How does excessive digital technology usage affect adolescent emotions

Based on the search results, excessive digital technology usage appears to have several negative effects on adolescent emotions and psychological well-being:

  1. Overall negative impact: Multiple studies indicate that excessive screen time and digital technology use is associated with poorer mental health and negative psychological/emotional outcomes in adolescents aged 14-18 [1][5][6].
  1. Small but significant effects: While the effects are generally small in magnitude, meta-analyses have found statistically significant associations between higher levels of screen media use and more behavioral/emotional problems in children and adolescents [5][6].
  1. Internalizing symptoms: Excessive screen use is linked to increased internalizing symptoms like emotional problems, anxiety, and depression, particularly in girls [5][6].
  1. Social and behavioral issues: Higher screen time is associated with peer problems, conduct issues, and reduced prosocial behavior [5].
  1. Short-term emotional effects: Digital technology use appears to have stronger effects on short-term markers of emotional well-being (e.g. negative affect) compared to long-term measures [4].
  1. Dose-response relationship: Both very low and excessive use are related to decreased well-being, while moderate use is associated with increased well-being [1][4].
  1. Gender differences: Girls may be more negatively impacted than boys, especially from social media use [6].
  1. Potential mechanisms: Excessive screen time may displace face-to-face social interactions, leading to feelings of isolation, loneliness and social anxiety [5].
  1. Bidirectional relationship: There may be a bidirectional relationship, where poor emotional well-being also leads to increased screen time [6].
  1. Need for balance: While digital technology can have benefits, overuse and misuse appears to have adverse effects on emotional and behavioral outcomes in adolescents [6].

In summary, while the effects are generally small, the evidence suggests excessive digital technology usage negatively impacts adolescent emotions across multiple domains. Moderation and balance in usage appears to be key for promoting positive emotional well-being.

Citations:
[1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7366938/
[2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10353947/
[3] https://bmcpsychology.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40359-023-01166-7
[4] https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.31887/DCNS.2020.22.2/tdienlin
[5] <https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2821176
[6] https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.938965/full

PerplexityAi

PerplexityAi

2024-09-14