Health literacy as an indirect pathway in the association between health promotion behaviors and social network addiction symptoms among adolescents.
9 affiliations
- 1Department of Community, Psychiatric, and Mental Health Nursing, College of Nursing, Qassim University, Buraydah, Saudi Arabia.
- 2Department of Community Health Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Damanhour University, Damanhour, Egypt.
- 3Department of Nursing Services, Qassim University Medical City, Buraydah, Saudi Arabia.
- 4Department of Medical Surgical Nursing, College of Nursing, University of Hail, Hail, Saudi Arabia.
- 5Faculty of Nursing, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef, Egypt.
- 6Department of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt.
- 7Department of Nursing Administration, Faculty of Nursing, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt.
- 8Department of Nursing, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Kuwait University, Kuwait City, Kuwait.
- 9Department of Medical and Surgical Nursing, College of Nursing, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Abstract
Background
Although health-promoting behaviors and health literacy may be protective factors against Social network addiction symptoms, little is known about the mechanisms underlying these interactions. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between health promotion and social network addiction symptoms among adolescents and to examine the mediating role of health literacy in this relationship.Methods
A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted among 475 adolescents aged 15-18 years recruited from four secondary schools in Beni-Suef Governorate, Egypt, using a multistage random sampling technique. A demographic questionnaire, the Short-Form Adolescent Health Promotion Scale (SF-AHPS), the Health Literacy for School-Aged Children (HLSAC) scale, and the Social Network Addiction Scale (SNAS) were used to gather data between February and April of 2026.Results
The average scores were 30.04 ± 8.53 for social network addiction symptoms, 31.02 ± 4.85 for health literacy, and 70.61 ± 10.69 for health promotion. Health promotion was positively correlated with health literacy (r = 0.327, p < 0.0001) and negatively correlated with social network addiction symptoms (r = -0.117, p = 0.011). Health literacy was also negatively correlated with social network addiction symptoms (r = -0.229, p < 0.001). A cross-sectional statistical mediation model showed that health promotion was positively associated with health literacy (β = 0.299, p < 0.001), whereas health literacy significantly associated with lower social network addiction symptoms (β = -0.277, p < 0 0.001). While the indirect effect through health literacy was significant [β = -0.083, BootSE = 0.019, 95% CI (-0.122, -0.048)], suggesting a significant indirect association through health literacy, while the direct association was not statistically significant (β = -0.020, p = 0.664).Conclusion
Health literacy showed a significant indirect statistical association between health promotion and social network addiction symptoms among adolescents. Adolescents with higher health-promoting behaviors demonstrated better health literacy, which in turn was associated with lower levels of social network addiction symptoms.
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BibTeX
@article{amin2026health,
title = {{Health literacy as an indirect pathway in the association between health promotion behaviors and social network addiction symptoms among adolescents.}},
author = {Shaimaa Mohamed Amin and Sameer A Alkubati and Halla Ali Abd El Hie Ali and Mahmoud Abdelwahab Khedr and Sally Mohammed Farghaly Abdelaliem and Nesreen AbdelMonaem AbouZeid and Ayman Mohamed El-Ashry},
journal = {Frontiers in public health},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3389/fpubh.2026.1897518},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42909047},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Health literacy as an indirect pathway in the association between health promotion behaviors and social network addiction symptoms among adolescents.
AU - Shaimaa Mohamed Amin
AU - Sameer A Alkubati
AU - Halla Ali Abd El Hie Ali
AU - Mahmoud Abdelwahab Khedr
AU - Sally Mohammed Farghaly Abdelaliem
AU - Nesreen AbdelMonaem AbouZeid
AU - Ayman Mohamed El-Ashry
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/07
JO - Frontiers in public health
DO - 10.3389/fpubh.2026.1897518
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42909047
AB - Background Although health-promoting behaviors and health literacy may be protective factors against Social network addiction symptoms, little is known about the mechanisms underlying these interactions. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between health promotion and social network addiction symptoms among adolescents and to examine the mediating role of health literacy in this relationship.Methods A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted among 475 adolescents aged 15-18 years recruited from four secondary schools in Beni-Suef Governorate, Egypt, using a multistage random sampling technique. A demographic questionnaire, the Short-Form Adolescent Health Promotion Scale (SF-AHPS), the Health Literacy for School-Aged Children (HLSAC) scale, and the Social Network Addiction Scale (SNAS) were used to gather data between February and April of 2026.Results The average scores were 30.04 ± 8.53 for social network addiction symptoms, 31.02 ± 4.85 for health literacy, and 70.61 ± 10.69 for health promotion. Health promotion was positively correlated with health literacy (r = 0.327, p < 0.0001) and negatively correlated with social network addiction symptoms (r = -0.117, p = 0.011). Health literacy was also negatively correlated with social network addiction symptoms (r = -0.229, p < 0.001). A cross-sectional statistical mediation model showed that health promotion was positively associated with health literacy (β = 0.299, p < 0.001), whereas health literacy significantly associated with lower social network addiction symptoms (β = -0.277, p < 0 0.001). While the indirect effect through health literacy was significant [β = -0.083, BootSE = 0.019, 95% CI (-0.122, -0.048)], suggesting a significant indirect association through health literacy, while the direct association was not statistically significant (β = -0.020, p = 0.664).Conclusion Health literacy showed a significant indirect statistical association between health promotion and social network addiction symptoms among adolescents. Adolescents with higher health-promoting behaviors demonstrated better health literacy, which in turn was associated with lower levels of social network addiction symptoms.
SN - 2296-2565
ER -