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. 2023 Dec 27;18(12):e0295384.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0295384. eCollection 2023.

Time trends in self-reported depressive symptoms, prescription of antidepressants, sedatives and hypnotics and the emergence of social media among Norwegian adolescents

Lars Lien  1   2 , Tore Bonsaksen  1   3 , Tonje Holte Stea  4 , Annette Løvheim Kleppang  1   4 , Anne Mari Steigen  1 , Marja Leonhardt  2   5
Affiliations

Time trends in self-reported depressive symptoms, prescription of antidepressants, sedatives and hypnotics and the emergence of social media among Norwegian adolescents

Lars Lien et al. PLoS One. .

Erratum in

Abstract

Background: Research has shown increased mental health problems and use of prescription drugs among adolescents in recent years and social media use has been linked to poorer mental health. However, trend studies concerning these topics are scarce. The purpose of this study was to analyze gender-specific trends in a) symptoms of depression and loneliness, and b) prescription of antidepressants, hypnotics and sedatives, in relation to the emergence of social media among adolescents in Norway.

Methods: This is an ecological study using data from the 'Young in Oslo' surveys from 1996 to 2021. The surveys included approximately 110 000 students, 14-17 years of age, and yielded a response rate varying from 95% in 1996 to 64% in 2021. A self-report questionnaire was used to collect information on symptoms of depression and loneliness. Information on antidepressant and sleep medication prescription was retrieved from the Norwegian Prescription Database for the age group 15 to 19 years. A graphical approach and logistic regression models were used to examine gender-specific time-trends between 1996 to 2021.

Results: We found a doubling in self-reported symptoms of depression and loneliness among girls between 1996 and 2021, with the steepest increase in the period from 2006 to 2012, when Facebook and other social media were introduced. A similar trend was observed in the prescription of antidepressants among girls, with the steepest increase between 2011 and 2013. Among both boys and girls, 'worried too much about things' and 'had sleep problems' were the two symptoms with the greatest changes.

Conclusion: A significant upward trend in self-reported depressive symptoms and medication use was observed over the past 25 years, with variations in the rate of increase, including a steeper trajectory during certain periods immediately after the introduction of social media platforms in Norway.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Fig 1
Fig 1. Trends in self-reported depressive symptoms (sum score) and loneliness among girls and boys (Fig 1) aged 14–17 years and the emergence of social media from 1996 to 2021.
The lines show the percentage of participants with high-level depressive symptoms and loneliness over time.
Fig 2
Fig 2. Trends in six self-reported depressive symptoms (derived from the Hopkins Symptom Checklist) among girls and boys (Fig 2) aged 14–17 years and the emergence of social media from 1996 to 2021.
Fig 3
Fig 3. Prevalence of use of antidepressants and hypnotics and sedatives among girls and boys (Fig 3) aged 15–19 years and the emergence of social media from 2004–2020.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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