Addictive behaviour in modern teenagers: risk and protective factors, prevention

Introduction. The study of various forms of adolescent addictive behaviour and the factors that form it, is considered a key element of the public health strategy aimed at reducing the level of addiction among young people.

The purpose of the study is to establish risk and protective factors for the development of addictive behaviour in modern adolescents, on the basis of which to develop preventive measures to reduce its prevalence among young people.

Materials and methods. Educational, social and hygienic, psycho-emotional risk, and protective factors, forms of addictive behaviour were studied in two hundred ninety eight adolescents aged of 11–14 years using standardized questionnaires and methods.

Results. Leading risk factors for the formation of addictive behaviour in modern adolescents are shown to be of high intensity of academic work in terms of intellectual and emotional stress; 44.0% of adolescents living in single-parent families, low material wealth of 48.6% of adolescents’ families; development of hostility in 20% of girls and 31.7% of boys, aggressiveness in 25% of girls, clinical anxiety in 14.1% of girls and 12.5% ​​of boys, subclinical depression in 15.8% of girls and 12% of boys, stress in 14.9% of girls; as well as the use of maladaptive coping strategies in the form of increasing self-esteem among 39.3% of girls and searching for the guilty among 27.3% of boys. It was found that 12.9% of girls and 14.7% of boys consumed alcohol up to once a month, 8.6% of girls and 10% of boys tried electronic cigarettes, and 2.3% of boys smoked traditional cigarettes regularly; 23.1% of girls and 13.9% of boys were registered as having a tendency to develop Internet addiction, 1.3% of boys had Internet addiction.

Limitations. The sample of adolescents studying in general education institutions of the city of Orenburg limits the possibility of generalizing the results to other regions and types of educational institutions.

Conclusion. Based on the identified risk factors and protective factors, where the priority factors were related to the social and living environment (72.9%), family (69.0%), personal qualities (60.9%) and educational environment (45.8%), preventive measures were developed, the introduction of which in educational institutions will ensure favourable conditions for the harmonious development of adolescents and the formation of healthy and adaptive behaviour patterns in them, helping to reduce the prevalence of addictive behaviour among young people.

Compliance with ethical standards. This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Orenburg State Medical University of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation (Protocol No. 322 dated September 6, 2023) in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki. Participants were recruited voluntarily and provided written informed consent.

Contributions:
Setko N.P. – concept and design of the study, editing;
Zhdanova O.M. – concept and design of the study, writing the text; collection and processing of material; statistical processing;
Setko A.G. – concept and design of the study, editing.
All co-authors – approval of the final version of the article, responsibility for the integrity of all parts of the article.

Conflict of interest. The authors declare no explicit and potential conflicts of interest related to the publication of this article.

Funding. The study had no sponsorship.

Received: September 27, 2024 / Revised: October 10, 2024 / Accepted: March 26, 2025 / Published: April 30, 2025

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