Problematic Social Media Use and Health among Adolescents

Abstract

(1) Background: The use of social media has become an integral part of adolescents’ daily lives. However, the intensive use of social media can develop into a health-threatening addiction, but unfavourable health consequences can occur even with less use. Social media user groups categorized as no-risk, moderate risk (of developing problematic behaviour), and problematic use were examined with reference to their prevalence, their associations with individual determinants and health, and the increased health risk between groups. (2) Methods: The Finnish nationally representative HBSC data (persons aged 11, 13, and 15, n = 3408) and descriptive and binary logistic regression analysis were applied. (3) Results: Problematic social media use (9.4%) was most common among older age groups, and among persons with moderate/low school achievement, low health literacy, and low parental monitoring. Belonging to a moderate risk group (33.5%) was most frequent among girls, and among adolescents with low/moderate parental monitoring and health literacy. All the negative health indicators systematically increased if the respondent belonged to a moderate risk or problematic use group. (4) Conclusions: The study confirmed the association between problematic social media use and negative health outcomes and highlighted the need to pay close attention to adolescents at moderate risk who exhibited negative health outcomes.

Predictors of Problematic Social Media Use in a Nationally Representative Sample of Adolescents in Luxembourg

“…The same study found that there was no association between family affluence and PSMU [19]. Findings on the relationship between gender and PSMU are varied; Bányai et al (2017) and Kircaburun et al (2019) found that girls are at a higher risk of PSMU than boys, whereas Paakkari et al (2021) did not find gender differences for PSMU [2,17,19]. With reference to the Bio-Ecological Model, we also want to explore if migration background influences PSMU among adolescents.…”

“…Studies exist on the relationship between PSMU and sociodemographic characteristics, but the results are contradictory and, in some cases, not comparable. Schivinski et al (2020) found that age and gender did not significantly predict PSMU among (young) adults, whereas Paakkari et al (2021) found that PSMU was more prevalent in older adolescents compared with younger adolescents [12,19]. The same study found that there was no association between family affluence and PSMU [19].…”

“…Well-being is at the center of the Bio-Ecological Model. Previous studies found associations between problematic social media use and well-being, indicating that adolescents with PSMU indicated lower levels of life satisfaction, increased depressive mood and more health complaints compared with adolescents who did not have PSMU [12,18,19,31]. A possible explanation for this behavior is that negative emotional states can influence addictive behaviors, such as PSMU [22].…”

“…Due to the lack of a common definition for PSMU, varying assessment tools and possible cultural differences between samples and countries, the prevalence of problematic social media use differs between studies [17]. Recent largescale studies indicate that the prevalence of PSMU among European adolescents is around 4.5-9.4% [17][18][19]. Social media addiction, in contrast with internet gaming disorder, is at present not recognized as a disorder in the latest edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed) [20].…”

“…Schivinski et al (2020) found that age and gender did not significantly predict PSMU among (young) adults, whereas Paakkari et al (2021) found that PSMU was more prevalent in older adolescents compared with younger adolescents [12,19]. The same study found that there was no association between family affluence and PSMU [19]. Findings on the relationship between gender and PSMU are varied; Bányai et al (2017) and Kircaburun et al (2019) found that girls are at a higher risk of PSMU than boys, whereas Paakkari et al (2021) did not find gender differences for PSMU [2,17,19].…”