TY - JOUR
T1 - Which health-related problems are associated with problematic video-gaming or social media use in adolescents?
T2 - A large-scale cross-sectional public health study
AU - Merelle, Saskia Y. M.
AU - Kleiboer, Annet M.
AU - Schotanus, Miriam
AU - Cluitmans, Theresia L. M.
AU - Waardenburg, Cornelia M.
AU - Kramer, Danielle
AU - van de Mheen, Dike
AU - van Rooij, Antonius J.
PY - 2017
Y1 - 2017
N2 - Objective: Problematic video-gaming or social media use may seriously affect adolescents' health status. However, it is not very well known which health-related problems are most strongly related to these issues. To inform the development of prevention and intervention strategies, this study aims to gain a better understanding of the healthrelated problems and demographical factors associated with problematic video-gaming or social media use in early adolescence.Method: A cross-sectional analysis was performed on data collected by two Municipal Health Services in the Netherlands in 2013-2014. In this survey among youth, 21,053 students from secondary schools (mean age 14.4 years) completed a web-based questionnaire. Multivariate analyses were carried out to assess the strength of the associations between mental health problems, life-events, lifestyle and substance use as independent variables, and problematic video-gaming and problematic social media use as dependent variables.Results: Of the participating students, 5.7% reported problematic video-gaming and 9.1% problematic social media use. Problematic video-gaming was most strongly associated with conduct problems, suicidal thoughts (all medium effect sizes, OR = 2, p<0.01), sedentary behavior (large effect size, OR = 3, p<0.01), and male gender (large effect size). Problematic social media use was highly associated with conduct problems, hyperactivity and sedentary behavior (all medium effect sizes). Additionally, female gender and non-Western ethnicity were relevant demographics (large and medium effect size).Conclusions: Most mental health problems were consistently associated with both problematic video-gaming and problematic social media use, though associations were only practically relevant for conduct problems (both groups), suicidal thoughts (problematic video-gaming) and hyperactivity (problematic social media use). This study also highlights sedentary behavior as health risk as it was associated with both problematic video-gaming and problematic social media use. Interventions for young problematic video-gamers or social media users should take into account mental health and physical activity.
AB - Objective: Problematic video-gaming or social media use may seriously affect adolescents' health status. However, it is not very well known which health-related problems are most strongly related to these issues. To inform the development of prevention and intervention strategies, this study aims to gain a better understanding of the healthrelated problems and demographical factors associated with problematic video-gaming or social media use in early adolescence.Method: A cross-sectional analysis was performed on data collected by two Municipal Health Services in the Netherlands in 2013-2014. In this survey among youth, 21,053 students from secondary schools (mean age 14.4 years) completed a web-based questionnaire. Multivariate analyses were carried out to assess the strength of the associations between mental health problems, life-events, lifestyle and substance use as independent variables, and problematic video-gaming and problematic social media use as dependent variables.Results: Of the participating students, 5.7% reported problematic video-gaming and 9.1% problematic social media use. Problematic video-gaming was most strongly associated with conduct problems, suicidal thoughts (all medium effect sizes, OR = 2, p<0.01), sedentary behavior (large effect size, OR = 3, p<0.01), and male gender (large effect size). Problematic social media use was highly associated with conduct problems, hyperactivity and sedentary behavior (all medium effect sizes). Additionally, female gender and non-Western ethnicity were relevant demographics (large and medium effect size).Conclusions: Most mental health problems were consistently associated with both problematic video-gaming and problematic social media use, though associations were only practically relevant for conduct problems (both groups), suicidal thoughts (problematic video-gaming) and hyperactivity (problematic social media use). This study also highlights sedentary behavior as health risk as it was associated with both problematic video-gaming and problematic social media use. Interventions for young problematic video-gamers or social media users should take into account mental health and physical activity.
KW - problematic video-gaming
KW - problematic social media use
KW - mental health
KW - lifestyle
KW - adolescents
KW - INTERNET ADDICTION
KW - DIFFICULTIES QUESTIONNAIRE
KW - PHYSICAL-ACTIVITY
KW - GAME ADDICTION
KW - BODY FATNESS
KW - RISK-FACTORS
KW - LIFE-STYLE
KW - CHILDREN
KW - PREVALENCE
KW - NETWORKING
M3 - Article
SN - 1724-4935
VL - 14
SP - 11
EP - 19
JO - Clinical Neuropsychiatry
JF - Clinical Neuropsychiatry
IS - 1
ER -