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A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Adolescents".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 August 2023) | Viewed by 45497

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Chau Kiu Cheung

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Guest Editor

Department of Social and Behavioural Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 999077, China
Interests: quality of life; moral development; work and management; citizenship; eminence; social capital
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Sijia Guo

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Guest Editor

College of Public Administration and Humanities, Dalian Maritime University, Dalian 116026, China
Interests: adolescents’ mental health; positive youth development; adolescents' development
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Adolescence is an important period linking childhood and adulthood, during which the individual is gradually developing and determining their own identities, characteristics, functioning, and so on. Consequently, it is worth paying attention to this group by giving them substantial care, support, and guidance. Currently, with the information and communications technology development, social media is a platform that people, especially adolescents, use frequently in their daily lives for communicating with others, gaining information, sharing one’s life, and participating in social life. In other words, social media exert enormous effects on adolescents’ development and life, including their mental health, behaviors, physical condition, etc. From this perspective, this Special Issue aims to explore the relationship between social media usage and adolescents’ wellbeing. Additionally, this Special Issue aims to investigate the potential protective or detrimental psychological and social factors that influence the relationship between social media usage and adolescents’ well-being.

This Special Issue is open to high-quality contributions on the study of adolescents’ wellbeing within the social media society.

Potential topics include but are not limited to:

Adolescents;
Wellbeing;
Social media;
Dysfunctioning;
Delinquent behaviors;
Positive youth development;
Prosocial behaviors;
Happiness;
Motivation.

You may choose our Joint Special Issue in Healthcare.

Dr. Chau Kiu Cheung
Dr. Sijia Guo
Guest Editors

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Keywords

adolescents
wellbeing
social media
behaviors
functioning
cultural differences

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Social Media and Adolescents' Well-Being in Healthcare (1 article)

Published Papers (10 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 659 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Association of Individual and Neighborhood Characteristics to Problematic Internet Use among Youths and Adolescents: Evidence from Vietnam

by Thao Thi Phuong Nguyen, Ha Ngoc Do, Thao Bich Thi Vu, Khanh Long Vu, Hiep Duy Nguyen, Dung Tuan Nguyen, Hoang Minh Do, Nga Thi Thu Nguyen, Ly Thi Bac La, Linh Phuong Doan, Tham Thi Nguyen, Huong Lan Thi Nguyen, Hoa Thi Do, Carl A. Latkin, Cyrus S. H. Ho and Roger C. M. Ho

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(3), 2090; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20032090 - 23 Jan 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2371

Abstract

Introduction: This study aimed to determine latent profiles from the Problematic Internet Use Questionnaire Short Form-6 (PIUQ-SF-6) score of Vietnamese youths and adolescents, which supports the diagnosis of problematic internet use among a large sample size. Moreover, it also explored factors that affect each latent profile of the PIUQ-SF-6 score among participants. Methods: A sample of 1477 Vietnamese people, aged 14 to 24, across five provinces participated in the study. Multinomial logistic regression determined factors related to the levels of the Problematic Internet Use Questionnaire Short Form-6 (PIUQ-SF-6) after using latent profile analysis. Results: Participants were divided into three profiles, including those at low, moderate, and high risk of internet addiction. The high-risk latent profile was obtained for 23.1% of adolescents, and the remaining percentages were, respectively, 40.2% and 36.7% of adolescents belonging to the moderate and low-risk groups. Moreover, factors including age, living alone, high Kessler psychological distress scale, excessive time on the internet, living in central cities, and high neighborhood disorder scores were found to be related to moderate- and high-risk internet addiction profiles. Conclusions: Factors analyzed according to individual and social characteristics further explore the reasons underlying increasing internet addiction among Vietnamese youths and inform early interventions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social Media and Adolescents' Well-Being)

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18 pages, 682 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Drivers and Consequences of Short-Form Video (SFV) Addiction amongst Adolescents in China: Stress-Coping Theory Perspective

by Honglei Mu, Qiaojie Jiang, Jiang Xu and Sijing Chen

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(21), 14173; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192114173 - 29 Oct 2022

Cited by 19 | Viewed by 7731

Abstract

As a hedonic technology, short-form videos (SFVs) have attracted numerous users. However, one related problem that merits research is SFV addiction, especially among adolescents due to their immature self-control abilities. Although recent research has discussed the formation process of SFV addiction from psychological needs and the SFV features perspective, scarce attention has been paid to investigating the relationship between stress and SFV addiction, as well as the relationship between SFV addiction and its consequences. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to examine whether school burnout (school stress), social phobia (social stress), and parental phubbing (family stress) trigger SFV addiction based on stress-coping theory and, furthermore, whether SFV addiction leads to low levels of happiness (psychological consequence), parent–child relationship quality (relational consequence), and perseverance (behavioral consequence) among adolescents. The proposed model was tested based on data collected from 242 adolescents from across China under the age of 18 with the experience watching SFVs. A covariance-based structural equation modeling (CB-SEM) method was used for data analysis. The results showed that school burnout and social phobia significantly triggered SFV addiction, which later negatively and significantly influenced adolescents’ happiness, parent–child relationship quality, and perseverance. The study also found that SFV addiction served as a mediator between the drivers and consequences of SFV addiction. This study provides several theoretical implications. First, this study is one of the first to explain adolescents’ SFV addiction from stress-coping perspective, thereby enriching research in the field of SFV addiction. Second, prior research has rarely discussed the impacts of stresses from various environments on addiction behavior in a single study. Therefore, this study contributes to the knowledge of stress-related research in an SFV addiction context. Finally, our study enhances our understanding of the impact of SFV addiction on its consequences, in both an SFV research context and a social media research context. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social Media and Adolescents' Well-Being)

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13 pages, 533 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Measuring Online Social Support: Development and Validation of a Short Form for Chinese Adolescents

by Ziyao Zhou and Qijin Cheng

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(21), 14058; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192114058 - 28 Oct 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2724

Abstract

Supportive interactions on social media have great potential to benefit adolescents’ development. However, there is no instrument to measure online social support (OSS) in China. The study aimed to develop and validate a Chinese short version of the Online Social Support Scale (OSSS). The original scale was translated into Chinese through multiple forward and backward translation protocols. The calibration sample (N = 262) was used to select items and test the reliability, validity, and internal structure of the short form. The cross-validation sample (N = 267) was then used to assess measurement invariance by multigroup confirmatory factor analysis and examine criterion validity based on its relationships with life satisfaction, depression, and time on social media. The 20-item Chinese short version of OSSS (OSSS-CS) includes four factors: esteem/emotional support, social companionship, informational support, and instrumental support. Our results suggest that the OSSS-CS has high internal consistency, construct validity, and criterion validity. Furthermore, evidence of partial cross-validity demonstrated invariance of the variance–covariance matrices, factor structure, factor loadings, and factor variance across independent samples. The results also revealed that the original OSSS could be replicated across cultures. Finally, the short form developed in the study can be used as a reliable and valid measure of online social support among the Chinese adolescent population. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social Media and Adolescents' Well-Being)

14 pages, 1310 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Exploring the Associations between Social Media Addiction and Depression: Attentional Bias as a Mediator and Socio-Emotional Competence as a Moderator

by Wen Xiao, Jiaxin Peng and Suqun Liao

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(20), 13496; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192013496 - 19 Oct 2022

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 5903

Abstract

Social media is used daily by a significant number of young people and can have an important influence on the well-being of its users. The aim of this study was to determine the motives for social media use among Chinese youth and whether social media addiction associates with depression. Another objective was to analyze possible mediating and moderating effects in explaining the association between social media addiction and depression. Participants were 1652 secondary school students (51.5% boys and 48.5% girls) aged 12–18 years in China. The results showed that attention bias mediated the association between social media addiction and depression when adolescents’ socio-emotional competencies were low, but not as strong when their socio-emotional competencies were high. The findings not only provided theoretical support for preventing the negative effects of mobile social media addiction, but could also directly contribute to improving adolescents’ quality of life. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social Media and Adolescents' Well-Being)

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9 pages, 329 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Relationship between Personality Traits and Facebook Addiction among Adolescents in an Urban, Rural and Semi-Rural Secondary School

by Mokoena Patronella Maepa and Alicia Wheeler

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(20), 13365; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192013365 - 16 Oct 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2405

Abstract

Facebook is and was intended to provide a place for friends to connect within the bustling academic environment and to encourage openness for ideas and interests. When used sparingly, it can provide an individual with a sense of group belonging and connection, sharing and offering hope and advice. The misuse of Facebook can have detrimental effects on one’s quality of life that often lead to addiction. In this correlation design study, secondary-school-aged adolescents’ Facebook addiction was compared to personality attributes. Through a convenience sample, 240 teenagers in total (106 men and 134 females) were chosen. The respondents answered questions about their demographics, Facebook Addiction, and Junior Eysenck Personality. The findings showed a substantial inverse correlation between Facebook addiction and neuroticism (r = −0.260, p < 0.01) and psychoticism (r = −0.189, p < 0.01). There was no discernible statistical link between Facebook Addiction and Extraversion. The study comes to the conclusion that although social networking sites such as Facebook have good effects on adolescents’ lives, their use needs to be regulated, the risks were highlighted, and at-risk individuals can receive intervention approaches, such as social skills training. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social Media and Adolescents' Well-Being)

11 pages, 865 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Relationships between Social Networking Sites Use and Self-Esteem: The Moderating Role of Gender

by Cecilia M. S. Ma

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(18), 11462; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191811462 - 12 Sep 2022

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 10100

Abstract

With the prevalence of the internet, there is growing attention on the impacts of social networking sites use among adolescents. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationships between different types of online activities (i.e., information searching, social interaction and entertainment) and self-esteem. It examined whether the relationships vary across gender. One hundred and ninety-three students (57.5% males; M_age = 13.33, SD_age = 1.58) participated in the present study. Unexpectedly, the associations between online activities and self-esteem were not significant (p > 0.05). Path analysis showed gender moderated the relationships between social interaction activities and self-esteem. Females reported higher levels of engagement in social interaction activities and self-esteem than their male counterparts. The present study shows the importance of assessing different types of online activities as a predictor for understanding the impact of social media use among adolescents. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social Media and Adolescents' Well-Being)

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17 pages, 803 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Media Exposure to Armed Conflict: Dispositional Optimism and Self-Mastery Moderate Distress and Post-Traumatic Symptoms among Adolescents

by Ayelet Pe’er and Michelle Slone

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(18), 11216; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191811216 - 7 Sep 2022

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3019

Abstract

Background: Rapid technological developments enable the immediate transmission of armed conflict events through a variety of media channels, inducing mass anxiety, fear, and helplessness. Youth are particularly vulnerable and face new challenges as a result of this exposure. The effects of media exposure to such events on psychological distress and post-traumatic symptoms were examined. Methods: A total of 161 participants aged 13–18 years completed a questionnaire battery that included measures of media exposure to armed conflict events, previous direct exposure to armed conflict events, psychological distress, post-traumatic symptoms, dispositional optimism, and self-mastery. A structural equation model (SEM) approach was employed for data analysis. Results: The extent of media exposure to armed conflict was directly associated with psychological distress and post-traumatic symptoms. Dispositional optimism moderated the association between media exposure and psychological distress, while self-mastery moderated the association between media exposure and post-traumatic symptoms. The effects of the Internet factor of media exposure, which included social media, were particularly disturbing as neither of the resilience factors moderated negative outcomes. Conclusions: The findings suggest that clinical interventions to enhance dispositional optimism and self-mastery as well as other potential resilience factors can protect adolescents from the severe effects of media exposure to violent armed conflict events. Developmental and public health implications related to vulnerabilities and resilience during adolescence are discussed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social Media and Adolescents' Well-Being)

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13 pages, 943 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Association between 24-Hour Movement Behaviors and Smartphone Addiction among Adolescents in Foshan City, Southern China: Compositional Data Analysis

by Zhiqiang Ren, Jianyi Tan, Baoying Huang, Jinqun Cheng, Yanhong Huang, Peng Xu, Xuanbi Fang, Hongjuan Li, Dongmei Zhang and Yanhui Gao

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(16), 9942; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19169942 - 12 Aug 2022

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2884

Abstract

Smartphone addiction has become a public health issue. To help reduce smartphone addiction, we assessed the combined effect of 24-Hour Movement Behaviors on smartphone addiction during Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) home confinement in Foshan, China. Data were collected in a sample of 1323 senior middle school students ((mean age ± standard deviation): 16.4 ± 0.9 years; 43.46% males) during the COVID-19 lockdown. Their 24-Hour movement behaviors were assessed by a self-reported questionnaire, The Smartphone Addiction Scale-Short Version (SAS-SV). The compositional multiple linear regression model and compositional isotemporal substitution model were used to examine the association between the time budget composition of the day and smartphone addiction. Smartphone addiction occurred in 671 (50.72%) of the 1323 students. Compared with smartphone-addicted adolescents, non-smartphone-addicted adolescents had more moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and sleep duration (SLP), and less sedentary behavior (SB). The distribution of time spent in 24-Hour movement behaviors was significantly associated with smartphone addiction. The negative effect was found for the proportion of time spent in MVPA or SLP (ilr_1-MVPA = −0.453, p < 0.001. ilr_1-SLP = −3.641, p < 0.001, respectively) relative to the other three behaviors. Conversely, SB was positively associated with the score of smartphone addiction (ilr_1-SB = 2.641, p < 0.001). Reallocating one behavior to remaining behaviors was associated with smartphone addiction. Noticeably, the effects of one behavior replacing another behavior and of one behavior being displaced by another behavior were asymmetric. The 24-Hour movement behaviors of adolescents are closely related to smartphone addiction, and future intervention studies should focus on the compositional attribute of 24-Hour movement behaviors. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social Media and Adolescents' Well-Being)

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12 pages, 852 KiB

Open AccessArticle

How Does Social Comparison Influence Chinese Adolescents’ Flourishing through Short Videos?

by Sijia Guo, Kun Bi, Liwei Zhang and He Jiang

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(13), 8093; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19138093 - 1 Jul 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2832

Abstract

Flourishing indicates one’s emotional status and functioning level and is essential for adolescents’ further development. Adolescents’ social media use has been rising, with various potential effects on their development. Therefore, in this study, we shifted the emphasis from a traditional deficit-based approach to a strength-based approach by exploring how social comparison and social media usage influence Chinese adolescents’ flourishing. Altogether, 786 Chinese adolescents aged 12–19 years completed a self-report questionnaire. The results indicate that (1) both social media social comparison of ability (SCA) and social media social comparison of opinion (SCO) have no significant effect on Chinese adolescents’ flourishing; (2) integration into social routine has a positive indirect effect on the relationship between social media social comparison and flourishing; and (3) social integration and emotional connection negatively affect the relationship between social media social comparison and flourishing. These findings highlight the interaction between social media social comparison and social media usage. Furthermore, the results of this study clarify that the potentially harmful effect of social media usage on adolescents’ flourishing is not determined by the frequency or time spent on using social media, but how much adolescents are connected to or invested in social media. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social Media and Adolescents' Well-Being)

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19 pages, 1426 KiB

Open AccessArticle

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

by Sergey Tereshchenko, Edward Kasparov, Nadezhda Semenova, Margarita Shubina, Nina Gorbacheva, Ivan Novitckii, Olga Moskalenko and Ludmila Lapteva

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(13), 7593; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19137593 - 21 Jun 2022

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 3844

Abstract

We aimed to assess the prevalence, content structure and, psychological comorbidity of PIU in Russian adolescents. In addition, the design of our research provided an opportunity to compare demographic and psychological patterns of different forms of PIU: generalized (PIUgen) and specific problematic video game use (PUgame), as well as problematic social media use (PUsocial). Methods: This is a one-stage cross-sectional observational study of school sampling in three major Siberian cities. A total of 4514 schoolchildren aged 12–18 (mean age 14.52 ± 1.52 years) were surveyed. The Chen Internet Addiction Scale, the Game Addiction Scale for Adolescents, and the Social Media Disorder Scale were used to identify PIU and its types. Results: The prevalence of PIUgen among adolescents in Central Siberia was 7.2%; the prevalence of PUgame was 10.4%; the prevalence of PUsocial was 8.0%. The results of structural equation modelling, as well as the correlation analysis data, suggest two possible patterns of psychosocial problems with PIU—the first one is characteristic of both PIUgen and PUsocial. The second one—which is significantly different—is characteristic of PUgame. Conclusions: Urban adolescents in Central Siberia do not differ significantly from their Asian and European peers. Our findings support the concept of rejecting the term “generalized PIU” as a single psychological construct. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social Media and Adolescents' Well-Being)

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