Association between adolescents' problematic online behaviors and self-harm risk

Area of Science:

• Adolescent Health
• Digital Behavior
• Mental Health Research

Background:

• Problematic online behaviors, including sexting, cyberbullying, and Internet gaming disorder (IGD), are increasingly recognized as potential risk factors for adolescent self-harm.
• The independent contribution of each specific online behavior to self-harm risk has remained unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the independent associations between various problematic online behaviors and self-harm risk in adolescents.
• To identify which specific online behaviors pose the greatest risk for self-harm.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional nationwide survey of 8446 Taiwanese adolescents (aged 10-18) was conducted in summer 2021.
• Self-reported questionnaires assessed problematic online behaviors (sexting, cyberbullying victimization/perpetration, IGD).
• The Risk-Taking and Self-Harm Inventory evaluated self-harm risk, with scores ≥7 indicating identified self-harm; multivariate regression analyses were performed.

Main Results:

• Prevalence rates were: sexting (1.3%), cyberbullying victimization (1.1%), cyberbullying perpetration (0.9%), and IGD (0.7%).
• All assessed problematic online behaviors were independently associated with higher self-harm scores.
• Sexting showed the strongest association with identified self-harm behaviors (OR=5.16), followed by IGD (OR=3.11).

Conclusions:

• Sexting, cyberbullying victimization, cyberbullying perpetration, and IGD are independently linked to increased adolescent self-harm risk.
• Sexting represents the most significant risk factor for identified self-harm behaviors among adolescents.
• Identifying adolescents engaged in problematic online behaviors, particularly sexting, is crucial for self-harm prevention efforts.