Young Scots are increasingly experiencing ‘addictive-like’ problems with social media and gaming amid fears for their mental health and physical well-being.
Boys aged 13 in Scotland were the most likely to play computer games every day compared to their peers in 44 countries and regions including England and Wales, according to a World Health Organization study of online habits among adolescents.
Six in 10 of 13-year-old Scots boys were found to be gaming every day and nearly one in five of those aged 13 and 15 were at risk of problematic gaming.
Daily gaming and playing games for sessions lasting more than four hours per day were most prevalent among Scottish adolescents across the three ages – 11, 13 and 15 – covered by the study.
More than a fifth of 13-year-old girls were also classed as problematic – or ‘addictive-like’ – social media users, up from one in 10 in 2018.
Among 15-year-olds, 19 per cent of girls reported problematic use compared to nine per cent of boys.
Half of 15-year-old girls in Scotland were in continuous online contact with their friends via apps or social media, much higher than the average of 37 per cent.
The data released in a new report by the World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe highlighted a sharp increase in problematic social media use
Sufferers of problematic social media use were more likely to go to bed later, even on school nights, get less sleep and experience ‘social jetlag’.
Both problematic gamers and social media users were considered to be ‘at risk of experiencing social, school and emotional problems in their daily lives as a result of these phenomena’.
The issue has been shown to be ‘potentially damaging’ and can lead to depression, anxiety, bullying and poor academic performance.
Concerns were also raised over ‘privacy, cyberbullying, addictive behaviours and potential negative impacts on mental and physical well-being’.
The findings came from the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study, which surveyed almost 280,000 young people aged 11, 13, and 15 across 44 countries and regions in Europe, Central Asia and Canada in 2022.
Lead author of the HBSC study in Scotland, Dr Jo Inchley, from the University of Glasgow’s School of Health and Wellbeing, said: ‘These latest findings from our HBSC report provide an updated picture of young people’s social media use and gaming habits across Scotland in comparison to other countries across Europe and North America.
‘While there are undoubtedly areas of concern, the report helps us to better understand the habits of our young people so we can better support healthy online behaviours.’
Researchers found that social media use (SMU) had ‘undoubted benefits’ for young people but that there was a ‘growing number of adolescents who are developing addiction-like symptoms that promote SMU and gaming behaviours at the expense of other essential activities and life domains.’
It was recommended that parents, policymakers and teachers should be made aware of the ‘difference between intensive use and problematic use of social media and digital games to be able to identify at-risk adolescents’.
Social media and gaming platforms should also avoid using ‘reward mechanisms’ and should enforce age restrictions.
The report stated: ‘The digital transformation of the past decades and the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic have led to drastic changes in adolescent daily lives and a substantial increase in the use of digital technologies.
‘The relatively low percentages of non-active social media users (SMU) and non-gamers indicate that SMU and digital gaming are very common and normative behaviours among adolescents.
‘Although most users reported active/intense SMU and non-problematic gaming, it should be noted that a significant increase in problematic SMU has been observed between 2018 and 2022.
‘Although previous studies have found that intense SMU is not necessarily associated with negative mental or physical health outcomes and can even be beneficial, there is a well established association between problematic SMU and problematic gaming in adolescence, with adverse mental, social and physical health outcomes.’
It added: ‘The benefits of developing social media and digital gaming habits that are healthy, safe and responsible and that support one’s own and others’ well-being should therefore be emphasized to young people.
‘By helping to understand the impact of social media and digital gaming on adolescents’ lives, HBSC continues to inform actions that maximize opportunities and minimize harm and online risks.
‘Understanding how SMU and digital gaming influence adolescents’ lives is critical to developing optimal education, health and social infrastructure that can meet the needs of a new digital generation.’
Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe, said: ‘It’s clear that social media can have both positive and negative consequences on the health and wellbeing of adolescents.
‘That’s why digital literacy education is so important. Yet it remains inadequate in many countries, and where it is available, it often fails to keep pace with young people and rapidly evolving technology.
‘We are seeing the consequences of this gap, with worse likely to come, unless governments, health authorities, teachers and parents recognise the root causes of the current situation and take steps to rectify it.
‘As millions of children across the Region return to school after the summer holidays, some countries are considering restrictions or outright bans on social media for children up to a certain age.
‘It’s clear we need immediate and sustained action to help adolescents turn the tide on potentially damaging social media use, which has been shown to lead to depression, bullying, anxiety, and poor academic performance.’
Olly Parker, head of external affairs at the children’s mental health charity YoungMinds, said: ‘Record numbers of young people are being referred for help with their mental health and the online world is one of the big drivers.
‘This is compounded by inequality, poverty, discrimination, insecure housing and an uncertain future. Add on intense academic pressure and it’s no wonder so many are struggling.
‘Young people tell us their relationship with social media is complex and brings both positives and negatives.
‘They feel the online world can provide a space to socialise, share information, learn and explore, but they also recognise the potential negative impacts.
‘They feel bombarded with distressing content they did not search or ask for. They tell us they sometimes feel trapped and unable to leave social media sites and some say they spend more time than they would like to online.
‘Given the role social media plays in young people’s lives, social media companies need to make their platforms safer for young and vulnerable users.
‘This starts with giving them more control over the kinds of content young people see and get in their feed.’