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Social media use (SMU) has become an intrinsic part of adolescent life. Negative consequences of SMU for adolescent health could include exposures to online forms of aggression. We explored age, gender, and cross-national differences in adolescents' engagement in SMU, then relationships between SMU and victimization and the perpetration of cyber-bullying. We used data on young people aged 11–15 years (weighted n = 180,919 in 42 countries) who participated in the 2017–2018 Health Behaviour in School-aged Children study to describe engagement in the three types of SMU (intense, problematic, and talking with strangers online) by age and gender and then in the perpetration and victimization of cyber-bullying. Relationships between SMU and cyber-bullying outcomes were estimated using Poisson regression (weighted n = 166,647 from 42 countries). Variations in SMU and cyber-bullying follow developmental and gender-based patterns across countries. In pooled analyses, engagement in SMU related to cyber-bullying victimization (adjusted relative risks = 1.14 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.10–1.19] to 1.48 [95% CI: 1.42–1.55]) and perpetration (adjusted relative risk = 1.31 [95% CI: 1.26–1.36] to 1.84 [95% CI: 1.74–1.95]). These associations were stronger for cyber-perpetration versus cyber-victimization and for girls versus boys. Problematic SMU was most strongly and consistently associated with cyber-bullying, both for victimization and perpetration. Stratified analyses showed that SMU related to cyber-victimization in 19%–45% of countries and to cyber-perpetration in 38%–86% of countries. Accessibility to social media and its pervasive use has led to new opportunities for online aggression. The time adolescents spend on social media, engage in problematic use, and talk to strangers online each relate to cyber-bullying and merit public health intervention. Problematic use of social media poses the strongest and most consistent risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined (1) whether intense and problematic social media use (SMU) were independently associated with adolescent well-being; (2) whether these associations varied by the country-level prevalence of intense and problematic SMU; and (3) whether differences in the country-level prevalence of intense and problematic SMU were related to differences in mobile Internet access. Individual-level data came from 154,981 adolescents (mean age = 13.5) from 29 countries that participated in the 2017/2018 Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) survey. Intense SMU was measured by the time spent on social media, whereas problematic SMU was defined by symptoms of addiction to social media. Mental (life satisfaction and psychological complaints), school (school satisfaction and perceived school pressure), and social (family support and friend support) well-being were assessed. Country-level data came from aggregated individual-level data and data from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) on Internet access. Two-level regression analyses indicated that in countries with a lower prevalence of intense SMU, intense users reported lower levels of life satisfaction and family support and more psychological complaints than nonintense users. In contrast, in countries with a higher prevalence of intense SMU, intense users reported higher levels of family support and life satisfaction than nonintense users, and similar levels of psychological complaints. In all countries, intense users reported more friend support than nonintense users. The findings regarding problematic SMU were more consistent: In all countries, problematic users reported lower well-being on all domains than nonproblematic users. Observed differences in country-level prevalence rates of intense and problematic SMU could not be explained by mobile Internet access. Adolescents reporting problematic SMU are particularly at risk of lower well-being. In many countries, intense SMU may be a normative adolescent behavior that contributes positively to specific domains of their well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Parents were somewhat more negative about the Dutch NIP in 2022 compared to 2013. • This was shown in our psychosocial study on changes in vaccine uptake determinants. • This may explain the decline in NIP vaccine uptake since the COVID-19 pandemic. • Most parents, however, were still positive about vaccination in 2022. Vaccine uptake within the Dutch National Immunisation Programme (NIP) has slightly declined since the COVID-19 pandemic. We studied psychosocial factors of vaccine uptake, namely parental intention, attitudes, beliefs, trust and deliberation (i.e., self-evidence), before (2013) and two years into the pandemic (2022). In 2022 and 2013, parents with a young child (aged < 3.5 years) participated in online surveys on vaccination (n = 1000 and 800, (estimated) response = 12.2 % and 37.2 %, respectively). Psychosocial factors were measured on 7-point Likert scales. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to study differences between parents in 2022 and 2013 in 'negative' scores (≤2) of psychosocial factors. In both 2022 and 2013, most parents with a young child expressed positive intention (2022 = 83.1 %, 2013 = 87.0 %), attitudes (3 items: 2022 = 66.7 %–70.9 %, 2013 = 62.1 %–69.8 %) and trust (2022 = 51.8 %, 2013 = 52.0 %) towards the NIP and considered vaccinating their child as self-evident (2022 = 57.2 %, 2013 = 67.3 %). Compared to parents in 2013, parents in 2022 had significantly higher odds of reporting negative attitudes towards vaccination (3 items combined: OR = 2.84, 95 % CI = 1.09, 7.37), believing that vaccinations offer insufficient protection (OR = 4.89, 95 % CI = 3.19, 7.51), that the NIP is not beneficial for the protection of their child's health (OR = 2.23, 95 % CI = 1.15, 4.35), that vaccinating their child does not necessarily protect the health of other children (OR = 2.24, 95 % CI = 1.16, 4.33) or adults (OR = 2.22, 95 % CI = 1.32, 3.75) and that vaccinations could cause severe side effects (OR = 2.20, 95 % CI = 1.35, 3.58), preferring natural infection over vaccination (OR = 3.18, 95 % CI = 2.24, 4.51) and reporting low trust towards the NIP (OR = 1.73, 95 % CI = 1.08, 2.79). Although most parents had positive intention, attitudes and trust towards vaccination and perceived vaccinating their child as self-evident, proportions of parents with negative scores were slightly larger in 2022 compared to 2013. Monitoring these determinants of vaccine uptake and developing appropriate interventions could contribute to sustaining high vaccine uptake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study examined five possible explanations for the mixed findings on the association between adolescents' social media use (SMU) intensity and wellbeing. Particularly, it investigated whether the association between SMU intensity and life satisfaction depended on (1) the type of SMU activity the adolescent engaged in, (2) the (non)linearity of the association, (3) individual differences, (4) inclusion of SMU problems, and (5) the level of analysis. Data from four waves of longitudinal data among 1419 adolescents were used (M age(T1) = 12.51 (0.60), 45.95% girl). Multilevel analyses showed that at the within-person level, on average, changes in different types of SMU activities were not associated with changes in life satisfaction. Within individuals, the associations ranged from negative to positive across adolescents. In general, this variation could not be explained by adolescents' engagement in upward social comparisons. At the between-person level, the higher adolescents' average intensity of certain SMU activities, the lower their average level of life satisfaction. However, these associations were confounded by adolescents' SMU problems. No curvilinear associations were found. Overall, the findings underline that to enhance our understanding of the association between SMU and wellbeing in adolescence, it is important to acknowledge the heterogeneity of effects, distinguish between SMU intensity and SMU problems, and disentangle within-from between-person effects. • On average, within-person changes in SMU intensity and wellbeing were not related. • Within-person relations between SMU and wellbeing varied across adolescents. • At the between-person level, more SMU was somewhat related to less wellbeing. • Between-person relations between SMU and wellbeing were confounded by SMU problems. • Active and passive SMU did not yield differential associations with wellbeing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social media have become increasingly integrated into the daily lives of adolescents. There are concerns about the potential detrimental effects of adolescents' social media use (SMU) on their mental health. Using a three-wave longitudinal study among 2109 secondary school adolescents (M age = 13.1, SD age = 0.8), the present study examined whether high SMU intensity and addiction-like SMU problems were bidirectionally associated with low mental health, and whether these associations were mediated by increased levels of upward social comparisons, cybervictimization, decreased subjective school achievements, and less face-to-face contact with friends. In doing so, mental health was measured by depressive symptoms and life satisfaction. Findings from random intercept cross-lagged panel models showed a direct unidirectional association between SMU problems and mental health: SMU problems were associated with decreased mental health one year later, but not vice versa. SMU problems also predicted increased levels of upward social comparisons and cybervictimization one year later. Yet, these processes did not mediate the observed effect of SMU problems on decreased mental health. Over time, SMU intensity and mental health were not associated in any direction; neither directly, nor indirectly through any of the mediators. Findings of our study suggest that harmful effects of SMU intensity may be limited and highlight the potential risk of SMU problems to adolescent mental health. • There are concerns about adolescents' social media use (SMU). • Over time, SMU intensity and mental health were not associated in any direction. • SMU problems predicted decreases in mental health one year later. • SMU problems also predicted increases in social comparison and cybervictimization. • Particularly SMU problems may pose a risk to adolescents' mental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined whether the association between immigration and bullying victimization differed across immigrant generation, age and national and school context. Data were used from the 2013–14 Health Behavior in School-Aged Children study among nationally-representative samples of young people in 26 countries/regions. Multilevel logistic regression analyses showed that first- and second-generation immigrants were more likely to report bullying victimization than non-immigrants. However, differences according to immigration status were more pronounced for first- than second-generation immigrants. For both immigrants and non-immigrants, bullying victimization was less prevalent at older ages. Strikingly, all immigration effects were similar across countries, and only differences in bullying victimization between second-generation immigrant and non-immigrant youth varied across schools. This variation was not related to school-level classmate or teacher support. Findings point to the vulnerability of immigrant youth for bullying victimization throughout Europe. • Immigrant youth reported more bullying victimization than non-immigrants • Differences were more pronounced for first- than second-generation immigrants • Victimization was less prevalent at older ages regardless of immigration status • Immigration effects on victimization did not vary across 26 receiving countries • Risk of victimization for second-generation immigrants varied across schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Problematic social media use (PSMU) is a societal problem, which impacts adolescents' well-being. Fear of missing out (FoMO) has been suggested as a core risk factor predicting both PSMU and adolescents' well-being. However, longitudinal research on the directionality of these relationships is scarce. The present study aims to fill this knowledge gap by testing the bidirectional relationships between FoMO, PSMU and adolescents' life satisfaction in the total sample, as well as for girls and boys separately. This study used four-waves annual longitudinal data collected from 2015 to 2019 among Dutch adolescents aged 11–15 years (n = 1419, M age = 12.5 ± 0.60, 45.9% girls). We applied random intercept cross-lagged panel model(s) to separate within-person level effects from between-person level effects. On the within-person level, findings suggested a unidirectional relationship whereby FoMO increased PSMU during mid-adolescence, but not vice versa. Moreover, low life satisfaction predicted an increase in FoMO during early adolescents. These findings underline that FoMO can be considered a risk factor of PSMU, and that low life satisfaction may be a risk factor for developing FoMO. These insights should be considered in intervention programs developed to effectively prevent unhealthy internet use in adolescents. • No evidence supports increased PSMU predicting lower life satisfaction, neither directly nor indirectly via FoMO. • During mid-adolescence (14–15 years), adolescents whose FoMO increased reported an increase in PSMU one year later. • During early adolescence (12–13 years), decreased life satisfaction predicted an increase in FoMO one year later. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]