Teens’ Digital Addiction and Mental Health the Focus of EU Study
An EU study has produced data about teenagers’ digital addiction and related problems.
Key Facts:
- The European Union Drug Agency carried out a study looking at addiction problems in teens
- It was called the Eighth European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs
- It surveyed over 100,000 teenagers across 27 countries in the EU
- Digital addiction has been found to be the greatest concern
The European Union Drug Agency (EUDA) carried out an EU-wide study called the Eighth European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs (ESPAD). It looked at the effects of addiction, including digital addiction, on teens aged 15 and 16.
Details of the Study
A total of 113,800 students from 37 countries across Europe were surveyed for the study. The UK wasn’t involved, so no British students took part. The researchers focused on age 15-16 because they thought it was a key time in young people’s lives as they transition to adulthood.
According to the EUDA, the ESPAD is very relevant because it:
Marks 30 years of monitoring adolescent risky behaviours across Europe, with 37 participating countries.– European Union Drug Agency, EUDA Comments on Teen Addiction Study, SBC News
The study looked at the prevalence of various addictive activities such as alcohol consumption; the smoking of cigarettes, e-cigarettes, cannabis and other high-class drugs; gaming; using social media; and gambling with real money. It noted that alcohol and smoking have become less prevalent, though other activities have become more common.
In the study’s overview, it’s mentioned that the newer addictive activities, i.e. spending time in front of screens, could be a cause for concern. Organisations such as youth clubs, schools and health agencies have been advised to prioritise helping teens with addiction problems.
Gambling Facts and Figures
The study showed that gambling, both real-world and online, remains a common activity throughout Europe. Online gambling in particular has experienced growth thanks to how easily accessible it is. Nearly a quarter (23%) of the study’s participants reported gambling for real money in the previous year.
The country with the highest gambling figure was Italy, with 45%. Then it was Iceland at 41% followed by Greece at 36%. By contrast, the country with the lowest gambling rate was found to be Georgia (9.5%). In most countries, teenage boys were more likely to gamble than girls.
For example, in Italy, 29% of the respondents were teenage boys who gambled; the number of teenage girls who gambled was only 16%. However, Iceland bucked this trend with the rate of gambling amongst male and female participants being more or less equal.
It was found that gambling in physical venues remains popular with teens, with 85% preferring to gamble in places like clubs and bars. Two-thirds of teens who had gambled in the previous year did so online. Some of these did so exclusively; others also gambled in physical venues.
Teenage boys are more likely to gamble online than teenage girls. Sweden, Slovenia and Kosovo reported the highest online gambling rates, whereas Italy and Spain had the lowest levels. Interestingly, Portugal had quite a large gap with 80% of boys gambling online and just 43% of girls doing the same.
The Study’s Main Concern
The study mentioned that digital activities such as using social media and playing video games are intrinsic to teenagers’ lives. Roughly four out of five students said they’d played games online in the previous month, with 70% saying they did this on school days.
Of those who played games online, 89% were boys. While girls had a much lower rate, it was pointed out that the rate at which girls play online games has tripled since 2015. However, some key problems are still associated with gaming.
Nearly a third (30%) of boys said they thought they were at risk when gaming, while 13% of girls reported the same. While gaming was shown to affect boys more, social media was found to have a greater lasting impact on girls.
Close to half (47%) of students involved in the study were found to be at risk of developing problems through social media. Girls were more likely to be affected by social media, with 53% deemed to be potentially at risk of suffering harm.
Mental Health
The study took mental health into account and used the WHO-5 Well-Being Index to help determine whether each participant’s mental wellbeing was good or not. Only 59% of the students were found to have good mental health. The figures varied greatly across countries and between boys and girls.
Mental health was found to be the strongest in The Faroe Islands, Iceland and Denmark. Those in Ukraine and Eastern European countries had the lowest scores. Worryingly, girls were much more likely to have poor mental health: 69% of boys had good mental health; only 49% of girls did.
In some countries, such as Poland and Italy, the difference between boys and girls reporting good mental health was greater than 30%. As for preventing addiction problems, there are already resources in place: almost three-quarters (72%) of students used at least one prevention service in the previous two years.
Eastern European countries had more awareness campaigns, while skills-based interventions were more common throughout southern and western Europe. These are known to be more effective at preventing problems than awareness campaigns, which don’t always reach the necessary people and don’t work as well.
It was found that boys were more likely to attend prevention sessions that focused on gambling and gaming. This is no doubt due to the fact that boys have greater rates of practising these activities. Girls, on the other hand, had greater attendance at sessions about substance abuse.
The EUDA has urged governments across Europe, schools, and general youth services to keep adapting to the constantly changing world that young people live in. Support systems must prioritise mental health and be aware of all the risks, both old and new.
