Health experts have called for more to be done to protect teenagers from “potentially damaging” social media use as Oxford researchers raise concerns over the impact of video games. 

A new study found that an average of 11 per cent of teenagers across 44 countries display “problematic” social media use.

This has increased since before the pandemic when some seven per cent displayed so-called problematic social media use, characterised by addiction-like symptoms including: neglect of other activities in favour of spending time on social media; a preoccupation with the platforms; frequent arguments about use; lying about how much time is spent on social media; an inability to control social media use and experiencing withdrawal when not using it.

Higher than average problematic social media use was recorded in England and Scotland compared to other countries examined in the Health Behaviour In School-Aged Children study.

It comes as a separate study from the University of Oxford found that video games can be good for a person’s mood.

Academics reviewed mood reports from 8,695 players during 67,328 play sessions of the game PowerWash Simulator – where players simulate building a power-washing business.

They compared players’ moods at the beginning of play sessions with their moods during play and found that the average player reported positive mood changes during play, according to the study published in Games: Research And Practice.

Researchers from the Oxford Internet Institute said that 72 per cent of players experienced this mood uplift during play, but that the bulk of this occurred during the first 15 minutes.

The study included players from 39 countries including the US, UK, Canada and Germany.

Some 14 per cent of teenagers in England and Scotland showed addictive-like behaviours towards social media.

In Wales, the figure was 12 per cent, according to data from the study, which has been published by the European arm of the World Health Organisation (WHO).

In 2022, more than one in five (22 per cent) 13-year-old girls in Scotland displayed addictive-like behaviours towards social media, up from 11 per cent in 2018.

And in England, prevalence increased from 12 per cent in 2018 to 23 per cent in 2022.

Meanwhile, across all countries, some 36 per cent of teenagers reported “constant” online contact with friends – meaning they are in contact with friends or others “almost all the time throughout the day”.

This rose to 53 per cent of 13-year-old girls in Scotland and 47 per cent in England. Rates in Wales were similar to the average seen across all countries studied.

Some 15 per cent of teenagers in England are deemed to be “at risk” – the second highest proportion across all countries studied.

Researchers said that boys were more likely than girls to show signs of problematic gaming.

Across all countries studied, 34 per cent of adolescents play digital games daily and 22 per cent play for at least four hours on gaming days.