Engaging in risky online behaviour - prevalence and associated factors: initial findings
Initial findings on prevalence and associated factors at age 12 from the Growing Up in Scotland Survey on engaging in risky online behaviour.
10. Appendix
10.1 Methodological notes
This report uses data from Birth Cohort 1 (BC1) of the Growing up in Scotland (GUS) study. Commencing in 2004, the GUS study has followed several nationally representative samples of children living in Scotland, from 10 months old[9]. The current analysis uses data from 3,419 families, and is comprised of 1,647 male and 1,641 female children.
Associations between variables were tested using chi-square tests, with a Bonferroni adjustment applied. A Yates' Correction for Continuity was applied to 2 x 2 tables.
For nominal variables, in 2 x 2 tables, Phi was used to measure the strength of the association. Cramer's V was used to measure the strength of the association for larger tables. Cohen's (1988) criteria of 0.1 for a small/weak effect, 0.3 for a moderate effect, and 0.5 for a large effect was used to classify the strength of associations.
Where possible, composite measures were constructed with responses averaged across a series of individual questions. Average scores were then grouped following established scales (e.g. hyperactivity, and emotional symptoms). Where an established scale was unavailable (e.g. closeness to resident parent, peer closeness, enjoyment / engagement in school) or unable to be accessed (e.g. life satisfaction, mental wellbeing, parent-child conflict), scores were grouped using a statistically generated cut-off point. These cut-off points have been included in the text where relevant. Cut-off points were selected to give equal sized groups, as the constructed variables were considerably skewed.
10.2 Supplementary Tables
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Added someone to friends/ contacts list you have never met face to face | - | |||||
| 2. Sent personal information to someone you have never met face to face | 0.204 | - | ||||
| 3. Sent a photo or video of yourself to someone you have never met face to face | 0.322 | 0.333 | - | |||
| 4. Met up with someone face to face you first made contact with online | 0.202 | 0.191 | 0.262 | - | ||
| 5. Done anything online that you know your parents would not want you to do | 0.198 | 0.106 | 0.210 | 0.094 | - | |
| 6. Lied to your parents about what you do online | 0.190 | 0.147 | 0.216 | 0.125 | 0.402 | - |
Base: 3,419 children from Sweep 9 of GUS study. Variables: CiRir, CilRii, CilRiv, CilRim, CilRip, CilRil
| Risky online behaviour | Boys | Girls | Strength of association2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Added someone to friends/contacts list that you have never met face to face | 40% | 26% | Weak |
| Sent personal information to someone that you have never met face to face | 5% | 3% | - |
| Sent a photo or video of yourself to someone that you have never met face to face | 8% | 7% | - |
| Met up with someone face to face that you first made contact with online | 8% | 6% | Very weak |
| Done anything online that you know your parents would not want you to do | 12% | 6% | Weak |
| Lied to your parents about what you do online | 10% | 6% | Very weak |
Base: 3,419 children from Sweep 9 of GUS study. Variables: MiHGsx1
| Highest household qualification† | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Risky online behaviour | No qualification | Lower level qualifications | Intermediate qualifications | Upper level qualifications | Degree level qualifications | Strength of association2 |
| Added someone to friends/contacts list you have never met face to face | 34% | 29% | 36% | 33% | 30% | - |
| Sent personal information to someone you have never met face to face | 4% | 3%* | 5% | 5% | 2% | Very weak |
| Sent a photo or video of yourself to someone you have never met face to face | 7% | 5% | 6% | 9% | 7% | - |
| Met up with someone face to face you first made contact with online | 15% | 3% | 8% | 7% | 6% | Very weak |
| Done anything online that you know your parents would not want you to do | 11% | 6% | 8% | 9% | 10% | - |
| Lied to your parents about what you do online | 7% | 7% | 6% | 9% | 8% | - |
Base: 3,419 children from Sweep 9 of GUS study. Variables: DiMedu10
†Qualification level refer to: Lower level qualifications (Lower level standard grades and vocational qualifications); Intermediate qualifications (Upper level standard grades and intermediate vocational qualifications), Upper level qualifications (Higher grades and Upper level vocational qualifications), Degree level (Degree level academic and vocational qualifications).
| Life satisfaction* | Wellbeing** | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Risky online behaviour | Lower (≤ 16) | Medium (17 – 19) | High (20) | Strength of association2 | Lower (≤ 29) |
Medium (30 - 32) | High (33+) | Strength of association2 |
| Added someone to friends/contacts list that you have never met face to face | 41% | 31% | 23% | Weak | 41% | 30% | 23% | Weak |
| Sent personal information to someone that you have never met face to face | 6% | 3% | 2% | Very weak | 5% | 2% | 2% | Very weak |
| Sent a photo or video of yourself to someone that you have never met face to face | 10% | 7% | 3% | Weak | 10% | 6% | 3% | Weak |
| Met up with someone face to face that you first made contact with online | 8% | 6% | 5% | - | 8% | 6% | 5% | Very weak |
| Done anything online that you know your parents would not want you to do | 14% | 6% | 5% | Weak | 13% | 7% | 5% | Weak |
| Lied to your parents about what you do online | 13% | 5% | 3% | Weak | 12% | 6% | 3% | Weak |
Base: 3,419 children from Sweep 9 of GUS study. Life satisfaction variables: CiWew, CiWed, CiWer, CiWea, CiWeg. Wellbeing variables: CiWs, CiWl, CiWt, CiWFr, CiWp, CiWf, CiWc
*Life satisfaction is measured and grouped using the Students' Life Satisfaction Scale (Huebner, 1991).
**Wellbeing is measured using selected items from the Kidscreen Health-Related Quality of Life scale (Ravens-Sieberer et al., 2005; the Kidscreen Group, 2006).
| Hyperactivity / inattention† | Emotional symptoms† | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Risky online behaviour | Average (0 – 5) | Borderline (6) | Abnormal (7 – 10) | Strength of association2 | Average (0 – 3) | Borderline (4) | Abnormal (5 – 10) | Strength of association2 |
| Added someone to friends/contacts list that you have never met face to face | 30% | 47% | 45% | Weak | 32% | 34% | 35% | - |
| Sent personal information to someone that you have never met face to face | 3% | 10% | 6% | Very weak | 3% | 5% | 6% | - |
| Sent a photo or video of yourself to someone that you have never met face to face | 6% | 16% | 13% | Weak | 7% | 10% | 8% | - |
| Met up with someone face to face that you first made contact with online | 6% | 11% | 10% | Very weak | 7% | 5% | 7% | - |
| Done anything online that you know your parents would not want you to do | 7% | 14% | 19% | Weak | 8% | 8% | 12% | - |
| Lied to your parents about what you do online | 6% | 13% | 18% | Weak | 7% | 10% | 12% | Very weak |
Base: 3,419 children from Sweep 9 of GUS study. Hyperactivity variables: CiSDQrt, CiSDQfi, CiSDQdi, CiSDQth, CiSDQwk. Emotional symptoms variables: MiSDQ05, MiSDQ08, MiSDQ13, MiSDQ16, MiSDQ24. †Hyperactivity and emotional symptoms scores were measured and grouped using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Hyperactivity was measured in the child questionnaire. Emotional symptoms was measured from the main carer questionnaire.
| Family Structure | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Risky online behaviour | Lone parent | Couple family | Strength of association2 |
| Added someone to friends/contacts list that you have never met face to face | 36% | 31% | - |
| Sent personal information to someone that you have never met face to face | 6% | 3% | Very weak |
| Sent a photo or video of yourself to someone that you have never met face to face | 8% | 7% | - |
| Met up with someone face to face that you first made contact with online | 9% | 6% | - |
| Done anything online that you know your parents would not want you to do | 11% | 8% | - |
| Lied to your parents about what you do online | 9% | 8% | - |
Base: 3,419 children from Sweep 9 of GUS study. Peer closeness variables: CiCrFrl CiCrFrc CiCrFrt CiCrFrb CiCrFrs CiCrFra.. Family structure variable: DiHGrsp04
| Closeness to resident mother | Closeness to resident father | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Risky online behaviour | Low (<3.5) | Medium (3.5-3.99) | High (4) | Strength of association2 | Low (<3.17) | Medium (3.17-3.99) | High (4) | Strength of association2 |
| Added someone to friends/contacts list that you have never met face to face | 42% | 33% | 24% | Weak | 40% | 28% | 25% | Weak |
| Sent personal information to someone that you have never met face to face | 7% | 2% | 2% | Weak | 5% | 2% | 2% | Very weak |
| Sent a photo or video of yourself to someone that you have never met face to face | 12% | 6% | 4% | Weak | 10% | 5% | 4% | Weak |
| Met up with someone face to face that you first made contact with online | 9% | 8% | 4% | Very weak | 8% | 5% | 4% | Very weak |
| Done anything online that you know your parents would not want you to do | 16% | 8% | 5% | Weak | 14% | 7% | 5% | Weak |
| Lied to your parents about what you do online | 14% | 8% | 4% | Weak | 13% | 6% | 4% | Weak |
Base: 3,419 children from Sweep 9 of GUS study. Closeness to resident mother variables: CiNRMum1 CiNRMum3 CiNRMum5 CiNRMum6 CiNRMum7 CiNRMum8. Closeness to resident father variables: CiNRDad1 CiNRDad3 CiNRDad5 CiNRDad6 CiNRDad7 CiNRDad8.
| Parent-Child Conflict | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Risky online behaviour | Low (<=6) | Medium (7-9) | High (10+) | Strength of association2 |
| Added someone to friends/contacts list that you have never met face to face | 28% | 34% | 39% | Very Weak |
| Sent personal information to someone that you have never met face to face | 2% | 3% | 7% | Weak |
| Sent a photo or video of yourself to someone that you have never met face to face | 5% | 8% | 9% | Very Weak |
| Met up with someone face to face that you first made contact with online | 5% | 8% | 8% | - |
| Done anything online that you know your parents would not want you to do | 7% | 9% | 13% | Very Weak |
| Lied to your parents about what you do online | 6% | 8% | 11% | Very Weak |
Base: 3,419 children from Sweep 9 of GUS study. Parent-child conflict variables: MiPDis1 MiPDis2 MiPDis3 MiPDis5.
| Ease of making new friends at secondary school | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Risky online behaviour | Very easy | Quite easy | Quite hard | Very hard | Strength of association2 |
| Added someone to friends/contacts list that you have never met face to face | 32% | 34% | 35% | 30% | - |
| Sent personal information to someone that you have never met face to face | 4% | 3%* | 5% | 6% | - |
| Sent a photo or video of yourself to someone that you have never met face to face | 8% | 7% | 9% | 6% | - |
| Met up with someone face to face that you first made contact with online | 9% | 6% | 6% | - | Very weak |
| Done anything online that you know your parents would not want you to do | 9% | 8% | 11% | 10% | - |
| Lied to your parents about what you do online | 8% | 7% | 10% | 10% | - |
Base: 3,419 children from Sweep 9 of GUS study. Ease of making new friends variable: DiDsdem.
| Closeness to friends | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Risky online behaviour | Lower peer closeness (<=17) | Medium peer closeness (18-21) | High peer closeness (21+) | Strength of association2 |
| Added someone to friends/contacts list that you have never met face to face | 40% | 33% | 25% | Weak |
| Sent personal information to someone that you have never met face to face | 5% | 4% | 3% | - |
| Sent a photo or video of yourself to someone that you have never met face to face | 9% | 8% | 5% | - |
| Met up with someone face to face that you first made contact with online | 7% | 7% | 7% | - |
| Done anything online that you know your parents would not want you to do | 13% | 9% | 5% | Weak |
| Lied to your parents about what you do online | 12% | 8% | 4% | Weak |
Base: 3,419 children from Sweep 9 of GUS study. Peer closeness variables: CiCrFrl CiCrFrc CiCrFrt CiCrFrb CiCrFrs CiCrFra..
| Face-to-face victimisation | Online victimisation | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Risky online behaviour | Ever experienced | Never experienced | Strength of association2 | Ever experienced | Never experienced | Strength of association2 |
| Added someone to friends/contacts list that you have never met face to face | 38% | 27% | Weak | 51% | 30% | Weak |
| Sent personal information to someone that you have never met face to face | 4% | 3% | - | 7% | 3% | Very weak |
| Sent a photo or video of yourself to someone that you have never met face to face | 9% | 5% | Very weak | 15% | 6% | Weak |
| Met up with someone face to face that you first made contact with online | 7% | 6% | - | 12% | 6% | Very weak |
| Done anything online that you know your parents would not want you to do | 13% | 5% | Weak | 19% | 7% | Weak |
| Lied to your parents about what you do online | 10% | 5% | Very weak | 16% | 6% | Weak |
Base: 3,419 children from Sweep 9 of GUS study. Face-to-face victimisation variables: CiPick1, CiPick2, CiPick3. Online victimisation variable: CiPickT
| enjoyment / engagement in school | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Risky online behaviour | Low (<=18) | Medium (19 – 20) | High (21+) | Strength of association2 |
| Added someone to friends/contacts list that you have never met face to face | 43% | 32% | 19% | Weak |
| Sent personal information to someone that you have never met face to face | 7% | 3% | 1% | Weak |
| Sent a photo or video of yourself to someone that you have never met face to face | 12% | 5% | 3% | Weak |
| Met up with someone face to face that you first made contact with online | 11% | 4% | 4% | Weak |
| Done anything online that you know your parents would not want you to do | 14% | 8% | 4% | Weak |
| Lied to your parents about what you do online | 12% | 8% | 3% | Weak |
Base: 3,419 children from Sweep 9 of GUS study. School enjoyment / engagement variables: CiSch3 CiSch2 CiSch1 CiSch18 CiSch14 CiSch22.
| Time on social media | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Risky online behaviour | None | < 30 mins | 30 mins to 1 hour | 1 hour to < 2 hours | 2 hours to < 3 hours | 3 hours to < 5 hours | 5 hours to < 7 hours | 7 hours + | Strength of association2 |
| Added someone to friends/contacts list that you have never met face to face | 26% | 22% | 28% | 28% | 35% | 39% | 46% | 56% | Weak |
| Sent personal information to someone that you have never met face to face | - | 2% | 1% | 3% | 6% | 5% | 7% | 10% | Weak |
| Sent a photo or video of yourself to someone that you have never met face to face | - | 4% | 3% | 6% | 10% | 10% | 13% | 17% | Weak |
| Met up with someone face to face that you first made contact with online | 7% | 3% | 4% | 5% | 6% | 11% | 13% | 15% | Weak |
| Done anything online that you know your parents would not want you to do | 11% | 7% | 7% | 9% | 7% | 9% | 12% | 20% | Weak |
| Lied to your parents about what you do online | 4% | 5% | 8% | 9% | 6% | 9% | 13% | 16% | Weak |
Base: 3,419 children from Sweep 9 of GUS study. Time on social media variable: CiTiN.
| Main caregiver: How much do you know about what your child does online? | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Child: How much do you think your parents know about what you do online? | Almost everything | Quite a lot | Just a little | Almost nothing |
| Almost everything | 58% | 42% | 25% | 20% |
| Quite a lot | 29% | 42% | 40% | 39% |
| Just a little | 10% | 13% | 27% | 30% |
| Almost nothing | 4% | 3% | 8% | 11% |
| Total | 800 | 1729 | 496 | 56 |
Base: 3,419 children from Sweep 9 of GUS study. Knowledge of child's online activities – Main caregiver variable: MiPIpkn. Child's variable: CiiIpkn.
| How much do you think your parents know about what you do online? | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Risky online behaviour | Almost everything | Quite a lot | Just a little | Almost nothing | Strength of association2 |
| Added someone to friends/contacts list that you have never met face to face | 23% | 34% | 48% | 63% | Weak |
| Sent personal information to someone that you have never met face to face | 3% | 3% | 6% | 13% | Weak |
| Sent a photo or video of yourself to someone that you have never met face to face | 5% | 6% | 15% | 17% | Weak |
| Met up with someone face to face that you first made contact with online | 5% | 6% | 11% | 16% | Weak |
| Done anything online that you know your parents would not want you to do | 6% | 9% | 16% | 24% | Weak |
| Lied to your parents about what you do online | 4% | 8% | 15% | 25% | Weak |
Base: 3,419 children from Sweep 9 of GUS study. Knowledge of child's online activities child's variable: CiiIPkn.
| How much do you know about what your child does when they are online? | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Risky online behaviour | Almost everything | Quite a lot | Just a little | Almost nothing | Strength of association2 |
| Added someone to friends/contacts list that you have never met face to face | 27% | 32% | 42% | 46% | Weak |
| Sent personal information to someone that you have never met face to face | 4% | 3% | 5% | 15% | Very weak |
| Sent a photo or video of yourself to someone that you have never met face to face | 5% | 7% | 9% | 26% | Weak |
| Met up with someone face to face that you first made contact with online | 6% | 6% | 8% | 16% | - |
| Done anything online that you know your parents would not want you to do | 8% | 8% | 12% | 24% | Very weak |
| Lied to your parents about what you do online | 5% | 8% | 11% | 11% | Very weak |
Base: 3,419 children from Sweep 9 of GUS study. Knowledge of child's online activities main caregiver variable: MiPIpkn.
| How much do you know about protecting personal information online? | How much do you know about protecting yourself/your child from strangers online? | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Child | Parent | Child | Parent | |
| A great deal | 72% | 30% | 70% | 30% |
| Quite a lot | 26% | 53% | 27% | 52% |
| Not very much | 2% | 16% | 2% | 16% |
| Nothing at all | 1% | 2% | 1% | 2% |
| Total | 3288 | 3288 | 3288 | 3288 |
Base: 3,419 children from Sweep 9 of GUS study. Main caregiver variables: MiPknoP, MiPknoS. Child's variable: CiIKnos, CiIKnop
| Knowledge of protecting themselves online | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Risky online behaviour | Less than a great deal† (< 8) | A great deal (8) | Strength of association2 |
| Added someone to friends/contacts list that you have never met face to face | 37% | 30% | Very weak |
| Sent personal information to someone that you have never met face to face | 5% | 3% | - |
| Sent a photo or video of yourself to someone that you have never met face to face | 9% | 6% | - |
| Met up with someone face to face that you first made contact with online | 8% | 6% | - |
| Done anything online that you know your parents would not want you to do | 10% | 8% | - |
| Lied to your parents about what you do online | 10% | 7% | Very weak |
Base: 3,419 children from Sweep 9 of GUS study. Time on social media variable: CiTiN
†This category includes children who said they knew quite a lot, not very much and nothing at all.
| How often parents talk to child about: strangers online, protecting personal info, if bullied or harassed online, how to behave online, rules to follow when online | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Risky online behaviour | Never/Rarely (<=9) | Sometimes (10-12) | Often/A great deal (13+) | Strength of association2 |
| Added someone to friends/contacts list that you have never met face to face | 30% | 33% | 36% | - |
| Sent personal information to someone that you have never met face to face | 4% | 5% | 3% | - |
| Sent a photo or video of yourself to someone that you have never met face to face | 7% | 7% | 7% | - |
| Met up with someone face to face that you first made contact with online | 8% | 5% | 7% | - |
| Done anything online that you know your parents would not want you to do | 8% | 9% | 10% | - |
| Lied to your parents about what you do online | 7% | 9% | 8% | - |
Base: 3,419 children from Sweep 9 of GUS study. Parent talking about online themes variables: MiPMeds MiPMedi MiPMedb MiPMedh MiPMedr.
| Multiple rules / restrictions used | One rule / restriction used | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Risky online behaviour | Technical restrictions | Rules about what the child can do online | Rules about how much time child can spend online | Rules about when child can use the internet | Other rules / restrictions | None of these | Strength of association2 | |
| Added someone to friends/contacts list that you have never met face to face | 30% | 50% | 37% | 34% | 47% | 39% | 40% | Weak |
| Sent personal information to someone that you have never met face to face | 4% | 9% | 3% | - | - | - | 5% | NA |
| Sent a photo or video of yourself to someone that you have never met face to face | 7% | 11% | 10% | - | - | - | 9% | - |
| Met up with someone face to face that you first made contact with online | 6% | 10% | 11% | 7% | - | - | 11% | NA |
| Done anything online that you know your parents would not want you to do | 8% | 16% | 11% | - | - | - | 12% | - |
| Lied to your parents about what you do online | 8% | 10% | 8% | - | - | - | 11% | - |
Base: 3,419 children from Sweep 9 of GUS study. Parent rules/restrictions variables: MiPIntRes1, MiPIntRes2, MiPIntRes3, MiPIntRes4, MiPIntRes5, MiPIntRes6.Table Notes:
1 Associations were first tested using chi-square tests, all were significant at the 95% level. All phi coefficients displayed above are also significant at the 95% level.
2 Differences were tested using chi-square tests. Column totals are not shown as tests were run on each behaviour, not across all behaviours, so columns will not add up. Where significant, the strength of association was measured using either Phi for 2x2 tables, or Cramer's V for larger tables. Strength of association is described as:
| Description | Phi / Cramer's V value |
|---|---|
| Very weak / Very small | < 0.1 |
| Weak / Small | 0.1 – 0.3 |
| Moderate | 0.3 – 0.5 |
| Strong / Large | > 0.5 |
Contact
Email: GUS@gov.scot
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