Adolescents’ online communication and well-being: Findings from the 2018 health behavior in school-aged children (HBSC) study

Abstract

BackgroundDigital transformation has influenced all areas of adolescents’ lives, including the ways adolescents maintain friendships. Interpersonal communication is one of the most common activities while online. Online communication may provide adolescents with opportunities to expand their social contacts, but these encounters can be risky, especially when the communication is with unknown people on the internet. This study examined the associations between different forms of online communication behavior and well-being.Materials and methodsData were collected from Finnish adolescents as part of the Health Behavior in School-Aged Children (HBSC) study in 2018. The participants were 3,140 Finnish adolescents aged 11–15 years. Descriptive analyses were used to examine the frequency of different forms of online communication behaviors. The associations between online communications and individual factors were analyzed using the X2 test and 95% confidence intervals. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to analyze the extent to which adolescents’ online communication behavior explained the variance in adolescents’ well-being indicators.ResultsOverall, 60% of the adolescents reported communicating intensively with close friends, with higher rates of intensive communication reported by girls, higher age groups, and the high health literacy group. 22% of adolescents reported intensive communication with friends they got to know through the internet (online friends), while intensive online communication with unknown people was reported by 13% of adolescents. Overall, around one-fourth of adolescents preferred sharing personal matters online rather than in face-to-face encounters, and 10% of adolescents reported using the internet daily to get to know new people, and to look for like-minded company. The SEM analysis showed that keeping online contact with offline friends was linked to a positive outcome in all the measured well-being indicators; however, intensive communication with people contacted only online (online friends and unknown people) was negatively associated with well-being indicators (lower self-rated health, lower life satisfaction, higher loneliness, and problematic social media use).ConclusionBoth positive and negative associations were observed between online communication and well-being, depending on the target and content of the communication. The results indicate that online communication has benefits for adolescents who have more offline social life. Overall, one should ensure that the impact of interventions is proportionately greater for adolescents at the bottom end of the health gradient.

Mental health profiles of Finnish adolescents before and after the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic

“…However, using social networking sites to seek information was not related to any mental health outcomes, and none of the three reasons for using social media studied was associated with depression or life satisfaction. Other evidence has shown that associations between online communication and well-being might be positive or negative depending on whom adolescents interact with online (e.g., peers, unknown people) [ 109 ].…”

Kids Surfing the Web: A Comparative Study in Portugal

“…In addition, considering all the countries included in the survey, 34% of the younger group (9-to 11-year-olds) were not allowed to use social networking sites, but in Portugal, this percentage decreased to 21%. We must be aware of the correlation between the overuse of online media and the risk of problematic Internet use, since this can develop into psychopathological situations [8]. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders has already classified problematic Internet use among children and adolescents, with a prevalence between 4% and 8%, according to the American Psychiatric Association [42].…”

“…Previous studies have indicated that Internet use occurs at home and school, especially for online gaming, watching videos, sharing images, and completing school tasks [3][4][5]. However, there is significant concern regarding safety issues [7,8] and the lack of information and training for parents [19] and teachers on digital literacy matters, as they require more training on the pedagogical use of digital technologies [31]. Most recent studies were based on the perceptions of teachers and parents, which means that students are heard less frequently.…”

“…Regarding security issues, a study carried out in 2020 by Mýlek et al [7] involving five European countries provided evidence that older adolescents tend to interact more with unknown people online than younger adolescents because of developmental needs, such as identity exploration, emotional adaptation or to foster new interpersonal relationships. This behaviour can be seen because of the developmental process, particularly for adolescents between 11 and 15 years old, who have more offline social life [8]. However, it can also be understood as risky behaviour and a common cause for parental concern [7,9].…”

Using the internet to cope with emotional problems: The role of preference for online communication in adolescents across 18 countries

“…Although such preference can be beneficial since it enriches social life, it may facilitate problematic use or maladaptive coping strategies if it becomes central for communication at the cost of offline communication and offline relationships deteriorate (Caplan et al, 2009;Lyyra, Junttila, Gustafsson, Lahti, & Paakkari, 2022). Accordingly, in an updated cognitive-behavioral model of problematic Internet use by Caplan (2003Caplan ( , 2010based on Davis, 2001) a preference for online social interaction is proposed as a cognitive component of problematic internet use itself.…”