gaming and watching videos.

CONCLUSION

Digital technology that facilitates interaction among adolescents, such as texting and social media, is associated with past substance use. Magnitudes of association are consistent across substances, supporting the hypothesis that networks of adolescents are social drivers of substance use, rather than the technology itself.

Association of Social Media Use and High-Risk Behaviors in Adolescents: Cross-Sectional Study

BACKGROUND

Previous studies have demonstrated the prevalence of social media use and identified the presence of high-risk behaviors among adolescents, including self-harm and sharing of sexually explicit messages.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to identify patterns in the amount of time spent on social media by adolescents who engage in high-risk behavior and the extent to which they use social media as a platform for sharing such behaviors.

METHODS

This was a descriptive cross-sectional study of 179 adolescents seen in a pediatric clinic at an urban medical center. We used an anonymous self-report survey to obtain demographic characteristics, rates of self-harm thoughts and behaviors, sharing of sexually explicit messages, and social media use as determined by total hours spent on social media per day and the number of applications used.

RESULTS

Most adolescents reported spending 3 to 5 hours on social media each day and using 3 or more social media applications. Almost 1 in 8 (22/179, 12.3%) adolescents self-reported having ever engaged in self-injury with a mean age of onset of 11.8 years. Over a quarter (49/179, 27.4%) of adolescents reported sharing sexually explicit messages. Relative risk of engaging in self-injury and or sharing sexually explicit messages increased with the use of 4 or more social media applications (1.66; CI 1.11-2.48).

CONCLUSIONS

Results show a relationship between the number of social media applications used and increased rates of high-risk behaviors. We identified relevant risk factors that clinicians can use to screen for high-risk behavior and parents can monitor to encourage education about healthy online practices.

Social media use and risky behaviors in adolescents: A meta-analysis

INTRODUCTION

This systematic review and meta-analysis examined the associations between social media use and risky behaviors during adolescence, and evaluated study characteristics (e.g., sample age, type of social media platform assessed) that may moderate these relationships.

METHODS

A comprehensive search strategy identified relevant studies from PsycInfo, PubMed, Google Scholar, and Proquest Dissertations and Theses Global.

RESULTS

The final sample included 27 independent cross-sectional studies with a total of 67,407 adolescents (M_age = 15.5, range: 12.6-18.0 years; 51.7% girls; 57.2% White). Results from random effects models indicated that there were positive, small-to-medium correlations between social media use and engagement in risky behaviors generally (r = 0.21, 95% CI = 0.16-0.25), substance use (r = 0.19, 95% CI = 0.12-0.26), and risky sexual behaviors (r = 0.21, 95% CI = 0.15-0.28). There were an insufficient number of independent samples available to conduct a random effect models for violence-related behaviors (k = 3). Moderator analyses suggested that studies assessing solely early social media platforms (e.g., Facebook/MySpace only) in relation to substance use had smaller effect sizes than substance use studies assessing a broader range of contemporary social media platforms. In addition, younger samples had larger effect sizes for studies focused on social media use and risky sexual behaviors.

CONCLUSIONS

The positive links identified between social media and risky behaviors during adolescence in this meta-analysis suggest that developmental theories of risk taking would benefit from incorporating the social media context. Longitudinal studies are needed to clarify directionality and make more specific practice and policy recommendations so that social media is a safe place in which adolescents can thrive.

[The Good, the Bad and the Ugly: The Relationship between social Media Use, Subjective Health and Risk Behavior Among Children and Adolescents]

BACKGROUND

The current generation of young people spends more time using social media than any other age group. So far, not much is known about the consequences of social media use in terms of health and well-being among teenagers in Germany. The aim of the study was to investigate the association between social media use, health and risk behavior using data from a large representative sample for Germany.

METHODS

Data were obtained from the German part of the WHO collaborative study "Health Behavior in School-aged Children (HBSC)" conducted in 2013/14. The analysis is based on 5.094 students aged 11, 13 and 15 years. Social media use was measured with an index based on 5 items. Outcomes were different measures of health and well-being as well as risk behavior. Analyses were conducted using cross tabulations and log-binomial regression models, separately for girls and boys.

RESULTS

The results show that a frequent use of social media among girls was linked with poorer self-rated health (OR=1.58, 95%-CI=1.17-2.15) as well as repeated multiple psychosomatic complaints (OR=1.56, 95%-CI=1.22-1.98). For boys, multiple psychosomatic complaints (OR=1.36, 95%-CI=1.03-1.80) and low school satisfaction (OR=1.39, 95%-CI=1.06-1.83) were associated with high social media use. In terms of risk behavior, there was a clear and consistent link between frequent social media use and regular tobacco and alcohol consumption, drunkenness and bullying of classmates, irrespective of gender. The results remained stable after adjusting for age, school type and migration background.

CONCLUSIONS

A clear association between social media use and various indicators of health and risk-behavior in childhood and adolescence in Germany could be identified. The results provide first indications of possible health-damaging effects of heavy social media use; these need to be confirmed using longitudinal data.

Lesbians' use of popular social media sites is associated with perceived drinking norms & interest in receiving personalized normative feedback on alcohol use

Alcohol-related problems disproportionately impact sexual minority women. Recent research suggests that lesbian-identified women overestimate peer drinking norms and therefore, personalized normative feedback (PNF) may be an appropriate and efficacious intervention strategy for reducing alcohol-related risks in this population. To inform the development and packaging of such interventions, this study examines lesbians' use of the popular social media sites Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and Twitter in relation to alcohol consumption, perceptions of peer drinking norms, confidence in normative perceptions, and interest in receiving alcohol PNF. Findings suggest that the lesbians who are most likely to benefit from a PNF alcohol intervention may also be the most readily reached via social media sites. Alcohol interventions that both recruit and deliver PNF via widely used social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram represent a promising and cost-effective strategy to reduce heavy drinking among lesbians.

Monitoring young lifestyles (MyLife) - a prospective longitudinal quantitative and qualitative study of youth development and substance use in Norway

PURPOSE

The Monitoring Young Lifestyles (MyLife) project was initiated as an integrated quantitative and qualitative prospective investigation of correlates, causes, and consequences of adolescent substance use and other addictive behaviours in Norway.

PARTICIPANTS

The MyLife cohort was recruited from middle schools in Norway, which were selected from low, medium and high standard of living areas in both rural and urban regions of the country. A total of 3512 eighth, ninth and tenth graders (55% girls) from 33 schools were enrolled in the quantitative project arm (QT), while a total of 120 eighth graders (52% girls) from six schools were enrolled in the qualitative project arm (QL).

FINDINGS TO DATE

QT baseline was conducted in the fall of 2017, when 2975 adolescents completed an online questionnaire at school during a regular class time. A total of 2857 adolescents participated in the first QT follow-up 1 year later. QL baseline was conducted across the fall semesters of 2014 (one class) and 2015 (five classes), when a total of 118 eighth graders completed face-to-face interviews. QL follow-ups were conducted in the spring of 2015 and fall of 2017 (n=98) for group interviews, and in the spring of 2017 and 2018 (n=95) for individual interviews. In terms of additional data sources, a total of 3035 parents consented to own participation, of which 1899 completed a brief online questionnaire at QT baseline in late 2017. School principals completed brief surveys at the same time.

FUTURE PLANS

Both QT and QL arms have planned follow-ups through 2021. Consents were obtained for individual-level linkages of adolescent and parental quantitative surveys to each other, as well as to the information available in multiple national registries and databases. These supplemental data sources will provide key information on additional putative exposures as well as on the long-term health, educational, and social outcomes of the MyLife participants.

Increase in time spent on social media is associated with modest increase in depression, conduct problems, and episodic heavy drinking

INTRODUCTION

Adolescent use of social media has been linked to a range of negative outcomes, but it is still unclear whether the associations are spurious. To address this issue, we examined if within-individual change in time spent on social media was associated with within-individual changes in depression, conduct problems, and episodic heavy drinking in a sample of adolescents using first-differencing models (FD-models).

METHODS

A sample of 763 Norwegian adolescents (45.1% boys; mean age 15.22 years, standard deviation 1.44) completed two questionnaires 6-months apart. The associations between changes in time spent on social media and symptoms of depression, conduct problems, and frequency of episodic heavy drinking were estimated using FD-models, a statistical technique that effectively controls for all time-invariant individual factors. We also accounted for three time-variant putative confounders: frequency of sports practice, frequency of unsupervised leisure activities, and peer relationship problems.

RESULTS

Increases in time spent on social media were associated with increases in symptoms of depression (b = 0.13 [95% CI: 0.01, 0.24], p = 0.038), increases in conduct problems (b = 0.07 [95% CI: 0.02, 0.10], p = 0.007), and increases in episodic heavy drinking (b = 0.10 [95% CI: 0.06, 0.15], p < 0.001), after adjusting for changes in the three hypothesized confounders. The effect-sizes for these relationships were, however, quite modest.

CONCLUSION

Increased time spent on social media was modestly related to increases in depression, conduct problems, as well as frequency of episodic heavy drinking among adolescents.

Is social network site usage related to depression? A meta-analysis of Facebook-depression relations

BACKGROUND

Facebook depression is defined as feeling depressed upon too much exposure to Social networking sites (SNS). Researchers have argued that upward social comparisons made on SNS are the key to the Facebook depression phenomenon. To examine the relations between SNS usage and depression, we conducted 4 separate meta-analyses relating depression to: (1) time spent on SNS, (2) SNS checking frequency, (3) general and (4) upward social comparisons on SNS. We compared the four mean effect sizes in terms of magnitude.

METHODS

Our literature search yielded 33 articles with a sample of 15,881 for time spent on SNS, 12 articles with a sample of 8041 for SNS checking frequency, and 5 articles with a sample of 1715 and 2298 for the general and the upward social comparison analyses, respectively.

RESULTS

In both SNS-usage analyses, greater time spent on SNS and frequency of checking SNS were associated with higher levels of depression with a small effect size. Further, higher levels of depression were associated with greater general social comparisons on SNS with a small to medium effect, and greater upward social comparisons on SNS with a medium effect. Both social comparisons on SNS were more strongly related to depression than was time spent on SNS.

LIMITATIONS

Limitations include heterogeneity in effect sizes and a small number of samples for social comparison analyses.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results are consistent with the notion of 'Facebook depression phenomenon' and with the theoretical importance of social comparisons as an explanation.

Nye bruksmønstre i et tobakksmarked i endring – kombinert bruk av sigaretter, snus og e-sigaretter blant ungdom

Objectives:

There is limited research on combined use of cigarettes, snus and e-cigarettes in the Nordic countries. This study will investigate whether this pattern of use occurs among adolescents in Norway. In addition, we will investigate the association between combined use of several tobacco products, e-cigarettes and socio-demographic and psychosocial factors (SPF).

Method:

A school-based cross-sectional survey of adolescents in the 8th to the 12th grade (N = 875) in 2014. Information on the use of cigarettes, snus, e-cigarettes and SPF was collected using an electronic questionnaire.

Results:

Of the adolescents, 31% reported having tried or used one or more tobacco product and/or e-cigarette. Of these, over half reported having tried or used one product, 1/3 two products and 1/10 three products. There were more boys among poly-users (63%) than among single-users (44%). Compared to single-users, poly-users also reported weaker school performance (30% and 11%, respectively), more often reported drinking alcohol to intoxication (91% and 75%, respectively), and having tried cannabis (28% and 9%, respectively). Poly-users also scored higher on impulsivity, sensation-seeking and depression.

Conclusion:

The study shows that combined use of tobacco products and e-cigarettes occurs among young people in Norway. Such use was associated with psychosocial and socio-demographic risk factors. There is a need to investigate this phenomenon in more details in representative samples.

Relationship of media exposure to substance use among adolescents in Saudi Arabia: Results from a national study

BACKGROUND

With limited social options, young Saudis are increasingly relying on media for entertainment. The media impact has been greatest among the younger generation, which constitutes half of the population of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Therefore, this study aims to examine the association between exposure to varied types of media and substance use among adolescents in the KSA and explores whether these associations differ by gender.

METHODS

Data were obtained from a national cross-sectional survey of school students aged ten to 19 years (N = 12121). A self-administered questionnaire was used to assess exposure to three types of media: television, the Internet and video games with the use of legal substances such as cigarette/shisha smoking, solvents sniffing and misuse of medications, and illegal substances, such as alcohol, marijuana and other illicit drugs.

RESULTS

Logistic regression analyses revealed that the odds of using tobacco, legal and illegal substances were higher for students who were watching television, surfing the Internet, or playing video games for more than two hours compared with their peers who watched less than two hours (P < 0.05). For males, results showed the heavy and light use of the Internet were both significantly associated with smoking. Whereas for females, only excessive use of the Internet was associated with smoking.

CONCLUSION

Despite the conservative nature of the Saudi society, findings showed a significant association between tobacco or substance use and media exposure among adolescents. This suggests increased attention to the growing role media might play in shaping adolescents health risk behaviors in the KSA.

Peer, social media, and alcohol marketing influences on college student drinking

OBJECTIVE

To investigate how alcohol marketing and peers may promote college students' alcohol use through social media.

PARTICIPANTS

College students (N = 682) aged 18 to 22 years from a large Southern university completed paper surveys in April 2014.

METHODS

Structural equation modeling was used to investigate relationships among variables as well as moderation by gender and race.

RESULTS

Drinking behavior was directly related to perceived norms and attitudes toward alcohol that develop, in part, from direct and indirect interactions with their online and offline peers, as well as engagement with alcohol-related content on social media. Gender and ethnicity moderated some effects.

CONCLUSIONS

College student drinking is influenced by friends' alcohol-related content posted on social networking sites and by greater engagement with traditional and online alcohol marketing. College campus alcohol misuse interventions should include components to counter peer influences and alcohol marketing on social media.

Adolescents drink less: How, who and why? A review of the recent research literature

ISSUES

Today's teenagers have been described as a sober generation and we asked: 'What is known about the recent decline in youth drinking?'

APPROACH

A literature review (2005-2017).

KEY FINDINGS

Research from wealthier parts of the world provides solid evidence of less alcohol use by youth since the millennium shift. Some studies show that this is reflected at all levels of consumption, but there are also indications that the heaviest drinkers have not reduced their drinking. The decrease is predominately seen in underage youth, and has been larger for boys than for girls in several countries. Teenagers across social strata drink less, but some disadvantaged subgroups have not followed the downward trend. Underage drinkers have apparently not become a more deviant group as the prevalence of drinking has dropped, indicating no hardening of the group. The major gap in the literature pertains to the issue of underlying driving forces. We found no evidence in support of the widespread assumption that the digital revolution has been of importance. A decline in parenting practices that are conductive to underage drinking has occurred in several countries, but studies examining whether these changes have contributed to less alcohol use by youth are almost non-existent.

IMPLICATIONS

To inform alcohol policy and prevention, it is imperative to find out why teenage drinking has decreased in a fairly consistent way across numerous countries.

CONCLUSION

Future research into the issue of falling prevalence rates of youth drinking should focus on possible explanatory factors at the population level rather than at the individual level.

Depressive Symptomatology among Norwegian Adolescent Boys and Girls: The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) Psychometric Properties and Correlates

This study explored the potential contribution of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders (DSM-IV)-based Patient Health Questionnaire-9 item (PHQ-9) instrument to the developmental epidemiology research in Norway, by examining depressive symptoms in a school sample of adolescents (N = 846). The average PHQ-9 scores were 6.89 (SD = 5.13) for girls, and 4.57 (SD = 3.98) for boys; 8.5% of girls and 2.6% of boys were classified into the originally proposed categories indicative of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD; PHQ-9 scores ≥ 15). Multi-group confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) confirmed a single-factor structure for the PHQ-9 with solid psychometric properties and high internal consistency for both genders. However, even though configural equality was observed, there was no evidence for metric or scalar equality across genders, warranting further investigation of measurement equivalence for the current Norwegian version of the PHQ-9. We observed no major associations between the PHQ-9 scores and adolescent religion or immigrant background. Further, school grade, not living together with both biological parents, and diagnosed chronic illness were differently associated with elevated depressive symptoms for boys and girls. Finally, high residential instability, perceived low SES, school dissatisfaction, lack of close friendships, history of suicide attempts and self-harm, and elevated emotional problems were all significantly and consistently associated with greater depression for both genders. Overall, the PHQ-9 appears to be a promising research tool, potentially offering clinically-relevant classification of adolescent self-reported depressive symptomatology in addition to the symptom severity captured by continuous scores. Nevertheless, further investigation concerning the observed measurement non-equivalence, as well as the comprehensive validation and comparison against the gold standard is required before the PHQ-9 is to be used for diagnostic screening in Norway.