Adolescent gaming and social media usage before and during the COVID-19 pandemic: Interim results of a longitudinal study
Abstract
Abstract. Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has raised concerns about a potential increase of addictive behaviors. Adolescents are considered particularly vulnerable to a problematic usage of digital applications. For the first systematic investigation of screen time and problematic usage patterns over the course of the pandemic, a pre-pandemic survey on adolescent social media (SM) and gaming use was extended to a longitudinal study. Here we present the results of the first two measurements points (pre-pandemic/under lockdown). Methods: A representative sample of 1,221 adolescents (10–17 years) participated in an online survey in 09/2019, 824 of them in 04/2020. Prevalence rates were measured at baseline with standardized scales covering ICD-11 criteria for problematic usage patterns. These were statistically compared and related to pre- and under-lockdown screen time. Results: Pre-pandemic prevalence rates for pathological SM/gaming were about 3 % each, for at-risk usage 8–10 % including more boys than girls. Usage frequencies and screen times significantly increased under the lockdown. The predictive value of usage patterns for screen time decreased from before to during the lockdown. Changes in screen time could not be predicted by the usage pattern. Discussion: The stability of the observed rates and effects should be further examined over the course of the pandemic. This will lead to relevant implications for prevention measures and the allocation of intervention resources.
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Rates of social media use among adolescents have increased during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Further, given rates of social media use among adolescents have increased during the COVID-19 pandemic [79], there is urgency in conducting this research and providing evidence-based interventions.”
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- Authors
- Paschke, K., Austermann, M. I., Simon-Kutscher, K., & Thomasius, R.
- Affiliations
- University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (DE)
- Venue
- SUCHT
- Publisher
- Hogrefe Publishing Group
- Published
- 2021-02-01
- Volume
- 67
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 13-22
- ISSN
- 0939-5911 (ISSN-L)
- 1664-2856
- OpenAlex
- W3132742413
- Cited by
- 135
- References
- 33
- Citations by year
- 2026: 6 · 2025: 20 · 2024: 28 · 2023: 19 · 2022: 43 · 2021: 19
- FWCI
- 37.73
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- de
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- SUCHT - Zeitschrift für Wissenschaft und Praxis / Journal of Addiction Research and Practice (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Impact of Technology on Adolescents
- Social Sciences › Education › Child Development and Digital Technology
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Sexuality, Behavior, and Technology
- Keywords
- adolescent gaming, social media use, gaming addiction, social media addiction, screen time, COVID-19 pandemic, lockdown, addictive behavior, digital addiction, prevalence rates, ICD-11 criteria, sex differences
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