A new international study has found a sharp rise in problematic social media use among adolescents since the pandemic. The Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study surveyed nearly 280,000 children aged 11, 13, and 15 across 44 countries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It revealed that 11% of respondents engaged in problematic social media behavior in 2022, up from 7% in 2018. The study, published by the World Health Organization’s European branch, raises concerns about the mental health impact of excessive social media use on Europe\u2019s youth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Problematic social media use, particularly among 13-year-olds and more frequently among girls, was linked to addiction-like symptoms, such as anxiety, depression, and sleep deprivation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Despite the negative effects for some, the study also found that heavy, non-problematic social media users reported better social connections and peer support. The report emphasized the need for increased digital literacy education to promote healthy online habits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Researchers also highlighted the growing concern over problematic gaming, particularly among boys, with England reporting the second-highest rates. The study calls for coordinated action from governments, health authorities, schools, and parents to address the risks associated with excessive social media and gaming.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A new international study has found a sharp rise in problematic social media use among adolescents since the pandemic. The Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study surveyed nearly 280,000 children aged 11, 13, and 15 across 44 countries. It revealed that 11% of respondents engaged in problematic social media behavior in 2022, up from …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":40,"featured_media":111818,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"yes","rop_publish_now_accounts":{"facebook_108372464460192_245495985553329":""},"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","footnotes":""},"categories":[31,21,30],"tags":[10277],"class_list":["post-111817","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","category-science","category-world","tag-social-media-platforms"],"yoast_head":"\n