Supervisors info:
Τσίτσικα Αρτεμίσια Αναπληρώτρια καθηγήτρια, Ιατρική Σχολή ΕΚΠΑ,
Ψαλτοπούλου Θεοδώρα, Αναπληρώτρια Καθηγήτρια, Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕΚΠΑ,
Τσολιά Μαρία, Καθηγήτρια, Ιατρική Σχολή ΕΚΠΑ
Summary:
A cross-sectional school-based survey study (European Network for Adolescent Addictive Behavior, n=13,284; 53% females) of 14 to 17-year-old adolescents was conducted in seven European countries (Greece, Spain, Poland, Germany, Romania, the Netherlands, and Iceland). The aim of the present study was to investigate the prevalence of viewing online content about high-risk behaviors (self-harm, suicide, drug use) and pro-eating disorders; their correlations with psychosocial characteristics, internalizing and externalizing problems, according to the Achenbach system of empirically based assessment (ASEBA) were also studied. 12.2% of the sample reported having ever viewed online self-harm, 7.6% suicidal 19% pro-eating disorder and 14% drug use-related content. Adolescents that used the internet 6-7 days/week were more likely to have ever viewed online self-harm (adjusted OR=1.38, 95%CI: 1.17-1.62) and drug use-related content (adjusted OR=1.29, 95%CI: 1.11-1.50). Also, adolescents whose parents did not know which websites they visit, were more likely to have ever viewed online high-risk or pro-eating disorder material. Dysfunctional Internet Behavior was associated with the view of all risk behavior-related online content. Viewing online self-harm (adjusted OR=3.19, 95%CI: 2.66-3.82), suicidal (adjusted OR=4.24, 95%CI: 3.41-5.27), pro-eating disorder (adjusted OR=2.84, 95%CI: 2.40-3.38) and drug use-related content (adjusted OR= 2.20, 95%CI: 1.84-2.63) was associated with internalizing problems and, independently, with externalizing problems. The multivariate associations with all examined high-risk online content spanned also subscales consistently, namely anxiety/depression, withdrawal/depression, somatic complaints, rule-breaking and aggressive behavior.
Keywords:
High risk behaviors, Internalizing problems, Adolescents, Externalizing problems
