Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33314482›Full record

ArticleDrug and alcohol review2021

Are changes in binge drinking among European adolescents driven by changes in computer gaming?

Torleif Halkjelsvik, Geir S Brunborg, Elin K Bye

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Drug and alcohol review, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Torleif HalkjelsvikDepartment of Alcohol, Tobacco and Drugs, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway.ORCID 0000-0003-3851-6996
Geir S BrunborgDepartment of Alcohol, Tobacco and Drugs, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway.ORCID 0000-0002-1382-2922
Elin K ByeDepartment of Alcohol, Tobacco and Drugs, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway.ORCID 0000-0001-7559-8885

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionThere is currently no good explanation for the decline in adolescent drinking reported for many Western countries in recent years. As modern computer gaming is highly exciting and socially rewarding, it may function as a substitute for adolescent binge drinking. We hypothesized a negative correlation between country-level changes in computer gaming and binge drinking.

methodsWe analysed within-country changes based on data from 15-16 year-old pupils (n = 517 794) participating in the European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Drugs from 1995 to 2015. Binge drinking in the last 30 days (5+ units on one occasion) was regressed on frequency of computer gaming and three control variables measuring the frequency of engagement in other hobbies, reading books and going out (to a disco, cafe, etc.).

resultsDescriptive data showed no general decline in binge drinking across European countries. In contrast to our prediction, the association between binge drinking and computer gaming was not negative [b = 0.26, one-sided 95% confidence interval (-∞, 0.47), P = 0.98, Bayes Factor = 0.21]. We found the same pattern of result in a secondary analysis on six Nordic countries that have experienced declines in adolescent drinking recent years. In analyses with covariates reflecting engagement in other activities, we only observed statistical evidence for an effect of going out. DISCUSSION AND

conclusionsA substantial decline in adolescent binge drinking during the years 1995-2015 is only evident in some European countries, and it is likely not caused by increased computer gaming.

Indexed as

Binge DrinkingUnderage DrinkingVideo GamesAdolescentBayes TheoremComputersHumansadolescent drinkingcomputer gamingEuropeEuropean School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugyouth culture

Identifiers

PMID33314482
PMCPMC8359141

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.