The Relation Between Media Exposure, Risk Behaviour and Anxiety in Adolescents During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

This report is focused on a theoretical and empirical analysis of an on-line questionnaire implemented with 246 adolescent participants from Croatia in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of the study was to analyse the relation between the COVID-19 pan­demic related fear and risk behaviour, anxiety and depression in adolescents, including the importance of sociodemographic traits, family/school/peer relationships and media use as risk-protective factors. The research was implemented during the March and April 2020 lockdown in Croatia with participants aged from 18-35 years old. The questionnaire consisted of 5 major parts: socio-demographic measures; media use and interests; Mean world syndrome; risk behaviour; and 2 standardized scales on anxiety and depression with a high validity of the Cronbach’s alpha coefficients ranging from α = .81 to α = .94. Correlation analysis demonstrated significant positive relations between COVID-19 media exposure, risk behaviour and anxiety or depression. Our regression analysis established positive moderate predictive relations between risk behaviour, anxiety and depression (p < .01). No significant effects for risk behaviour in relation to the participants’ sociodemographic traits were found.