Although adolescents’ exposure to harmful online content has been linked to decreased subjective well-being and offline risky behaviors, there is limited research on the factors that underlie such problematic online behavior. Using the conceptual framework of Problem Behavior Theory, this study examined the role of risk (i.e., emotional problems, sensation seeking) and protective (i.e., the quality of family environment, social support from friends) factors in exposure to harmful online content among 4473 12- to 16-year-olds (M = 13.9, SD = 1.3, 49% girls) in the Czech Republic, Finland, and Spain. Individual country samples included 1848 adolescents from the Czech Republic (age: M = 14, SD = 1.4; 51% girls), 788 from Finland (age: M = 13.9, SD = 1.3; 52% girls), and 1837 from Spain (age: M = 13.5, SD = 1.2; 47% girls). In all of the sampled countries, emotional problems and sensation seeking served as risk factors, whereas good family relationships were protective. In some countries, the effects of emotional problems and sensation seeking were moderated by the quality of the family environment and social support from friends. These moderating effects suggest that individual risk factors for exposure to harmful online content may be buffered by a positive family environment and friends’ support. The findings revealed similarities in the risk and protective factors underlying online problem behavior across three different countries. They demonstrate that the mechanisms proposed by Problem Behavior Theory can help to understand the etiology of adolescent problem behavior across different countries as well as offline and online contexts.

尽管青少年接触有害在线内容与主观幸福感下降和线下危险行为有关，但对造成此类问题在线行为的因素的研究有限。本研究使用问题行为理论的概念框架，检验了 4473 人在接触有害在线内容中的风险（即情绪问题、感觉寻求）和保护因素（即家庭环境质量、朋友的社会支持）的作用。 捷克共和国、芬兰和西班牙的12 至 16 岁青少年（M  = 13.9，SD = 1.3，49% 为女孩）。个别国家样本包括来自捷克共和国的 1848 名青少年（年龄：M  = 14，SD  = 1.4；51% 是女孩），788 名来自芬兰（年龄：M  = 13.9，SD  = 1.3；52% 女孩）和 1837 来自西班牙（年龄：M  = 13.5，SD = 1.2; 47% 的女孩）。在所有抽样国家中，情绪问题和寻求感觉是风险因素，而良好的家庭关系具有保护作用。在一些国家，家庭环境的质量和朋友的社会支持可以缓和情绪问题和感觉寻求的影响。这些调节效应表明，积极的家庭环境和朋友的支持可以缓冲接触有害在线内容的个人风险因素。调查结果揭示了三个不同国家在线问题行为背后的风险和保护因素的相似性。他们证明问题行为理论提出的机制有助于理解不同国家以及离线和在线环境中青少年问题行为的病因。