Social media use among the youth. Results of the ESPAD study in Poland with reference to other European countries

Abstract

Introduction: Polish ESPAD (European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs) 2015 data on social media use among the youth are presented with reference to four other European countries (Greece, the Netherlands, Romania, and Sweden). Material and methods: Logistic regression was performed to explore the relation between intensity of social media use and active social life and satisfactory peer relationships. Multivariable analysis was performed to explore the prevalence of social media use by teenagers and perception of the risk regarding use of social media. Results: Every fourth Polish teenager spends more than three hours per day on social networking. Social networking is an activity chosen more often by girls than boys and this relation is clear in all studied countries, despite different prevalence rates. Analysis shows that social networking for an hour per day or more increases the probability of teenagers having an active social life. Online gaming is less popular and is mainly a male phenomenon. Moreover, online gaming for more than an hour per day decreases the probability of satisfactory social relationships with peers. Discussion: Social networking is one of the contemporary means of being together and despite spending time online, teenagers maintain an active social life and satisfactory peer relationships. Excessive online gaming seems to be a more risky phenomenon than social networking. It may lead to limited social life and unsatisfactory peer relations. Conclusions: Professionals involved in prevention and addition therapy should take into account different levels of risk related to different online activities and should not lose sight of the potential and possibilities that being online carries with it.