Social media use and social connectedness among adolescents in the United Kingdom: a qualitative exploration of displacement and stimulation

Proximity to high streets, social isolation and social support in British adolescents: A longitudinal analysis of sociospatial influences on social connectedness using geospatial data

High streets have been shown to be central to socio-economic activity, given their diverse residential, leisure, and commercial activities. This study explores the link between adolescent social isolation and proximity to, and land use mix in, high streets. Hypothesising that greater distance from high streets might increase social isolation, measured via social activities, friend contact frequency, and social support, we used multilevel modelling with data from the Millennium Cohort Study. We did not observe a relationship between proximity to high streets and these social isolation indicators, suggesting that high streets may either not significantly influence adolescent social engagement or that young people are willing to travel greater distances.

Family factors related to adolescent screen media use and mental health outcomes: A systematic review and recommendation for practices

INTRODUCTION

Screen media serves an essential role in adolescents' lives, posing growth opportunities and mental health challenges. Family plays a crucial role in mitigating these challenges. This systematic review offers a comprehensive analysis of the family factors related to adolescent screen media use and mental health.

METHODS

A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Scopus, and Embase, adhering to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines using the following inclusion criteria: English, peer-reviewed, observational design, and published since 2013; adolescent samples aged 10-17 years; and examining screen media use, family factors, and internalizing problems. The role of family factors as predictors, moderators, and mediators was also examined.

RESULTS

Of the 3587 records, 32 met the inclusion criteria. These studies, primarily cross-sectional, presented a global perspective of 14 countries. A heterogeneous range of family factors, screen media use, and mental health outcomes were examined, revealing significant associations between elevated screen media use and internalizing problems. Positive family processes and democratic media-specific parenting mitigate such association. A few studies underscored family socioeconomic status (SES), noting elevated screen media use and mental health risks among adolescents in families of low SES.

CONCLUSIONS

Accumulating evidence supports the important role of positive family contexts in fostering balanced screen media use and mental health in adolescents, accentuating the need for professional screening and education to promote positive screen media use among adolescents and families. Further research requires refinement in measurement and methodology to better capture the intricate relationship between family dynamics, screen media use, and adolescent mental health.

Unlocking the potential: Exploring the opportunities for occupational therapists in cyberpsychology

It has long been established that occupational therapists (OTs) play an important role in assisting clients suffering from a variety of physical and mental health conditions. Cyberpsychology is a relatively new field in medicine that pertains to how technology influences people's mental health and behavior. It covers the effects of social media, online gaming, virtual-augmented reality, artificial intelligence, and other forms of technology on individuals. Among the known psychological phenomena arising from individuals' interactions with digital technologies are cyberbullying and technology addiction. This commentary explores how OTs in the cyberpsychology field can develop personalized interventions to enhance digital well-being and promote healthy technology use.

Online Experiences, Internet-Fostered Connection, Resilience, and Adjustment Among Adolescent Siblings of Children With Cancer

BACKGROUND

Pediatric cancer disrupts the lives of siblings in many ways, including physical separations from family and friends that increase risk for distress. Research suggests that siblings use technology and social media to connect with friends and family and seek social support and interaction. However, this may expose siblings to negative online experiences that can erode self-esteem, reducing resilience.

OBJECTIVE

This study explored the relationship between online experiences, internet-fostered connection, resilience, and psychosocial health among siblings of children with cancer.

METHODS

Participants included adolescent siblings (N = 81; aged 12-17 years) of children with cancer. Most were female (56.8%), and 50.6% represented racially or ethnically minoritized groups. Online experiences, social media use, resilience, and psychosocial health were self-reported and analyzed using structural equation modeling.

RESULTS

A majority of siblings reported moderate to severe posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSSs) (59%) and elevated emotional and behavioral difficulties (EBDs) (53%). Experiencing more positive online experiences was associated with greater perceived connection to family and friends online, but not resilience, PTSSs, or EBDs. In contrast, higher negative online experience scores were significantly associated with more PTSSs and EBDs. In addition, the association between negative online experiences and EBDs was significantly mediated by a negative association between negative online experiences and resilience.

CONCLUSIONS

Although social media may be a valuable tool for helping siblings of children with cancer garner social support, negative online experiences may be detrimental to their adjustment.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

Efforts should be made to preserve and foster resilience among siblings who use social media for support.

A Cross-Sectional Association Between Screen-Based Sedentary Behavior and Anxiety in Academic College Students: Mediating Role of Negative Emotions and Moderating Role of Emotion Regulation

Purpose

The study aims to explore the relationship and potential mechanisms between screen time and anxiety and have a clear understanding of the role of negative emotions and emotion regulation, thus providing guidance for Chinese college students to improve mental health.

Methods

We conducted a questionnaire survey by selecting 1721 academic college students from 6 colleges and universities in 5 provinces in China, and the data were analyzed through the Process program of SPSS for mediating effect and moderating effect.

Results

There is a significant positive relationship between screen time and anxiety, negative emotions play a mediating role between the two (indirect effect = 0.32, p < 0.001), mediating effect accounts for 59.88% of the total effect, and emotion regulation regulates the direct relationship between screen time and anxiety (interaction effect = 0.027, p < 0.001).

Conclusion

This study sheds light on the potential mechanisms by which screen time affects anxiety in academic college students, providing a fresh perspective on anxiety reduction. Screen time positively affects anxiety levels, where negative emotions have a mediating role and emotion regulation has a moderating role. In the future, we can control screen ++time, increase physical activities, reduce negative emotions, and improve the emotional regulation ability to relieve anxiety, so as to improve the mental health of academic college students, and expect to have a positive impact on future learning, life, and planning.

Is There an Association between the Use of Social Media and Self-Rated Health?

This study sought to determine the association between social media and self-rated health. This study used the 2022 Health Information National Trends Survey for American adults. A statistical analysis was conducted using Chi-square and multivariable logistic regression. Of the 6018 study participants, the majority reported that they were in excellent/very good and good health (82.9%, n = 4930). More than half (58.2%, n = 3268) of the respondents reported that they visited a social media site almost every day in the past 12 months, while 76.8% (n = 4843) reported that they never interacted with people who had similar health or medical issues on social media. There was no association between everyday visits to a social media site, interaction with people with similar health/medical issues on social media, or watching a health-related video on social media and self-rated health. Those who had full-time employment were more likely to rate their health as excellent/very good/good (AOR: 2.394, 95% Conf. Int: 1.820-3.149) compared to those with no full-time employment. Marital status, confidence in taking care of oneself, education, and current smoking were associated with self-rated health. This study showed that the use of social media which included the watching of health-related videos was not associated with self-rated health.

The Impact of Social Media on the Mental Health of Adolescents and Young Adults: A Systematic Review

Adolescents increasingly find it difficult to picture their lives without social media. Practitioners need to be able to assess risk, and social media may be a new component to consider. Although there is limited empirical evidence to support the claim, the perception of the link between social media and mental health is heavily influenced by teenage and professional perspectives. Privacy concerns, cyberbullying, and bad effects on schooling and mental health are all risks associated with this population's usage of social media. However, ethical social media use can expand opportunities for connection and conversation, as well as boost self-esteem, promote health, and gain access to critical medical information. Despite mounting evidence of social media's negative effects on adolescent mental health, there is still a scarcity of empirical research on how teens comprehend social media, particularly as a body of wisdom, or how they might employ wider modern media discourses to express themselves. Youth use cell phones and other forms of media in large numbers, resulting in chronic sleep loss, which has a negative influence on cognitive ability, school performance, and socio-emotional functioning. According to data from several cross-sectional, longitudinal, and empirical research, smartphone and social media use among teenagers relates to an increase in mental distress, self-harming behaviors, and suicidality. Clinicians can work with young people and their families to reduce the hazards of social media and smartphone usage by using open, nonjudgmental, and developmentally appropriate tactics, including education and practical problem-solving.

Behavioral Intention of Repeated Watching and Personality Traits: Testing Mediation Model of Nostalgia Arousal and Social Connectedness

Introduction

Classic old movies and TV series (COMTS) can evoke individuals' memories from the past. "Personality traits-motivation-behavior" is a theoretical frame to understand that nostalgia can lead to repeated watching behavior.

Methods

We adopted an online survey to investigate the relationship between personality traits, nostalgia, social connectedness and the behavioral intention of repeated watching with those who re-watched movies or TV series (N = 645).

Results

Our results showed that open, agreeable and neurotic individuals were more likely to feel nostalgic and then have the behavioral intention of repeated watching. In addition, for agreeable and neurotic individuals, social connectedness plays a mediating role in the relationship between these personality traits and behavioral intention of repeated watching.

Adolescent Distress: Is There a Vaccine? Social and Cultural Considerations during the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic had an unprecedented impact on mental health. In particular, the impact on adolescents was likely significant due to vulnerability factors linked to this developmental stage and pre-existing conditions of hardship. The present work aimed at grasping the particular effects of the pandemic on social and cultural aspects of adolescence, providing a cross-sectional picture of this historical moment of contemporary youth culture. Further research is needed to verify the findings.

Associations of Adolescents’ Excessive Electronic Device Use, Emotional Symptoms, Sleep Difficulty, and Communication with Parents: Two-wave Comparison in the Czech Republic

Adolescents’ excessive electronic device use is associated with psychological problems. However, it is unknown which psychological symptom, including emotional symptoms and sleep difficulty, correlates with excessive electronic device use most strongly. Besides, according to the social displacement theory, parent–adolescent communication might mediate the relationship between excessive electronic device use and psychological symptoms. Using the Czech national survey Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) data in the years 2006 (n = 4782) and 2014 (n = 5082), we used network analysis to explore the relationship between psychological symptoms and excessive electronic device use. In addition, we conducted a mediation analysis to examine the role of parent–adolescent communication. The results revealed that excessive electronic device use correlated most strongly with adolescents’ irritability or bad temper, and this conclusion was stable in 2006 and 2014. In 2014, parent–adolescent communication mediated the relationship between adolescents’ excessive electronic device use and their psychological symptoms. The findings suggest that as the internet industry grows, it is essential to improve parent–adolescent communication quality to prevent adolescents’ psychological problems caused by excessive electronic device use.

Risk Factors for Excessive Social Media Use Differ from Those of Gambling and Gaming in Finnish Youth

Purpose: Adolescents’ excessive social media use has characteristics similar to other addictive behaviours. This study aims to explore whether the same risk factors are associated with excessive social media use as with excessive gaming and gambling among Finnish adolescents. Methods: Multinomial logistic regression analyses were carried out using the European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs data, collected from Finnish adolescents aged 15–16 in 2019 (n = 4595). Results: Excessive use of social media was more common among girls (reported by 46% of respondents) than boys of the same age (28%), whereas boys reported both excessive gaming (23%) and gambling (6%) more often than girls (4% and 1%, respectively). All differences between genders were statistically significant (p < 0.0001). Daily smoking was associated with a high risk of excessive gambling (AOR = 3.23) and low risk of excessive gaming (AOR = 0.27) but had no significant effect on excessive social media use. Cannabis use in the past 12 months was positively associated only with excessive gambling (AOR = 2.39), while past 12 months alcohol consumption increased the risk for excessive social media use (AOR = 1.25). Conclusions: Adolescent girls are at greater risk of excessive social media use than boys, while boys are at greater risk of excessive gaming and gambling. The associations with known risk factors are somewhat different for excessive use of social media as compared to excessive gambling and gaming and should be acknowledged when developing preventive measures for adolescents.

Difficulties in Establishing "Truth" Conditions in the Assessment of Addictive Smartphone Use in Young Adults

The smartphone revolution has placed powerful, multipurpose devices in the hands of youth across the globe, prompting worries about the potential negative consequences of these technologies on mental health. Many assessment tools have been created, seeking to classify individuals into problematic and non-problematic smartphone users. These are identified using a cutoff value: a threshold, within the scale range, at which higher scores are expected to be associated with negative outcomes. Lacking a clinical assessment of individuals, the establishment of this threshold is challenging. We illustrate this difficulty by calculating cutoff values for the Short Version of the Smartphone Addiction Scale (SAS-SV) in 13 Spanish-speaking samples in 11 countries, using common procedures (i.e., reliability, validity, ROC methodology). After showing that results can be very heterogeneous (i.e., they lead to diverse cutoff points and rates of addiction) depending on the decisions made by the researchers, we call for caution in the use of these classifications, particularly when researchers lack a clinical definition of true addiction-as is the case with most available scales in the field of behavioral addictions-which can cause an unnecessary public health alert.