Online Risk Behavior and Depression in Adolescence

Abstract

The current two-wave study focused on the bidirectional longitudinal associations between feelings of depression and online risk behaviors in adolescents. The sample consisted of 460 Dutch adolescents (mean age = 13.5 years at wave 1, 46.1% girls). Adolescents’ self-reported on feelings of depression and the online risk behaviors: disclosing personal information online to a stranger, searching for someone to talk about sex with online and face-to-face meetings with a stranger met online. Results indicate that engaging in disclosing personal information online to a stranger was a predictor for increased feelings of depression for boys, but not for girls. In addition, a significant association was found with feelings of depression as a predictor of searching for someone to talk about sex with online, with a stronger association for boys. No significant associations were found for girls. In conclusion, associations between feelings of depression and online risk behaviors were found, the associations were stronger for boys.