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Background: Regular physical activity (PA) has been proven to help prevent non-communicable diseases and is beneficial for disease management in chronically ill populations. Physical inactivity and recreational screen-based media (SBM) use are related to poor health outcomes and common among youth. This study aimed to (1) investigate PA levels and recreational SBM use of adolescents with JIA over time and (2) compare these behaviours with those of their peers. Methods: Data from JIA patients and their peers enrolled in the inception cohort study ICON at 11 German centers were analyzed. Individuals aged 13 and over were followed prospectively with questionnaires concerning PA level, recreational SBM use, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) at a two-year interval. Group by time interactions were analyzed using linear mixed models. Results: Data of 214 patients (mean age at first documentation 14.4 ± 0.9 years, female 63%) and 141 peers could be considered. At first documentation, patients were less physically active compared to their peers (p < 0.001). In contrast to their peers, patients' PA levels increased over time (OR 3.69; 95% CI: 1.01–13.50, p = 0.048). Mean screen time did not differ significantly between patients and peers (first documentation: 3.5 h vs. 3.0 h, p = 0.556; follow-up: 3.6 h vs. 3.3 h, p = 0. 969). During the observation period, male patients reported higher PA levels than female patients, but also higher screen time levels. While low socioeconomic status (SES) (OR 14.40; 95%-CI: 2.84–73.15) and higher cJADAS-10 score (OR 1.31; 95%-CI: 1.03–1.66) increased the likelihood for high SBM use (≥ 4.5 h/d), higher PedsQL psychosocial health score (OR 0.93; 95%-CI: 0.88–0.99) was associated with a decreased likelihood. Conclusions: Adolescents with JIA become more physically active over the disease course and achieve comparable levels of PA and recreational screen time to their peers. However, the vast majority appear to be insufficiently physically active. Future interventions to promote healthy lifestyles should include gender and SES as important determinants to reach most vulnerable groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Boredom is unpleasant, with people going to great lengths to avoid it. One way to escape boredom and increase stimulation is to consume digital media, for example watching short videos on YouTube or TikTok. One common way that people watch these videos is to switch between videos and fast-forward through them, a form of viewing we call digital switching. Here, we hypothesize that people consume media this way to avoid boredom, but this behavior paradoxically intensifies boredom. Across seven experiments (total N = 1,223; six preregistered), we found a bidirectional, causal relationship between boredom and digital switching. When participants were bored, they switched (Study 1), and they believed that switching would help them avoid boredom (Study 2). Switching between videos (Study 3) and within video (Study 4), however, led not to less boredom but more boredom; it also reduced satisfaction, reduced attention, and lowered meaning. Even when participants had the freedom to watch videos of personal choice and interest on YouTube, digital switching still intensified boredom (Study 5). However, when examining digital switching with online articles and with nonuniversity samples, the findings were less conclusive (Study 6), potentially due to factors such as opportunity cost (Study 7). Overall, our findings suggest that attempts to avoid boredom through digital switching may sometimes inadvertently exacerbate it. When watching videos, enjoyment likely comes from immersing oneself in the videos rather than swiping through them. Public Significance Statement: People often switch between videos and fast-forward through them on platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and Netflix. We show that people consume media this way to avoid boredom. However, this switching behavior makes people feel more bored, less satisfied, less engaged, and less meaningful in some instances. Our results provide valuable insights on how to consume digital media in a more adaptive and enjoyable manner in everyday life. Enjoyment may be better attained by immersing oneself in videos rather than swiping through them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Today, the use of digital media is already present at an early stage in the lives of children. Even preschool children can already develop increased digital media use (IDMU). Empirical findings indicate associations of IDMU with several problems in psychosocial development. Therefore, it seems important to identify IDMU early, but there are very few specific approaches for preschool children. The aim of the present survey was to evaluate a newly developed brief screening instrument (based on DSM-5 criteria) named the IDMUQ (an abbreviation for "Increased Digital Media Use Questionnaire"). Methods: We investigated two samples, consisting of 341 parents and of 809 parents, with the IDMUQ, the Short CIUS, and the Parenting Stress Index. Data on screen time and sociodemographic aspects were also collected. We conducted an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) as well as reliability and correlation analyses. Results: The findings of both the EFA and the CFA support a one-dimensional structure for the IDMUQ. The reliability coefficients (Cronbach's alpha values) were 0.74 and 0.86. We observed first indications of criterion validity for the IDMUQ as well as correlations between parenting stress and IDMU. Conclusions: The results indicate that the IDMUQ, with its four items, is a promising screening tool to measure IDMU in preschool children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the prevalence of digital food marketing to teenagers and its potential impact on food preferences and consumption, little is known about the specific food advertisements teenagers see in Canada and how they perceive them. Further, few studies consult teenagers directly about their perceptions of teen-specific food marketing content. To shed light on such issues, this study examines perceptions of food marketing and self-reported media use of Canadian teenagers via an online survey. Four hundred and sixty-four teenagers (ages 13–17) participated. Overall, teenagers identified Instagram and TikTok as the most popular social media platforms. The top food or beverage brands that teens felt specifically targeted them were McDonald's, Starbucks, Coca-Cola and Tim Hortons, while Instagram was deemed the most important media platform when it comes to teen-targeted food marketing. Teens deemed "celebrity" and "visual style" as the most important (food and beverage) advertising techniques when it comes to persuading teenagers to buy. Overall, the study provides insights into teen media use and brand preference, including the brands teens feel target them most directly and what they consider to be salient in terms of the food advertising they see. It also provides valuable details for researchers seeking to further identify and measure elements of teen-targeted food marketing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article revisits my older work on moral panics over "Muslim homophobia" and youth crime to make sense of the arrival of a new criminalized figure: the Palestinian school kid who becomes prone to terrorism and antisemitism after consuming "fake news" on social and Arabic-language media. It addresses the current outbreak of anti-Palestinian racism in Germany as the latest expansion of an archive of criminalization that targets young people who, far from innocent and deserving of care and education, are constructed as folk devils that require heavy-handed punishment, segregation and deportation. While former panics have singled out the problematic heterosexualities of Muslim populations that fail to catch up with women-and-LGBT-friendly communities that care about diversity, the debate about the "Middle East conflict in Berlin schools" foregrounds media use as a central determinant of cultural pathology. This departure from languages of care and diversity, the article argues, reflects a dehumanizing tendency in racial capitalism that appears increasingly undisguised. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Regular physical activity (PA) has been proven to help prevent non-communicable diseases and is beneficial for disease management in chronically ill populations. Physical inactivity and recreational screen-based media (SBM) use are related to poor health outcomes and common among youth. This study aimed to (1) investigate PA levels and recreational SBM use of adolescents with JIA over time and (2) compare these behaviours with those of their peers. Methods Data from JIA patients and their peers enrolled in the inception cohort study ICON at 11 German centers were analyzed. Individuals aged 13 and over were followed prospectively with questionnaires concerning PA level, recreational SBM use, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) at a two-year interval. Group by time interactions were analyzed using linear mixed models. Results Data of 214 patients (mean age at first documentation 14.4 ± 0.9 years, female 63%) and 141 peers could be considered. At first documentation, patients were less physically active compared to their peers (p

This study aimed to assess the prevalence of anxiety symptoms among the older adults, explore whether stress mediated the association between social support and anxiety symptoms, and investigate whether media use moderated the direct or indirect effects within the mediation model. Questionnaires and scales were employed to collect data from 1143 individuals aged 60 years and older across 120 cities in China during the COVID-19 pandemic. The collected information encompassed sociodemographic characteristics, social support, anxiety, stress, and media use. Bivariate correlations were then used to analyze the relationships among the study variables. Finally, the mediation and moderated mediation models were examined using the PROCESS macro for SPSS. During the COVID-19 pandemic, 40.1 % of Chinese elderly experienced anxiety. Social support exhibited a negative correlation with anxiety. And, media use positively influenced both stress and anxiety. Stress partially mediated the relationship between social support and anxiety, with a mediation effect of 50.95 %. Notably, media use moderated the association between social support and anxiety, serving as both an indirect mediator (path a: Social support - Stress: B = 0.071, 95 % CI: 0.022, 0.120) and a direct mediator (path c': Social support - Anxiety: B = −0.066, 95 % CI: −0.111, −0.022). This study used a cross-sectional design, which restricts the ability to infer causal relationships. Social support is proven to be a potent alleviator of anxiety among the elderly. Stress partially mediated this relationship, while the indirect and direct impact of this mediation was influenced by media use. This study underscores the heightened anxiety prevalence among Chinese elderly during the COVID-19 pandemic, emphasizing the critical role of social support in mitigating these effects. It discovers that while stress acts as a mediator, media use serves as a significant moderator in this dynamic. These findings advocate for the necessity of bolstering social support networks and encouraging prudent media use to effectively manage anxiety and stress among the elderly, particularly in challenging times like a pandemic. • Study finds high anxiety rate (40.1%) in elderly during COVID-19 pandemic in China, highlighting prevalence of anxiety among seniors. • Social support buffers anxiety during stressful times like the pandemic, underscoring its essential role in mental well-being. • Media use exacerbates stress and anxiety but also moderates the relationship between social support and anxiety in elderly during crises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Over the past decades, media use has become a key aspect of young people’s daily lives, significantly shaping their social interactions, learning processes, and recreational pursuits. At the same time, healthcare professionals and researchers are increasingly concerned about the impact of media use on young people’s mental health. This concern is particularly relevant for gender diverse youth who may have distinct experiences with media that could impact their mental health uniquely compared to their peers, such as increased exposure to cyberbullying and negative content regarding their gender identity. This study aims to explore the associations between media use and depressive symptoms among youth and examine if gender moderates this association. Methods This study utilized a cross-sectional design involving a school-based sample of 8158 participants (M age = 14.05 years, SD = 2.45, N diverse = 144) from Austria. Participants completed a survey assessing their media use and depressive symptoms using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). Media use was measured by asking participants to report their daily usage in hours and minutes across various categories, including smartphone use, streaming services, social networks, and other media types. Multiple regression analyses were conducted to examine relationships between different forms of media use and depressive symptoms. Moderation analyses were performed using the PROCESS macro for SPSS to explore the role of gender. Results For gender diverse youth, multiple regression analysis identified streaming services (β = 0.265, p = .005) and social networks (β = 0.189, p = .037) as significant predictors of depressive symptoms in gender diverse youth. Moderation analyses conducted with the entire sample showed that gender moderates the relationship between depressive symptoms and smartphone use (B = - 0.008, p = .014), with the effect being the most negative for gender diverse individuals. Conclusion The findings underscore the complex relationship between media use and depressive symptoms among gender diverse youth, emphasizing the moderating role of gender. These results underline the need for gender-sensitive approaches in media literacy and mental health interventions. Stakeholders should be aware of risks and benefits of different media types to foster healthy media engagement.

Background: Over the past decades, media use has become a key aspect of young people's daily lives, significantly shaping their social interactions, learning processes, and recreational pursuits. At the same time, healthcare professionals and researchers are increasingly concerned about the impact of media use on young people's mental health. This concern is particularly relevant for gender diverse youth who may have distinct experiences with media that could impact their mental health uniquely compared to their peers, such as increased exposure to cyberbullying and negative content regarding their gender identity. This study aims to explore the associations between media use and depressive symptoms among youth and examine if gender moderates this association. Methods: This study utilized a cross-sectional design involving a school-based sample of 8158 participants (Mage = 14.05 years, SD = 2.45, Ndiverse = 144) from Austria. Participants completed a survey assessing their media use and depressive symptoms using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). Media use was measured by asking participants to report their daily usage in hours and minutes across various categories, including smartphone use, streaming services, social networks, and other media types. Multiple regression analyses were conducted to examine relationships between different forms of media use and depressive symptoms. Moderation analyses were performed using the PROCESS macro for SPSS to explore the role of gender. Results: For gender diverse youth, multiple regression analysis identified streaming services (β = 0.265, p =.005) and social networks (β = 0.189, p =.037) as significant predictors of depressive symptoms in gender diverse youth. Moderation analyses conducted with the entire sample showed that gender moderates the relationship between depressive symptoms and smartphone use (B = - 0.008, p =.014), with the effect being the most negative for gender diverse individuals. Conclusion: The findings underscore the complex relationship between media use and depressive symptoms among gender diverse youth, emphasizing the moderating role of gender. These results underline the need for gender-sensitive approaches in media literacy and mental health interventions. Stakeholders should be aware of risks and benefits of different media types to foster healthy media engagement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Limiting children's screen time has become a new parenting challenge. Due to the high attractiveness of media and digital devices, many children experience painful transitions in screen time to other activities. Screen time tantrums is a new concept that describes children's negative affect screen time limits. Knowing the factors that increase children's negative reactions will be helpful in parents and educators practice to prevent screen time tantrums or enrich children's nondigital activities, making them attractive alternatives to the media. Based on theoretical insights into the coping mechanisms of frustration and anger in preschool children, this study was aimed to explore the effects of executive functions skills, family activities, and children's play behavior with real toys on screen time tantrums. Sample included 654 caregiver-child pairs (M children age = 70.3 months, SD = 4.02). Results confirmed the hypothesis that play behavior with real toys is a stronger preventor of screen time tantrum than EF skills. The findings suggest that supporting play activity in preschool children might help them to avoid strong negative affects due to screen time limitation. The results of this study may be also considered as a support for the theoretical assumptions that play can be considered as a universal way of coping with frustration and anger in childhood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study investigated associations between the use of electronic media and sleep in children and young adolescents, with a specific focus on the moderation of associations by sex and age. Methods: Between 2021 and 2022, 453 10- to 14-year-old children participating in the LIFE Child cohort study (Germany) reported on their use of electronic media (daily screen time, use at bedtime, device ownership) and on their sleep difficulties (Sleep Self Report). Associations between media use and sleep as well as interactions with age and sex were assessed using linear regression analyses. Results: The analyses revealed significant associations between the use of media at bedtime and bedtime problems (in girls only), sleep behavior problems (in girls only), and daytime sleepiness (in girls and boys). Daily screen time, in contrast, was associated with none of the sleep difficulties. The number of media devices owned by the child was only associated with bedtime problems in girls, and this association lost statistical significance once media use at bedtime was included as further predictor. Conclusion: The findings underline the potentially sleep-disturbing role of electronic media at bedtime. Furthermore, they suggest that this effect is more pronounced in girls than in boys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Numerous studies have consistently demonstrated a decline in sleep quality during the COVID-19 pandemic. The primary objective of this study is to explore the impact of engaging with pertinent epidemic information through the media amid the COVID-19 crisis on individuals' sleep quality and the underlying mechanisms through which this influence operates. Methods: An online cross-sectional study design was employed. A total of 1,063 British adults (36.2% males; Mage = 38.85, SDage = 13.36, ranging from 18 to 77 years old) participated in the study and completed our questionnaires, which included media usage frequency during the pandemic, the 10-item Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10), the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), and the Ten-item Personality Inventory (TIPI). Results: Pearson's correlation analyses indicated that there was no significant correlation between COVID-19-related traditional media use (television, radio, newspaper) and psychological distress or sleep quality. However, exposure to information related to COVID-19 through new media use (Facebook, Tik Tok, Twitter) was correlated with greater psychological distress and poorer sleep quality. A moderated mediation analysis showed that psychological distress fully mediated the relationship between new media use and poor sleep, which was moderated by age, with the association between psychological distress and poor sleep quality being stronger among older adults. Conclusion: Exposure to information of COVID-19 via new (but not traditional) media use deteriorated sleep quality through greater psychological distress, and this relationship was stronger among older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New political cleavages are reshaping the political landscape in established democracies. The classic left-right ideological dimension that has structured politics for decades is increasingly challenged by a sociocultural value dimension. At the same time, growing opportunities for media choice open for new forms of selective news exposure along political lines. We argue that previous research has too narrowly focused on traditional ideological cleavages, neglecting the increasingly important sociocultural value dimension of politics. Using four waves of panel survey data collected in Sweden during 2020 and 2021, this study analyses ideological selective exposure, audience composition, and reinforcing spirals across a range of mainstream and alternative news outlets. Findings show (1) that the sociocultural value dimension is more important than the socioeconomic dimension for explaining news choices, (2) that it structures news audiences in uniquely distinct ways, and (3) that these relationships are highly stable over time—reflecting patterns of de facto selective exposure and ideological maintenance, rather than reinforcement. These findings bring new insights to research on selective news exposure, political polarization, and changing ideological cleavages in Western democracies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This study applied a web survey to explore what factors explain Chinese residents' evaluation of COVID-19 governance in China. The authors found that the use of official news sources and collectivist cultural orientation can explain more positive evaluations of government, but neither the actual nor perceived pandemic severity was directly associated with evaluations of government performance. Applying a multilevel analysis, two divergent effects were found associated with the severity of the pandemic: the positive rally effect and the negative attribution effect. In areas where the pandemic was particularly severe such as Hubei, the two divergent effects were especially evident. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Dark Triad (DT) is a set of personality traits consisting of subclinical psychopathy, narcissism, and Machiavellianism. Separately, The Red Pill (TRP) is a seduction community part of an online men's movement that advocates incorporating DT traits and behaviors in romantic or sexual relationships with women. This study investigates the potential presence of DT influences in relationships with TRP‐affiliated men as described by former romantic partners. Using a directed content analysis of six semi‐structured interviews, four thematic categories emerged: relationship development, coaxing, outward appearances, and DT‐associated Internet behaviors. TRP men consistently displayed self‐interest and willingness to use manipulation to meet their needs, portraying themselves to their partners and the world as successful while callously disregarding partners' emotions in their pursuit of sex or social desirability. Participants' experiences of TRP men's behaviors aligned with prior knowledge regarding DT‐associated romantic and sexual relationships. This research may be used to inform future research connecting DT personalities and maladaptive social groups, as well as generating prevention strategies among relationship‐based practitioners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: As the COVID-19 pandemic raged, controversies about governmental responses to the epidemic also emerged in China. Previous studies mainly described the phenomenon of individual differences on support for governmental responses to COVID-19 with less attention to the underlying causal mechanisms. Thus, this study tries to verify the factors influencing public support for official behaviors in COVID-19. Method: A questionnaire survey was drew on in Wuhan city during the COVID-19 outbreak. The quota sampling method was adopted according to the gender and age structure of the population in Wuhan as well as the educational structure of the urban population in China. Results: Through structural equation analysis, this study confirms that personal factors (namely conscientiousness and nationalistic ideology), behavioral factors (namely media diversity and echo chamber acts) exert significantly positive impacts on support for governmental responses. The echo chamber acts play important mediating roles in the relationship between each independent variable and support for governmental responses. Discussion: The originality of this study is that it constructs a comprehensive model of influencing factors of support for governmental responses with the personal, behavioral, and environmental factors. While contributing insight to political attitude in China, the research results also have significance for promoting public trust and constructing healthy public opinion in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article investigates the changes in the use of traditional and new media by different technology generations. Focusing on the changes in the use of Email, Chat and Social Network Sites by older people, it explores the process by which new media become 'old' and reach a saturation point. Collected survey data suggest differences in media use between the three technology generations distinguished in this study: the 'mechanical' generation (born in 1938 or before), the 'household revolution' generation (born between 1939 and 1948), and the 'technology spread' generation (born between 1949 and 1963). This longitudinal and transnational study provides evidence of media saturation, showing that an increase in both the availability of and access to media does not lead to an increase in use, even in older adults who are behind in the adoption of the new media. Finally, the article discusses the findings, arguing for an interplay between individual and structural lag in later life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study draws from family systems theory to investigate the relationships between parents' Internet practices, adolescent age (as a proxy for child development), and adolescents' perceptions of parent-adolescent relationship quality. Secondary data analysis of 4,592 U.S. parent-adolescent dyads from a nationally representative cross-sectional survey revealed that when parents reported having more problematic Internet use, adolescents (ages 12–17) reported having worse relationships with their parents. Stricter rules regarding Internet usage were associated with lower parent-adolescent relationship quality. This negative relationship was more pronounced for adolescents 14.55 years old and older. Unexpectedly, having stricter rules about Internet content was related to better parent-adolescent relationship quality; this association was weaker for older adolescents. The findings provide insight into the differences between restrictive Internet mediation practices about time and content, the importance of examining parents' problematic Internet use, and the need for considering children's development when examining the role of media in the family system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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A consensus gap exists between scientific and public opinion on the existence and causes of anthropogenic climate change (ACC). Public opinion on ACC is influenced by individual trust in science and the use of different media sources. We used systematic review and applied meta-analysis to examine how trust in science and the use of new versus traditional, and centralized versus user-generated media are related to public opinion on ACC. We compiled two data sets: trust in science (n = 13, k = 18) and media use (n = 12, k = 68). Our results showed a positive relationship between the levels of trust, media use, and ACC beliefs in line with the scientific consensus (i.e. pro-social ACC beliefs), with media use being moderated by nationality. Additionally, the effect size for using new or user-generated media sources was twice as large as using traditional or centralized media sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Political trust is an important goal of young people's political socialization. Under the treacherous international political situation, contemporary young people's political trust is an unavoidable topic. Understanding and grasping the sources and mechanisms of youth political trust is conducive to promoting the healthy development of politics in China. The media is an important source of shaping the political trust of this group. Based on a review of existing literature, this study examines the impact of media use by this group on political trust in today's communication change environment, with a particular focus on the intermediary role played by media trust. It explores how youth' s media use can further shape their political trust through media trust. In order to verify the research hypothesis, this article adopts the hierarchical sampling method and conducts a questionnaire survey on 24 middle school students' classes from 6 cities in Gansu, Hubei, and Guangdong. This study distributed a total of 1.508 questionnaires through face-to-face interviews, and ultimately collected 1396 valid questionnaires. Through a questionnaire survey of nearly 1.400 middle school students in Guangdong, Hubei, and Gansu provinces, this study examines the impact of media use and media trust on the political trust of youth groups. Data analysis shows that youth's media use not only directly promotes political trust, but also indirectly affects political trust through media trust. The use of media has a significant positive effect on adolescents' political trust. that is, the more frequently adolescents use media to obtain current political information, the higher their trust in political actors, governments, political parties, political systems and political systems. In the impact of media trust on political attitudes, both official and unofficial media trust can significantly promote political trust among adolescents, and media trust plays an important intermediary role. This study reveals the multiple impact paths of media use on youth political trust from the perspective of political communication. highlighting and confirming the important value of media trust in the cultivation of political trust in this group. By dividing the intermediary variable media trust into two dimensions: official media trust and unofficial media trust, this study enriches and expands the academic understanding of the relationship between media trust and political trust. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a context of international politics undergoing significant changes due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, NATO is reevaluating its role in the European public discourse. Therefore, it is crucial to understand the role of the media in shaping the attitudes of European citizens towards this institution. This research aims to measure the media's role in the adherence of European Union citizens to NATO's actions. To achieve this, indicators such as trust in NATO, trust in traditional and digital media, and the frequency of media usage from the Eurobarometer of January and February 2022 are considered. The Eurobarometer involved a total of 26,681 participants from the 27 EU member states, with representative samples. The main finding of the research suggests that the media plays a significant role in Europeans' adherence to NATO's actions. It was observed that, on the eve of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, most Europeans trusted NATO. Furthermore, the empirical evidence obtained reveals a high likelihood that a European citizen will trust NATO when they trust traditional media. Other relevant results include the fact that trust in digital media, as well as its usage, are good predictors of trust in NATO. Additionally, it is concluded that men, especially those with higher education, constitute the core of European citizens with a greater propensity to trust NATO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using the revised bioecological model, we examined whether three broad factors predict adolescents' nonacademic media use, with the exception of TV: (a) process factors that highlight a child's fundamental and proximal interactional activities (e.g., eating meals together); (b) person factors (e.g., age, sex, ethnicity); and (c) contextual factors that delineate a child's immediate physical and social environments (such as family, school, and community). By analyzing a nationally representative cohort (N = 22,454) of U.S. parents/primary caregivers who completed surveys regarding their children, we identified specific process-person-contextual factors that predict adolescents' nonacademic screen time. Factors that positively predict screen time include, e.g., age, sex, ethnicity, BMI, anxiety. Those that negatively predict screen time include, e.g., sleep, physical activity, father's physical health, mother's mental health, eating meals together, sharing ideas with parents, the child's active participation in school activities and community service, school safety, and emotional support for parents. Further, we found one age-related developmental process; the beneficial impact of meal sharing on media use was more pronounced in younger adolescents. This underscores the importance of exploring not only individual characteristics but also the broader process and contextual factors that shape adolescents' nonacademic media use. Prior research on adolescents' screen time primarily examined risk or protective factors at the individual level. In contrast, understanding the nuanced interplay among individual, familial, and broader contextual factors in shaping nonacademic media consumption is limited. We identified a comprehensive but understudied group of process, personal, and contextual factors and their intricate interactions that are pivotal in adolescents' media use. We also made critical theoretical contributions regarding family functioning in the promotion of healthy media practices. Our results have important implications for effective and holistic interventions that support healthy media-use practices in adolescents. These include the promotion of adolescents' self-regulatory skills, healthy family lifestyles at home, and diverse activities at school and within the community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Media Use Model (MUM) presents a metatheoretical framework that aims to unify several existing theories of media processes and effects. It uses a constraint satisfaction approach to coherence to explain the dynamic relationship between a media consumer's motivations, expectations, individual differences, and, primarily, their cognitive processing during media use. The MUM includes six propositions, which represent stages during which a media consumer's existing processing constraints are taken into consideration during their selection, interpretation, and comprehension of media content. It allows for both spontaneous and deliberate processing that can result in coherence or incommensurability, which then predicts continued media use or a change in media selection, respectively. Within this metatheoretical framework, (in)coherence is presented as a continuum where media consumers may have different interpretations of the same media content, which can then be used to understand their responses to it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To determine the micro-longitudinal effects of duration and timing of screen-based activities on sleep within and between adolescents. Daily survey and actigraphy data from the age 15 wave of the Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study were analyzed using multilevel modeling. Four hundred seventy five adolescents provided three or more days of valid daily survey and nighttime sleep data. Within-person results showed that on days when adolescents played video games more than their daytime average ± SE (1.3 ± 1.2 hours), sleep onset (6 ± 2 minutes, p <.01) and midpoint (4 ± 2 minutes, p <.02) were delayed for each additional hour of gaming. Between-person results showed that for each hour adolescents used screens to communicate with friends across the day, sleep onset was later (11 ± 3 minutes, p <.01), sleep midpoint was later (8 ± 3 minutes, p <.01), and sleep duration was shorter (−5 ± 2 minutes, p <.03). Adolescents who used screens to communicate with friends or play video games in the hour before bed had later sleep onset (30 ± 14 minutes, p <.03) and midpoint (25 ± 13 minutes, p <.05). Among adolescents, passive screen usage such as browsing the Internet or watching videos may not affect sleep timing or duration, but limiting interactive screen-based activities could protect adolescent sleep health and well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The modern social media impact over the subjective cognition of the individuals should not be underestimated. According to the Chinese Comprehensive Social Survey data 2017, this article constructs a multiple mediation model as the mediating variable with social capital, and studies social capital's mediating role in the process of media use affecting social class identity. The research found that: (1) The application of established media and newly media has a chief impact on class identity; (2) Compared with new media, traditional media has a significant control over on class identity; (3) The two dimensions of social capital both demonstrates a considerable positive mediating role in the procedure of traditional media influencing class identification, and the mediation effect of social networks is stronger than social trust; (4) A significant role is being played by social media mediating role to process new media making class influential as the mediating impact of of having social trust is un-significant. The study's novelty lies in using social capital as an intermediary variable, exposing one of the impact channels of media consumption on class identity, and giving a new explanatory framework for the class identity influence mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gari is the most popular form in which cassava is consumed in most households in Nigeria. However, gari is deficient in most food nutrients and its excessive consumption without supplementation leads to malnutrition. Soygari (Gari fortified with soyabean) could help reduce malnutrition if positive behaviour is elicited through appropriate Communication Media (CM). However, empirical evidence on suitable CM mix to elicit positive behaviour towards Soygari nutrition is scarce. Therefore, CM mix for behavioural change in Soygari nutrition information dissemination among rural households in southwestern Nigeria was investigated. This study evaluated the effect of consistent dosage of Soygari information on rural women's behaviour in South Western Nigeria. A quasi-experimental research design was used. Data were collected from 224 women in soybean-producing households in the region through a systematic sampling procedure. This study trained women in Soygari information for twelve weeks using podcasts (audio and video messages), and interactive (demonstrations and visual teaching methods). The study targeted change in women's knowledge, attitude, and utilization. Empirical analyses are described in tables and percentages, while parametric tests were used to analyze a priori hypotheses. The podcast method influenced higher change in Knowledge (Δx = 2.68) and attitude (Δx =5.94) of women while a higher change in utilization (Δx = 7.32) was found among women exposed to the interactive method. A significant difference existed in the utilization (T = 4.018; p < 0.05) of Soygari among women exposed to the podcast and interactive methods. Both media types effectively promoted positive behavioural change towards Soygari nutrition among rural households in South western Nigeria. Audio and practical demonstration mix were most suitable. An interactive method of communication is best if the target of nutrition information is for immediate household utilization. Multiple dosages of information can be a motivation to change an already existing human behaviour even when distractions exist. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Red Pill (TRP) is an online antifeminist seduction community, which encourages its members to employ their beliefs and manipulation strategies in offline relationships. Though previous studies have evaluated online TRP communities and their discourse, this study represents the first investigation of the impacts of TRP practices on intimate partners engaged in physical, offline relationships with TRP men. Six in-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with women who had formerly been romantic partners with TRP men. Analysis revealed four primary themes: (1) technology use, (2) maltreatment, (3) social beliefs, and (4) long-term effects, each with multiple subcategories. TRP was used by male partners both as a basis for controlling many elements of participants' lives, as well as a basis for their own beliefs about gender, sexuality, and politics. Despite differences in ages, lengths of relationships, and geographic locations of participants, commonalities were found in their experiences of various forms of maltreatment. As a result, participants expressed high levels of ongoing mistrust toward dating and other men. Findings suggest that TRP exists as a form of intimate partner violence spreading via the internet while masking as a seduction or self-help system, and that its risks are not limited to online spaces. Results may inform future research in order to generate greater awareness and potential prevention strategies for TRP-affected populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Limiting children’s screen time has become a new parenting challenge. Due to the high attractiveness of media and digital devices, many children experience painful transitions in screen time to other activities. Screen time tantrums is a new concept that describes children’s negative affect screen time limits. Knowing the factors that increase children’s negative reactions will be helpful in parents and educators practice to prevent screen time tantrums or enrich children’s nondigital activities, making them attractive alternatives to the media. Based on theoretical insights into the coping mechanisms of frustration and anger in preschool children, this study was aimed to explore the effects of executive functions skills, family activities, and children’s play behavior with real toys on screen time tantrums. Sample included 654 caregiver-child pairs (M children age = 70.3 months, SD = 4.02). Results confirmed the hypothesis that play behavior with real toys is a stronger preventor of screen time tantrum than EF skills. The findings suggest that supporting play activity in preschool children might help them to avoid strong negative affects due to screen time limitation. The results of this study may be also considered as a support for the theoretical assumptions that play can be considered as a universal way of coping with frustration and anger in childhood.

ObjectivesThis study investigated associations between the use of electronic media and sleep in children and young adolescents, with a specific focus on the moderation of associations by sex and age.MethodsBetween 2021 and 2022, 453 10- to 14-year-old children participating in the LIFE Child cohort study (Germany) reported on their use of electronic media (daily screen time, use at bedtime, device ownership) and on their sleep difficulties (Sleep Self Report). Associations between media use and sleep as well as interactions with age and sex were assessed using linear regression analyses.ResultsThe analyses revealed significant associations between the use of media at bedtime and bedtime problems (in girls only), sleep behavior problems (in girls only), and daytime sleepiness (in girls and boys). Daily screen time, in contrast, was associated with none of the sleep difficulties. The number of media devices owned by the child was only associated with bedtime problems in girls, and this association lost statistical significance once media use at bedtime was included as further predictor.ConclusionThe findings underline the potentially sleep-disturbing role of electronic media at bedtime. Furthermore, they suggest that this effect is more pronounced in girls than in boys.

Introduction: Exposure to food marketing increases the risk of poor diet. Children's perception and interpretation of food marketing across digital media platforms is understudied. Children aged 9–11 years are uniquely susceptible to food marketing because children may watch content alone, and it is unclear whether embedded ads are decipherable by children (e.g., social media influencers) and if children are receptive to advertisements. Methods: The authors collected data from 21 child–parent dyads in 2022 to fill this gap. Children were interviewed about their food marketing exposure and media use and were asked to share their perspectives on food advertisements. Parents completed a survey for household digital devices, demographics, and perception of their child's food advertising knowledge. Results: This study found that all children generally recognized direct food advertisements, could describe them with varying levels of confidence, and shared examples. Despite self-identifying ads and understanding the intent of advertising, many children are still receptive to advertisements on the basis of engaging content (e.g., liking the ads as entertainment, watching ads even when given the chance to skip the ad) and the food items marketed (e.g., liking the taste of foods). Conclusions: These findings suggest that knowledge of advertisement exposure and intent of advertising are not sufficient to reduce receptiveness of unhealthy food ad exposure. Additional research on the potential impacts of embedded ads, such as through social media influencers, is needed to understand children's interaction with the current digital media landscape.

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly reshaped how people communicate due to restrictions on direct interaction, impacting both mental and physical well-being. Social media, particularly TikTok, gained widespread attention during the pandemic, notably among Gen Z, offering online expression and entertainment to compensate for limited in-person interaction. However, the interplay between Gen Z's personality traits, motivations, and TikTok usage remains relatively unexplored. In order to fill the gap, this research investigates how Gen Z's personality traits influence TikTok media usage, considering the mediating role of motivations during the pandemic. Employing the Uses and Gratifications framework and the Big Five Personality factors, the research collected data from 400 Gen Z participants in the Jabodetabek and then analyzed by Path Analysis. The findings show that personality traits do influence TikTok usage, mediated by motivations for information seeking and sharing, social interaction, escapism and relaxation, as well as norm and trend following. In this research, the classification of the Big Five Personalities was different because the research only found four types of personality in Gen Z: extraversion, conscientiousness and neuroticism, agreeableness, and openness. Gen Z's motivation for using TikTok during the COVID-19 pandemic differs for each personality.

Background: Today, the use of digital media is already present at an early stage in the lives of children. Even preschool children can already develop increased digital media use (IDMU). Empirical findings indicate associations of IDMU with several problems in psychosocial development. Therefore, it seems important to identify IDMU early, but there are very few specific approaches for preschool children. The aim of the present survey was to evaluate a newly developed brief screening instrument (based on DSM-5 criteria) named the IDMUQ (an abbreviation for “Increased Digital Media Use Questionnaire”). Methods: We investigated two samples, consisting of 341 parents and of 809 parents, with the IDMUQ, the Short CIUS, and the Parenting Stress Index. Data on screen time and sociodemographic aspects were also collected. We conducted an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) as well as reliability and correlation analyses. Results: The findings of both the EFA and the CFA support a one-dimensional structure for the IDMUQ. The reliability coefficients (Cronbach’s alpha values) were 0.74 and 0.86. We observed first indications of criterion validity for the IDMUQ as well as correlations between parenting stress and IDMU. Conclusions: The results indicate that the IDMUQ, with its four items, is a promising screening tool to measure IDMU in preschool children.

Background: This cross-sectional study aimed to explore how parental perceptions of the social and physical environment of the neighborhood was associated with 3- to 10-year-old children's use of traditional and modern screen devices. Methods: Participants were recruited under the scope of the project ObesInCrisis, conducted in 2016–2017 in the cities of Porto, Coimbra, and Lisbon (Portugal). Data from 6347 children aged 3–10 years were analyzed (3169 boys [49.9%]). A parental questionnaire was used to collect data on children's screen time (dependent variable) and parents' perceived social and physical environment (from the Environmental Module of the International Physical Activity Prevalence Study questionnaire; independent variable), parental education, and urbanization (used as covariates). Results: Neighborhood features were more correlated with girls' screen time, than with boys', particularly among younger children. Also, more social than physical characteristics of the neighborhood were positively associated with children's use of television and mobile devices (ie, tablet and smartphone). Conclusions: Community-based approaches should improve the social environment and implement supervised after-school programs to encourage and support children to be outdoors and spend less time in sedentary pursuits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractTeachers’ conceptions of geography play a key role in teacher identity. They also impact students’ learning. This paper aims to describe teacher students’ conceptions of geography and their sources.Our data comes from two online questionnaires. Participants came from Switzerland (nQ1 = 20, nQ3 = 98). In contrast to previous research, participants in our studies could not be assigned to only one conception. Eight of 11 statements about what geography is and five of eight statements about the main purpose of geography education were endorsed by 90% or more of participants in both studies. This includes those about understanding sustainability and the system earth. Some items showed significant differences by migration background and by the grade level the students want to teach.While the results are mostly positive, teacher educators need to find ways to reach those students who do not yet have a current view of geography, e.g. regarding the role of sustainability.Participants saw diverse sources as shaping their conceptions. Most participants saw specialist literature as an influential and often-used source. Yet, many knew few empirical studies about teaching/learning the subject.Teacher educators and researchers thus need to find ways to make research literature more memorable for teacher students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study of 267 mothers of young children explores, for the first time, the associations between recollection of parental mediation during childhood and current parental mediation of children's media uses. The analysis indicated that the mothers' recollections were significantly associated with mediating their children's media use in the present. Moreover, these recollections predicted the current mediation more than variables found to be significant in previous studies, such as background characteristics and attitudes. These findings suggest that parents apply mediation practices according to how they recall the parental mediation they experienced in their childhood and call for considering such recalls in future research. Prior State of Knowledge: Parental level of involvement in the mediation of children's media uses was studied, so far, within the framework of parents' socio-demographic characteristics, their media literacy, availability, attitudes towards media effects, children's age and gender, and particular family circumstances. Novel Contributions: Mothers apply mediation practices to their children's media use according to their recall of the parental mediation they experienced in their childhood. This recollection was the strongest predictor of their current mediation above and beyond other factors investigated in previous studies. Practical Implications: This study's findings can be of interest to parents and practitioners working with families, since it demonstrates that recollections of mediation experiences in childhood may play a variety of roles in how present mothers deal with their children's complex media environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study is to identify the determining attitudinal, behavioral, and sociodemographic factors behind the vaccination decision of parents and guardians in Brazil regarding immunization of children against COVID-19. Our data is obtained from a national online survey of 1,872 parents or guardians of children between 5 and 11 years of age, conducted from May 16 to 25, 2022. Our results show that, in Brazil, the decision to vaccinate children against COVID-19 is better explained by attitudinal and behavioral factors than sociodemographic ones. More precisely, the choice to immunize children against COVID-19 is strongly associated with the parents or guardians' own COVID-19 vaccination status, their ambivalence regarding this decision, their political preferences, and media use. In particular, parents and guardians who did not vaccinate against SARSCov2 and who supported former president Jair Bolsonaro (the main anti-vaccine political leader in the country during the COVID-19 pandemic) were substantially less likely to vaccinate their children. Parents and guardians with greater exposure to the country's major TV news program (Jornal Nacional/TV Globo), however, were more likely to do so. Other findings show that evangelicals - whose religious leaders strongly supported the former president -, young parents and guardians, and those from lower economic status were also less likely to vaccinate their children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Within the context of rapid sociocultural transformation in Chinese society over recent decades, exploring intergenerational disparities in attitudes toward non-conventional sexual behaviors holds sociological significance. Employing a methodology akin to cultivation analysis, this study focuses on the potential influence of television and the internet in narrowing or widening attitudinal disparities between distinct age groups. This is achieved by comparing heavy users of these media to individuals with light media consumption. In the present study, we utilized the 2017 wave of the Chinese General Social Survey, a dataset that is representative of the national demographic of China. Our objective was to explore the potential influence of both traditional media (TV) and new media (the internet) consumption on the attitudes of Chinese adults toward three forms of non-conventional sexual behavior, namely premarital, extramarital, and same-sex behaviors. Firstly, compared to television, the internet is more likely to contribute to the liberalization of sexual attitudes, though this influence is age sensitive. Secondly, regarding the attitudes toward premarital sex and same sex behaviors, television tends to sustain or create consensus across different generations, whereas the internet tends to widen attitudinal gaps. Lastly, probably due to the moralized nature of extramarital sex in the Chinese context, both television and the internet maintain or produce the conservative consensus, though heavy television viewing could widen the attitudinal gap between young people and the other two age groups. Our study reveals that for premarital sex and same-sex behaviors, heavy television viewing tends to foster or sustain intergenerational consensus, while frequent internet usage tends to augment intergenerational divergence or erode intergenerational agreements. However, the media's impact on intergenerational differences in attitudes toward extramarital sex exhibits distinctive features, likely stemming from the deeply moralized nature of extramarital affairs within Chinese society. To conclude, by conducting a comparative examination of various media landscapes, our research offers a mediated perspective that aids in comprehending the disparities in attitudes toward sexual behaviors across different generations in contemporary China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between media practices and social inequality has been studied within a range of sub-disciplines in media and communication studies and cultural sociology. In various, more or less direct, ways these studies point to the fact that habitus – the socially formed class specific relations to the social world – generates certain tastes, lifestyles, practices and preferences. When social groups form relatively distinct media practices, and distance themselves from the practices of other groups, they reproduce their social position, and 'make' their class. By analysing in-depth interviews with members of an emerging cultural middle-class, this study shows how class-making also manifests in the ways in which people expect that others would 'look down' on their media practices. By anticipating stigma from imagined others, the cultural middle-class stays in line with class-specific lifestyles and media practices, thus cementing their distinct character in the social space. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to explore the relationship between media use and Chinese residents' attitudes toward acceptance of premarital cohabitation (AAPC). We collected data from a national Chinese survey (N = 10,968). The results demonstrated that greater traditional media use was associated with worse AAPC, whereas Internet use was associated with better AAPC. We also found that individualistic orientation could mediate the relationship between traditional media and Internet use and AAPC. Traditional gender role beliefs showed disparate moderating roles in the influence of traditional media and internet use on AAPC. The implications for family therapy practice were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]