Hyper-texting and hyper-networking: Examining why too much texting and social networking is associated with teen risk behavior

Objective: To investigate why hyper-texting (texting ≥120 time/school day) and hyper-networking (≥3 hours using online social network sites/school day) among adolescents is associated with poorer health and more health risk behavior. Background: Previous research has demonstrated that hyper-texting and hyper-networking are strongly associated with adolescent health risk. This study seeks to identify attitudes and behaviors through which this association is mediated. Methods: This cross sectional survey of high school students (n=1,277) in a diverse inner-ring Midwestern high school included core Youth Risk Behavior Survey items with additional items to address communication technology. Analysis includes descriptive statistics, chi-square, and logistic regression. Results: Hyper-texting (30.5%) and hyper-networking (24.3%) were common teen behaviors. Among all teens, 75.8% of texters and 72% of social networkers acknowledge sending messages or photos that they would not want their parents to see, while 60% relate being connected when their parents believe they are sleeping. Teens admit to using texting or social networking to find a place to gather without parental supervision (56.4%); to drink alcohol (41.5%); or to meet for sex (27.4%). Teens relate both initiating cyber-bullying activities (18.3%) and being a victim of these behaviors (19.7%). Teens who hyper-text and hyper-network are much more likely to be involved with these unhealthy uses of communication technology. Conclusion: Excessive use of communications technology among teens is related to more health risk behavior and poorer perceived health. Teens frequently use such technology to find to deceive parents and identify unsupervised opportunities to be involved with risk behavior.