Profiles of Internet Use and Health in Adolescence: A Person-Oriented Approach

Abstract

(1) Background: Internet use has become an integral part of adolescents’ daily lives. It is important to understand how adolescents use the internet, and how this use is associated with demographic factors and health from a person-oriented perspective. (2) Methods: The study applied the Finnish nationally representative HBSC data (persons aged 11, 13, and 15, n = 3408), descriptive observation, latent class analysis, and multinomial logistic regression analysis. (3) Results: Entertainment activities (listening to music) and socially oriented activities (liking posts, talking online) were the most prevalent among adolescents, but gender differences emerged. Five different internet user profiles were identified (encompassing interest-driven, friendship-driven, abstinent, irregular, and excessive users). Interest-driven users participated in interest- and media-oriented activities. Adolescents in the interest-driven user group were more likely to be boys and participants with low academic achievement, high parental monitoring, and high problematic social media use. Friendship-driven users participated in socially oriented activities. Adolescents in the friendship-driven user group were more likely to be girls and participants aged 13 or 15, with high peer and family support. Abstinent users participated only in entertainment, while irregular users showed no particularly high involvement in any internet activity. Adolescents in the abstinent and irregular user groups were likely to be boys and participants aged 11 with high family support. Excessive users had high involvement in internet activities overall. Adolescents in the excessive user group were more likely to be participants with high problematic social media use and were most likely to feel low and tired on school mornings. (4) Conclusion: The study confirmed the prevalence of internet use. It identified five internet user profiles and differences between user profiles regarding individual and social factors and health outcomes.