Henri Lahti

Background: Social media are immensely popular among adolescents. Thus, concerns have been raised about the threats adolescents encounter on social media and the possible negative health consequences, such as depressive symptoms and anxiety. This study investigated the prevalence of nine social media threats: (1) cyberbullying, (2) sexual harassment, (3) racism, (4) unauthorized distribution of sensitive material, (5) phishing attempts, (6) misinformation, (7) the sale or distribution of drugs, (8) harmful or dangerous social media challenges, (9) content causing appearance pressures. The study also investigated how individual and social factors, problematic social media use (PSMU), and online communication with strangers are associated with social media threat exposure, as well as the association between social media threats and self-rated health, depressive feelings, and anxiety symptoms. Methods and findings: Nationally representative Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) data from Finland were obtained from 2288 respondents aged 11, 13, and 15 years. Fixed effects regression models were applied. The most common threat, encountered daily and weekly, was misinformation. Regression models showed that individual and social factors, PSMU, and online communication with strangers explained adolescent exposure to social media threats in differing ways. Furthermore, certain factors (e.g., emotional intelligence, family support) were associated with encountering social media threats less frequently, whereas other factors (e.g., PSMU, online communication with strangers) were associated with more frequent encounters. Daily and weekly exposure to social media threats was systematically associated with poor self-rated health, frequent depressive feelings, and anxiety symptoms. Conclusions: Our study highlights the need for intervention and health promotion efforts to mitigate adolescent exposure to social media threats and ensuing negative health consequences.

A three-round Delphi method was used to study the problematic situations that adolescents may encounter when using the social media, and the competencies needed to address these situations. A panel of Finnish experts (N = 22) provided an open-ended list of problematic situations and competencies in 2020–2021. These were then evaluated and ranked according to their significance. The experts provided an information-rich list of both problematic situations and competencies. Finally, 16 problematic situations and 19 competencies were ranked in order of importance by the experts. The most important problematic situations were direct and indirect cyberbullying and sexual harassment. The most important competencies were the ability to act responsibly, knowing what kinds of activity are prohibited, and knowing whom to contact on exposure to cyberbullying or harassment. The findings can be used in developing policies, recommendations, and solutions aimed at counteracting the harmful effects of social media on wellbeing during adolescence.

WHO-Koululaistutkimus on Suomessa käytetty nimi Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) -tutkimukselle, jonka kyselyyn vastasi 11-, 13- ja 15-vuotiaita koululaisia yli 50 maasta aineistokeräyksessä 2021/2022. Ensimmäisen aineistonkeräys oli 40 vuotta sitten vuonna 1983 ja vuonna 2022 aineistoa kerättiin 11. kerran. Suomessa anonyymiin kyselyyn vastaavat koululaiset ovat perusopetuksen 5., 7. ja 9. luokalta. WHO-Koululaistutkimuksen tavoitteena on tuottaa kansainvälisesti vertailukelpoista ja kansallisesti tärkeää tietoa koululaisten terveyskäyttäytymisestä, terveydestä ja hyvinvoinnista sekä niiden taustalla olevista tekijöistä. Lisäksi tavoitteena on lisätä ymmärrystä terveyden eriarvoisuudesta ja arvioida terveyden eriarvoisuuden kehittymistä eri aineistonkeruuvuosien välillä. Tutkimus tuottaa tietoa lasten ja nuorten terveyden edistämisen käytänteiden ja poliittisen päätöksenteon tueksi. Tutkimuksesta vastaa tutkijaryhmä Jyväskylän yliopiston Liikuntatieteellisessä tiedekunnassa toimivasta Terveyden edistämisen tutkimuskeskuksesta. Tutkimusta johtavat apulaisprofessori Leena Paakkari ja yliopistonlehtori Nelli Lyyra. Tässä raportissa esitetään WHO-Koululaistutkimuksen 2022 tuloksia 5-, 7- ja 9-luokkalaisten koululaisten koetusta terveydestä, yksinäisyydestä, mielen hyvinvoinnista, koulukokemuksista, terveystottumuksista sekä terveyttä vaarantavasta käyttäytymisestä ja terveyden voimavaroista. Ajallisia muutoksia tarkastellaan vertaamalla vuoden 2022 tuloksia vuosiin 2014 ja 2018. Raportti sisältää myös suomen- ja ruotsinkielisten nuorten hyvinvoinnin vertailua vuoden 2022 tulosten perusteella. Raportti päättyy terveyden ylläpitämiselle ja edistämiselle tärkeän terveyden lukutaidon tilan sekä sen ja koetun terveyden ja terveyskäyttäytymisen välisten yhteyksien tarkasteluun.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has had implications for adolescents’ interpersonal relationships, communication patterns, education, recreational activities and well-being. An understanding of the impact of the pandemic on their mental health is crucial in measures to promote the post-pandemic recovery. Using a person-centered approach, the current study aimed to identify mental health profiles in two cross-sectional samples of Finnish adolescents before and after the peak of the pandemic, and to examine how socio-demographic and psychosocial factors, academic expectations, health literacy, and self-rated health are associated with the emerging profiles. Methods and findings: Survey data from the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study conducted in Finland in 2018 (N = 3498, age M = 13.44) and 2022 (N = 3838, age M = 13.21) were analyzed. A four-profile model using cluster analysis was selected for both samples. In Sample 1, the identified profiles were (1) “Good mental health”, (2) “Mixed psychosocial health”, (3) “Somatically challenged”, and (4) “Poor mental health”. In Sample 2, the identified profiles were (1) “Good mental health”, (2) “Mixed psychosomatic health”, (3) “Poor mental health and low loneliness”, and (4) “Poor mental health and high loneliness”. The results of the mixed effect multinomial logistic regression analysis showed that in both samples, being a girl and reporting lower maternal monitoring; lower family, peer, and teacher support; higher intensity of online communication; a less positive home atmosphere and school climate; and poor self-rated health were most strongly linked to belonging to a poorer mental health profile. In addition, in Sample 2, low subjective health literacy was a key factor associated with poorer mental health profiles, and teacher support was more important than before COVID. Conclusions: The current study stresses the importance of identifying those vulnerable to developing poor mental health. To maximize post-pandemic recovery, the role of schools, especially teacher support and health literacy, along with the factors that remained important over time should be taken into account in public health and health promotion interventions.

(1) Background: Internet use has become an integral part of adolescents’ daily lives. It is important to understand how adolescents use the internet, and how this use is associated with demographic factors and health from a person-oriented perspective. (2) Methods: The study applied the Finnish nationally representative HBSC data (persons aged 11, 13, and 15, n = 3408), descriptive observation, latent class analysis, and multinomial logistic regression analysis. (3) Results: Entertainment activities (listening to music) and socially oriented activities (liking posts, talking online) were the most prevalent among adolescents, but gender differences emerged. Five different internet user profiles were identified (encompassing interest-driven, friendship-driven, abstinent, irregular, and excessive users). Interest-driven users participated in interest- and media-oriented activities. Adolescents in the interest-driven user group were more likely to be boys and participants with low academic achievement, high parental monitoring, and high problematic social media use. Friendship-driven users participated in socially oriented activities. Adolescents in the friendship-driven user group were more likely to be girls and participants aged 13 or 15, with high peer and family support. Abstinent users participated only in entertainment, while irregular users showed no particularly high involvement in any internet activity. Adolescents in the abstinent and irregular user groups were likely to be boys and participants aged 11 with high family support. Excessive users had high involvement in internet activities overall. Adolescents in the excessive user group were more likely to be participants with high problematic social media use and were most likely to feel low and tired on school mornings. (4) Conclusion: The study confirmed the prevalence of internet use. It identified five internet user profiles and differences between user profiles regarding individual and social factors and health outcomes.

(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.