When social media traumatizes teens: The roles of online risk exposure, coping, and post-traumatic stress
Internet Research, 2018•emerald.com
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the extent to which negative online risk
experiences (information breaches, explicit content exposure, cyberbullying and sexual
solicitations) cause post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in adolescents. The
study also explores whether teens' short-term coping responses serve to mitigate PTSD or,
instead, act as a response to stress from online events. Design/methodology/approach The
study utilized a web-based diary design over the course of two months. Data were analyzed …
experiences (information breaches, explicit content exposure, cyberbullying and sexual
solicitations) cause post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in adolescents. The
study also explores whether teens' short-term coping responses serve to mitigate PTSD or,
instead, act as a response to stress from online events. Design/methodology/approach The
study utilized a web-based diary design over the course of two months. Data were analyzed …
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the extent to which negative online risk experiences (information breaches, explicit content exposure, cyberbullying and sexual solicitations) cause post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in adolescents. The study also explores whether teens’ short-term coping responses serve to mitigate PTSD or, instead, act as a response to stress from online events.
Design/methodology/approach
The study utilized a web-based diary design over the course of two months. Data were analyzed using hierarchical linear modeling with repeated measures.
Findings
The study confirmed that explicit content exposure, cyberbullying and sexual solicitations (but not information breaches) evoke symptoms of PTSD. Analyses also indicated that teens engage in active and communicative coping after they experience post-traumatic stress, regardless of risk type or frequency.
Practical implications
The authors found that teens took active measures to cope with online risks soon after they felt threatened (within a week). Actively coping with stressful situations has been shown to enhance adolescent resilience and reduce long-term negative effects of risk exposure. If these early coping behaviors can be detected, social media platforms may be able to embed effective interventions to support healthy coping processes that can further protect teens against long-term harm from exposure to online risks.
Originality/value
This is the first study to examine situational PTSD symptoms related to four types of adolescent online risk exposure within the week exposure occurred. By applying two competing theoretical frameworks (the adolescent resilience framework and transactional theory of stress), the authors show empirical evidence that suggests short-term coping responses are likely a stress reaction to PTSD, not a protective factor against it.
Emerald InsightShowing the best result for this search. See all results