An integrative review of coping related to problematic computer use in adolescence

Problematic social media use mediates the effect of cyberbullying victimisation on psychosomatic complaints in adolescents

Adolescent psychosomatic complaints remain a public health issue globally. Studies suggest that cyberbullying victimisation, particularly on social media, could heighten the risk of psychosomatic complaints. However, the mechanisms underlying the associations between cyberbullying victimisation and psychosomatic complaints remain unclear. This cross-cultural study examines the mediating effect of problematic social media use (PSMU) on the association between cyberbullying victimisation and psychosomatic complaints among adolescents in high income countries. We analysed data on adolescents aged 11-16.5 years (weighted N = 142,298) in 35 countries participating in the 2018 Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study. Path analysis using bootstrapping technique tested the hypothesised mediating role of PSMU. Results from the sequential binary mixed effects logit models showed that adolescents who were victims of cyberbullying were 2.39 times significantly more likely to report psychosomatic complaints than those who never experienced cyberbullying (AOR = 2.39; 95%CI = 2.29, 2.49). PSMU partially mediated the association between cyberbullying victimisation and psychosomatic complaints accounting for 12% ( β  = 0.01162, 95%CI = 0.0110, 0.0120) of the total effect. Additional analysis revealed a moderation effect of PSMU on the association between cyberbullying victimisation and psychosomatic complaints. Our findings suggest that while cyberbullying victimisation substantially influences psychosomatic complaints, the association is partially explained by PSMU. Policy and public health interventions for cyberbullying-related psychosomatic complaints in adolescents should target safe social media use.

Emotional Symptoms and Risk Behaviors in Adolescents: Relationships With Cyberbullying and Implications on Well-Being

Context: Cyberbullying is considered a public health problem with serious consequences on adolescents' health and well-being. Objective: To analyze the relationships between emotional symptoms and risk behaviors with cyberbullying and understand the role of these factors as predictors of well-being. Design: This is a cross-sectional study based on the 2014 Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children of the World Health Organization (HBSC/WHO) study. Results: More girls reported being involved in cyberbullying as cybervictims, whereas more boys reported being involved in cyberbullying as cyberbullies and cyberbully victims. Girls reported more emotional symptoms, especially fear and sadness; boys reported more risk behaviors, specifically drug use and involvement in fights, but a higher well-being when compared to girls. Cyberbullies and cyberbully victims reported higher alcohol consumption than cybervictims; cyberbullies also reported higher drugs consumption compared to cybervictims and cyberbully victims. Well-being was predicted by emotional symptoms and age, independently of gender; for girls, involvement in fights also predicted well-being. Conclusions: If boys and girls, as well as cybervictims, cyberbullies, and cyberbully victims, present different levels of well-being, emotional symptoms, and risk behaviors vary in function of cyberbullying, it is crucial to develop individual interventions focused on the specific needs of each group.

Adolescent religious attendance and spirituality-Are they associated with leisure-time choices?

BACKGROUND

Spirituality and religious attendance (RA) have been associated with personal attitudes and values, and this may affect lifestyle. The aim of this study was to explore their association with adolescent leisure-time choices in a highly secular environment.

METHODS

A nationally representative sample of adolescents (n = 4,182, 14.4±1.1 years, 48.6% boys) participated in the 2014 Health Behaviour in School-aged Children cross-sectional study. We measured RA, spirituality (adjusted shortened version of the Spiritual Well-Being Scale), excessive television, computer games, and internet use, as well as participation in organized leisure-time activities.

RESULTS

Compared to non-attending and non-spiritual respondents, respectively, both attending respondents and spiritual respondents were less likely to watch television and play computer games excessively, with odds ratios (ORs) ranging from 0.6 (95% confidence interval 0.5-0.8) to 0.92 (0.9-0.99). Only attending and only spiritual respondents were more likely to use the internet excessively, but this was not the case for those that were both attending and spiritual. Moreover, religious and spiritual respondents were more likely to be involved in at least one organised activity. ORs were 2.9 (1.9-4.3) for RA and 1.3 (1.2-1.4) for spirituality compared to their counterparts. The same pattern was observed for sporting and non-sporting activities combined (ORs 4.6 (3.0-7.1) and 1.5 (1.4-1.7), respectively) and regularly reading books or playing a musical instrument.

CONCLUSIONS

Adolescent RA and spirituality are associated with a more active way of spending leisure-time. Further research should focus on understanding potential mechanisms that underlie these associations.

The Mediational Role of Coping Strategies in the Relationship Between Self-Esteem and Risk of Internet Addiction

The aim of the present study is to explore, through a mediation model, the relationship among self-esteem, coping strategies, and the risk of Internet addiction in a sample of 300 Italian university students. We submitted the data to a descriptive, mediational comparison between variables (t-test), and correlational statistical analyses. The results confirmed the effect of self-esteem on the risk of Internet addiction. However, we found that the introduction of coping strategies as a mediator gives rise to partial mediation. A low level of self-esteem is a predictor of avoidance-oriented coping that, in turn, affects the risk of Internet addiction.