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Cited by 43Substance Abuse Treatment and OutcomesImpact of Technology on AdolescentsSocial Media in Health Education

A systematic review and meta‐analysis of the relationship between youth drinking, self‐posting of alcohol use and other social media engagement (2012–21)

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Cheng, Brandon, Lim, Carmen C. W., Rutherford, Brienna N., Huang, Sandy, Ashley, Daniel P., Johnson, Ben, Chung, Jack, Chan, Gary C. K. +3 more·2024·Addiction
DOI 10.1111/add.16304
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Abstract

Background and aim: Social networking sites (SNS) are interactive internet‐based social platforms that facilitate information sharing. A growing body of literature on exposure to, and self‐posting of, alcohol‐related content on SNS has examined the relationship between SNS use and alcohol consumption in young people. This study aims to synthesise the literature exploring the relationship between exposure (i.e. viewing or listening of alcohol‐related media) and self‐posting (i.e. uploading images or text of alcohol content) of alcohol‐related media on SNS on alcohol consumption. Methods: A pre‐registered systematic review was conducted in June 2022 within PubMed, Scopus, PsycINFO and Web of Science. Original prospective and cross‐sectional studies assessing youth and young adults (≤ 24 years of age) that measured exposure to alcohol‐related media or posting of alcohol‐related content on SNS and self‐reported alcohol consumption outcomes were included. Meta‐analyses were conducted on comparable methodologies. Results: Thirty studies were included (n = 19,386). Meta‐analyses of cross‐sectional studies showed both greater exposure (five studies; pooled β = 0.34, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.23, 0.44, i2 = 27.7%) and self‐posting of alcohol‐related content (six studies; pooled β = 0.57, 95%CI = 0.25,0.88, i2 = 97.8%) was associated with greater alcohol consumption. Meta‐analyses of three prospective studies also identified that greater exposure predicted greater future alcohol consumption (three studies; pooled β = 0.13, 95%CI = 0.11,0.15, i2 = 0.0%). Narrative analyses of studies that could not be meta‐analysed due to incompatible methodologies were also conducted. Most studies (all four prospective, one of two cross‐sectional) identified positive associations between exposure to alcohol‐related content and greater average consumption. Most studies (three of four prospective, four of six cross‐sectional) reported a positive association between of alcohol‐related self‐posting and greater average alcohol consumption. Conclusions: Both exposure to, and self‐posting of, alcohol‐related content on social networking sites are positively associated with current average consumption, problem drinking, and drinking frequency.

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  • Adolescents who frequently encounter depictions of alcohol and drug use on social media are at higher risk of engaging in these behaviors themselves.

    “Research suggests that adolescents who frequently encounter depictions of alcohol and drug use on these platforms are at higher risk of engaging in these behaviors themselves [6].”

    From The Impact of Social Media & Technology on Child and Adolescent Mental Health (2025) · cites this paper as [6]

    The Discussion (page unavailable) reports that greater exposure to alcohol-related social media content is associated with greater alcohol consumption, and the prospective-studies section reports this association in adolescents. The paper does not establish that exposure increases adolescents’ risk of drug use; its mention of alcohol- and drug-related videos concerns alcohol consumption as the outcome. (LLM, conf=0.88)

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Authors
Cheng, B., Lim, C. C. W., Rutherford, B. N., Huang, S., Ashley, D. P., Johnson, B., Chung, J., Chan, G. C. K., Coates, J. M., Gullo, M. J., & Connor, J. P.
Affiliations
  • The University of Queensland (AU)
  • School of Psychology The University of Queensland St Lucia Australia
Corresponding author
Connor, Jason P.
ORCID
Venue
Addiction
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2023-09-26
Volume
119
Issue
1
Pages
28-46
ISSN
  • 0965-2140 (ISSN-L)
  • 1360-0443
DOI
10.1111/add.16304
OpenAlex
W4387037869
Cited by
43
References
3
Citations by year
2026: 18 · 2025: 9 · 2024: 15 · 2023: 1
FWCI
1.68
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor (vor)
Locations
  • Addiction (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Griffith Research Online (submittedVersion, other-oa)
Funders
Department of Health and Aged Care, Australian Government
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Substance Abuse Treatment and Outcomes
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Impact of Technology on Adolescents
  • Social Sciences › Health › Social Media in Health Education
Keywords
adolescent alcohol use, social networking sites, alcohol marketing, problem drinking, drinking frequency, young adults
MeSH terms
Underage Drinking, Adolescent, Alcohol Drinking, Cross-Sectional Studies, Humans, Prospective Studies, Young Adult, Social Media

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