Artemis K Tsitsika1, Eleni C Tzavela2, Mari Janikian2, Kjartan Ólafsson3, Andreea Iordache4, Tim Michaël Schoenmakers5, Chara Tzavara2, Clive Richardson6. 1. Adolescent Health Unit (AHU), Second Department of Pediatrics, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (N.K.U.A.), Athens, Greece. Electronic address: info@youth-health.gr. 2. Adolescent Health Unit (AHU), Second Department of Pediatrics, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (N.K.U.A.), Athens, Greece. 3. University of Akureyri, Iceland and Masaryk University, Czech Republic. 4. Grigore T. Popa University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Iasi, Romania. 5. IVO Addiction Research Institute & Erasmus Medical Center, The Netherlands. 6. Panteion University of Social and Political Sciences, Greece.
Abstract
PURPOSE: Online communication tools, such as social networking sites (SNS), have been comprehensively embraced by adolescents and have become a dominant daily social practice. Recognizing SNS as a key context of adolescent development, this study aimed to investigate associations between heavier SNS use, and adolescent competencies and internalizing problems. METHODS: Data was collected in six European countries: Greece, Spain, Poland, the Netherlands, Romania, and Iceland. Participants were 10,930 adolescents aged 14-17 years (F/M: 5,719/5,211; mean age 15.8 ± .7 years); 62.3% were aged 14-15.9 years and 37.7% were aged 16-17.9 years. Participants reported on their use of online communication tools, and their general competencies and internalizing problems (Youth Self Report). RESULTS: SNS are both ubiquitous--used by 70% of adolescents--and engaging, given that 40% of users spend 2 or more hours daily on SNS (labeled heavier SNS use). Heavier SNS use was associated with more internalizing problems, and the relation was consistently more pronounced among younger adolescents. Moreover, heavier SNS use was associated with lower academic performance and lower activities scores, especially for younger adolescents. In contrast, among older adolescents heavier SNS use was positively associated with offline social competence. CONCLUSIONS: Although heavier SNS use is associated with higher social competence for older adolescents, it is also associated with increased internalizing problems and diminished competencies in academics and activities, especially for younger adolescents. Age, capturing developmental differences in social and regulatory skills, appears to moderate the effects of heavier SNS use on adolescent functioning.
PURPOSE: Online communication tools, such as social networking sites (SNS), have been comprehensively embraced by adolescents and have become a dominant daily social practice. Recognizing SNS as a key context of adolescent development, this study aimed to investigate associations between heavier SNS use, and adolescent competencies and internalizing problems. METHODS: Data was collected in six European countries: Greece, Spain, Poland, the Netherlands, Romania, and Iceland. Participants were 10,930 adolescents aged 14-17 years (F/M: 5,719/5,211; mean age 15.8 ± .7 years); 62.3% were aged 14-15.9 years and 37.7% were aged 16-17.9 years. Participants reported on their use of online communication tools, and their general competencies and internalizing problems (Youth Self Report). RESULTS: SNS are both ubiquitous--used by 70% of adolescents--and engaging, given that 40% of users spend 2 or more hours daily on SNS (labeled heavier SNS use). Heavier SNS use was associated with more internalizing problems, and the relation was consistently more pronounced among younger adolescents. Moreover, heavier SNS use was associated with lower academic performance and lower activities scores, especially for younger adolescents. In contrast, among older adolescents heavier SNS use was positively associated with offline social competence. CONCLUSIONS: Although heavier SNS use is associated with higher social competence for older adolescents, it is also associated with increased internalizing problems and diminished competencies in academics and activities, especially for younger adolescents. Age, capturing developmental differences in social and regulatory skills, appears to moderate the effects of heavier SNS use on adolescent functioning.
Authors: Jibin Li; Joseph T F Lau; Phoenix K H Mo; Xuefen Su; Anise M S Wu; Jie Tang; Zuguo Qin Journal: PLoS One Date: 2016-10-31 Impact factor: 3.240
Authors: Andrew J Lewis; Tess Knight; Galit Germanov; Michelle Lisa Benstead; Claire Ingrid Joseph; Lucinda Poole Journal: Front Psychiatry Date: 2015-09-23 Impact factor: 4.157