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Problematic Social Media Use and Health among Adolescents

Author

Listed:
  • Leena Paakkari

    (Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, P.O. Box 35 (L), 40014 Jyväskylä, Finland)

  • Jorma Tynjälä

    (Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, P.O. Box 35 (L), 40014 Jyväskylä, Finland)

  • Henri Lahti

    (Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, P.O. Box 35 (L), 40014 Jyväskylä, Finland)

  • Kristiina Ojala

    (Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, P.O. Box 35 (L), 40014 Jyväskylä, Finland)

  • Nelli Lyyra

    (Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, P.O. Box 35 (L), 40014 Jyväskylä, Finland)

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.

Suggested Citation

  • Leena Paakkari & Jorma Tynjälä & Henri Lahti & Kristiina Ojala & Nelli Lyyra, 2021. "Problematic Social Media Use and Health among Adolescents," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(4), pages 1-11, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:4:p:1885-:d:499877
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Jonathan Haidt & Nick Allen, 2020. "Scrutinizing the effects of digital technology on mental health," Nature, Nature, vol. 578(7794), pages 226-227, February.
    2. Vittoria Franchina & Mariek Vanden Abeele & Antonius J. Van Rooij & Gianluca Lo Coco & Lieven De Marez, 2018. "Fear of Missing Out as a Predictor of Problematic Social Media Use and Phubbing Behavior among Flemish Adolescents," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(10), pages 1-18, October.
    3. Best, Paul & Manktelow, Roger & Taylor, Brian, 2014. "Online communication, social media and adolescent wellbeing: A systematic narrative review," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 41(C), pages 27-36.
    4. Torbjørn Torsheim & Franco Cavallo & Kate Ann Levin & Christina Schnohr & Joanna Mazur & Birgit Niclasen & Candace Currie, 2016. "Psychometric Validation of the Revised Family Affluence Scale: a Latent Variable Approach," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 9(3), pages 771-784, September.
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    3. Luyao Xie & Edmund W. J. Lee & Vivian W. I. Fong & Kam-Hei Hui & Meiqi Xin & Phoenix K. H. Mo, 2022. "Perceived Information Distortion about COVID-19 Vaccination and Addictive Social Media Use among Social Media Users in Hong Kong: The Moderating Roles of Functional Literacy and Critical Literacy," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(14), pages 1-13, July.
    4. Sergey Tereshchenko & Edward Kasparov & Nadezhda Semenova & Margarita Shubina & Nina Gorbacheva & Ivan Novitckii & Olga Moskalenko & Ludmila Lapteva, 2022. "Generalized and Specific Problematic Internet Use in Central Siberia Adolescents: A School-Based Study of Prevalence, Age–Sex Depending Content Structure, and Comorbidity with Psychosocial Problems," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(13), pages 1-19, June.
    5. Claire van Duin & Andreas Heinz & Helmut Willems, 2021. "Predictors of Problematic Social Media Use in a Nationally Representative Sample of Adolescents in Luxembourg," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(22), pages 1-15, November.

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