2023-11-11 00:00:16
To what extent is excessive and problematic use of social networks widespread among adolescents? A study sought the most accurate answer possible to that question.
The study was carried out with a sample of Spanish and Mexican adolescents: 705 from schools in the Basque Country in Spain and 829 from Jalisco (Mexico).
The study was carried out by a team that includes three researchers from the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), as well as members of the Cyberpsychology research group at the International University of La Rioja (UNIR) in Spain.
The study shows that 16% of the 1,534 minors between 11 and 17 years old who participated in the research experience negative consequences related to their use of social networks, such as difficulties in their face-to-face interpersonal relationships or the feeling of not having the control of their own lives. Within this percentage, two levels of worrying use of social networks can be established: 2.9% show clearly problematic use, such as compulsively consulting or damaging key spheres of life; while 13.2% are at risk of engaging in this type of behavior.
The results of this research can help understand the differences in the use of technology in both countries, which facilitates prevention strategies in accordance with the respective cultural characteristics.
In Spain, the problematic use of social networks by adolescents has been more associated with concerns about being connected, while in Mexico it is more linked to a preference for social interaction through these platforms instead of in person.
The researchers did not find significant differences between the groups of minors who made non-problematic use and severe problematic use in both countries, although they did find significant differences in the group of adolescents at risk of presenting problematic use of these platforms.
“An important contribution of the study is that it is based on an approach based on a cognitive-behavioral model. Classic approaches, which understand that social networks (or some of them) can generate addiction, often involve pathologizing everyday life. With “In this study we have an instrument that allows us to differentiate problematic use from non-problematic use and establish profiles,” explains Juan Manuel Machimbarrena, associate professor at the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) and member of the UNIR Cyberpsychology group.
“These studies are not intended to pathologize everyday life. Social networks are a normative activity in our adolescents, but what we did want to show is that it can also cause problems for a percentage of them,” explains Joaquín González-Cabrera, principal researcher of the Cyberpsychology group and the Research and Transfer Institute (ITEI). ) of JOIN.
According to González-Cabrera, “with the evidence found, the creation of future prevention programs for the problematic use of social networks can be guided, emphasizing compulsive and obsessive behaviors in order to reduce or limit as much as possible the psychosocial consequences of their use.” use. It is not necessary to demonize that adolescents regulate themselves emotionally through social networks, nor that they have a preference for online interaction, as long as this is not the only way. Therefore, these factors are a problem in themselves, although they can be a problem when more aspects are added.”
Juan Manuel Machimbarrena in the Faculty of Psychology of the UPV/EHU. (Photo: Nagore Iraola / UPV/EHU)
Are you obsessed with being connected?
This research responds to the objective of designing and validating the evaluation instrument that allows the problematic use of social networks to be assessed and, in addition, can be used with sufficient guarantees in two Spanish-speaking countries. The instrument has been called: ‘Problematic Social Networking Site Use Scale’ (PSNUS).
According to this questionnaire, adolescents were evaluated in four dimensions. They were asked about their preference for interaction through social networks: for example, whether they use these platforms to relate to others when they feel isolated or to feel better when they are sad.
Regarding emotional regulation specifically, the minors were asked about whether they felt anxious when they did not visit social networks frequently or lost when they did not use them for a while.
Another aspect that was investigated were cognitive concerns and impulsive behaviors: whether they had difficulties controlling the time they spent on social networks or resisting the influence of doing so at certain times.
Finally, study participants were asked to indicate whether their use of social networks made it difficult for them to take control of their own lives, if they had stopped making plans or activities because they were connected, or if this need for constant connection had generated problems in their lives.
The study is based on the thesis carried out by Miriam N. Varona, directed by Juan Manuel Machimbarrena, associate professor of the Faculty of Psychology of the University of the Basque Country and member of the Cyberpsychology group of the UNIR, and Alexander Muela, professor of the Faculty of Psychology of the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) and member of the OSAKLINIK research group of the Basque Government.
The study is titled “Profiles of problematic social networking site use: A cross-cultural validation of a scale with Spanish and Mexican adolescents”. And it has been published in the academic journal Cyberpsychology: Journal of Psychosocial Research on Cyberspace. (Source: UPV/EHU)
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