205 - Problematic Internet Use in High School Students: Do in-person community activities help?

Publication Number: 4202.205

Kerry Gannon-Loew, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, United States; Qianqian Zhao, University of Wisconsin at Madison, ANN ARBOR, MI, United States; Megan A. Moreno, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, United States; Kristin Kotleski, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, United States

Background: In 2024, about half of US adolescents reported near-constant internet use. Problematic Internet Use (PIU) is associated with poor mental health outcomes for adolescents. At the same time, adolescents increasingly use the internet for community engagement and social activism, such as sharing information to support a cause or seeking information on local protests. Social activism is associated with varied mental health outcomes, yet volunteer work, another form of community engagement, is associated with positive mental health outcomes. It is unclear how participation in these activities may affect the mental health of adolescents with PIU.

Objective: To examine how social activism and volunteer work are associated with mental health of adolescents, adjusting for PIU status.

Design/Methods: High school students in Dane County, Wisconsin completed a health survey in 2024. This secondary analysis included assessments of: depression using the Patient Health Questionnaire 2 (PHQ-2), anxiety using the General Anxiety Disorder 7 (GAD-7), PIU using the Problematic and Risky Internet Use Screening Scale 3 (PRIUSS-3), social activism (protest/march attendance), and volunteer work (once or more in the last year). Binomial logistic regression assessed the relationship between depression with PIU, social activism, and volunteer work. Cumulative logistic regression examined the relationship between severe anxiety with PIU, social activism and volunteer work. Interactions of PIU with social activism and volunteer work were tested.

Results: The survey was completed by 15,448 students, 66% white, 49% male (Table 1). Adjusting for PIU status, participants who were involved in social activism had significantly higher odds of depression (OR=1.31, 95% CI:1.17-1.45)(Table 2), while participants who volunteered had significantly lower odds of depression (OR=0.67, 95% CI:0.61-0.74). Participants involved with social activism had significantly higher odds of severe anxiety (OR=1.49, 95% CI:1.38-1.61) (Table 3), and those involved with volunteer work had significantly lower odds of severe anxiety (OR=0.87, 95% CI:0.82-0.93). There were no significant interaction effects of PIU with social activism or volunteer work for depression or anxiety (p>0.05).

Conclusion(s): Regardless of PIU status, participating in social activism was associated with worse depression and anxiety for adolescents, while volunteer work may be a protective factor across both conditions. Clinicians may consider recommending volunteer work to adolescents given this potential benefit.

Table 1. Demographics of 14-18 year old high school students from Dane County, WI
Table 1. Demographics of 14-18 year old high school students from Dane County, WI

Table 2. Odds of Depression (PHQ-2 score of 3 or higher) and Problematic Internet Use, Social Activism, and Volunteer work for Adolescents
Table 2. Odds of Depression (PHQ-2 score of 3 or higher) and Problematic Internet Use, Social Activism, and Volunteer work for Adolescents

Table 3. Odds of Severe Anxiety (GAD-7 score over 15) and Problematic Internet Use, Social Activism, and Volunteer work for Adolescents
Table 3. Odds of Severe Anxiety (GAD-7 score over 15) and Problematic Internet Use, Social Activism, and Volunteer work for Adolescents