Technology use and mental health

Moderate screen time is okay, but too much is associated with reduced well-being

Mental well-being as a function of hours of daily digital media consumption. The non-linear curve suggests a more complex relationship than a simple unidirectional correspondence. According to this research, the optimal amount of digital for general mental well-being is modest, but more than none. Przybylski, A., & Weinstein, N. (2017)

Adolescents and Screen Time

Technology has evolved significantly over the past few decades and plays an increasingly important role in the daily lives of not just adults, but children and adolescents as well.  Children and adolescents now have far more exposure to and spend more time with digital media than prior generations, and often more than adults. Concerns regarding the effects technology may have on children and adolescents has led to a growing body of literature investigating technology use and mental health and well-being. However, research to date has not provided much clarity on the relationship between children and adolescents’ different forms of digital media use and well-being, largely due to the correlational nature of these studies and limitations pertaining to the scope of study. Some research draws links between screen time and negative outcomes, such as poor sleep quality, poor mental health, and other negative effects on development and behavior. Other work suggests that limited or no internet access may increase experiences of ostracization and negative emotions as a result of exclusion from social information regarding their peers. However, since screen time encompasses an ever increasing range of media and activities, general measures such as screen time or even minutes on social media is inadequate to understand complex relationships between use of digital technology and well-being. Further, social benefits are likely to be derived in specific use cases, suggesting potential for healthy use if the technology is used in a balanced manner.

The Goldilocks Hypothesis

The Goldilocks hypothesis has been offered to explain the curves shown in the figures above. The authors note that screen time is not a monolithic experience, and many other factors as well as screen time explain how digital media affects adolescents. The hypothesis suggests that moderate screen time and digital media usage may be advantageous for adolescents. This study sets clear dimensions for different ways of using smartphones, computers, and the internet, and postulates that different types of screen time may have different effects. Playing games, watching TV, and using social media, as examples, were separate categories of screen time. The implications from this and other recent work suggests that it is important to specify the specific forms of digital technology used and the manner of use when attempting to contextualize how use of technology affects well-being, as some forms and/or patterns of use appear to have more negative effects than others. 

Other work suggests using social media as a ‘see-saw’. Under this view, behaviors on social media platforms can be characterized according to dimensions. The study highlights the positive and negative outcomes based on the motivation or outcome for each behavior. The authors suggest social media usage is a balancing act, where the type of interaction with social media is important for psychological outcomes.

This graph demonstrates the dimensions of using social media, and the different activities one can do on social media. The ‘see-saw’ graph shows the possible positive and negative outcomes of each dimension of using social media. Weinstein, E. (2018)

To date, most research examining the relationship between digital media use and well-being has been correlational, and is unable to specify causal direction. While more recent work is beginning to take into account the complexities involved in child and adolescent technology use, most historical work has not taken into consideration the nuances in digital technology use nor other factors that may explain changes in well-being (e.g. sleep patterns, personal events, etc.).  Investigations that collect data on which technology is used, how it is used and when it is used, in addition to non-technology measures that assess personality and social behaviors, promise to provide clarity on these relationships and guide future targets for intervention.

Recommendations

Given the changing landscape in technology, it can be difficult to determine the appropriate platforms, screen time, and other aspects of digital technology that translate into healthy habits and outcomes for adolescents. Unfortunately, resources on this topic are often in conflict. The research highlighted here suggests that the best approach, for teens, is likely to be moderation; that too little or zero use has certain risks to mental well-being, while excessive use can also have harmful consequences. The exact amount of time can be difficult to understand given the demands placed on students, which often necessitate use of digital technology, highlighting the need to understand patterns of use in addition to overall time. While conflicting research exists on the effects of social media for teens and college students, most research suggests that negative effects are more likely for younger teens. Here are a few things to keep in mind for children and adolescents’ screen time:

• Manage screen time: set limits with purpose and talk about why it is important to disconnect with technology and connect with people, in-person, and to simply give our attention a break. Focus on activities that require internally generated attention (person controlled), as opposed to having attention constantly stimulated by the environment. 

• Explain how social media and other entertainment platforms are designed and evolve. For example, these platforms often use sophisticated algorithms that can learn based on your behavior to keep your attention and engagement as long as possible. In other words, they are very skilled at hijacking our attention (think the pied piper!). 

• Promote meaningful technology use: for children, programming that is designed for educational purposes. For adolescents, talk about how different uses of technology make them feel, ask them to exert self control or engage in self control training. Self-control is an important skill to develop, and digital media can be a great place to apply it. 

• Monitor for problematic technology use: look out for behaviors that suggest excessive technology use that interferes with daily activities, relationships, sleep patterns, or emotional patterns.

Terminology

‘Screen time’ refers to time spent with any screen, including smart phones, tablets, television, video games, computers, or wearable technology.

‘Digital media’ refers to content transmitted over the Internet or computer networks on all devices, unless particular ones are specified.  

Definitions from Przybylski & Weinstein (2017)