{"title":"Online digital media use and adolescent mental health.","authors":"Stacie Kerr, Mila Kingsbury","doi":"10.25318/82-003-x202300200002-eng","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Online digital media are a central part of adolescents' lives, providing opportunities for social connection. However, some research has suggested that online digital media use may be negatively associated with mental health. Little population-based research has examined associations between various types of online digital media use and adolescent mental health.</p><p><strong>Data and methods: </strong>Data from 13,600 adolescents aged 12 to 17 were drawn from the 2019 Canadian Health Survey on Children and Youth. Adolescents reported on how frequently they used social media, video or instant messaging, and online gaming, as well as their general mental health, eating disorder symptoms and, for those aged 15 to 17, suicidal ideation and attempt. Logistic regression was used to estimate the odds of each outcome from the frequency of each type of digital media use, stratified by sex.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Associations were noted between the frequency of social media and video and instant messaging use, and general mental health, eating disorder symptoms, and suicidal ideation and attempt. After cybervictimization and sleep adequacy were accounted for, associations with eating disorder symptoms remained significant for girls and boys. Never participating in online gaming was associated with lower odds of lower general mental health and suicidal ideation among girls, but not boys.</p><p><strong>Interpretation: </strong>Different types of online digital media use are differentially associated with mental health outcomes, and associations differ between sexes. The associations between social media and video or instant messaging, and mental ill health may be partially explained by the experience of cybervictimization and sleep adequacy. More research on online gaming, particularly among girls, is needed to clarify associations with mental health.</p>","PeriodicalId":49196,"journal":{"name":"Health Reports","volume":"34 2","pages":"17-28"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7000,"publicationDate":"2023-02-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"2","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Health Reports","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.25318/82-003-x202300200002-eng","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"PUBLIC, ENVIRONMENTAL & OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 2
Abstract
Background: Online digital media are a central part of adolescents' lives, providing opportunities for social connection. However, some research has suggested that online digital media use may be negatively associated with mental health. Little population-based research has examined associations between various types of online digital media use and adolescent mental health.
Data and methods: Data from 13,600 adolescents aged 12 to 17 were drawn from the 2019 Canadian Health Survey on Children and Youth. Adolescents reported on how frequently they used social media, video or instant messaging, and online gaming, as well as their general mental health, eating disorder symptoms and, for those aged 15 to 17, suicidal ideation and attempt. Logistic regression was used to estimate the odds of each outcome from the frequency of each type of digital media use, stratified by sex.
Results: Associations were noted between the frequency of social media and video and instant messaging use, and general mental health, eating disorder symptoms, and suicidal ideation and attempt. After cybervictimization and sleep adequacy were accounted for, associations with eating disorder symptoms remained significant for girls and boys. Never participating in online gaming was associated with lower odds of lower general mental health and suicidal ideation among girls, but not boys.
Interpretation: Different types of online digital media use are differentially associated with mental health outcomes, and associations differ between sexes. The associations between social media and video or instant messaging, and mental ill health may be partially explained by the experience of cybervictimization and sleep adequacy. More research on online gaming, particularly among girls, is needed to clarify associations with mental health.
Health ReportsPUBLIC, ENVIRONMENTAL & OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH-
CiteScore
7.30
自引率
4.00%
发文量
28
期刊介绍:
Health Reports publishes original research on diverse topics related to understanding and improving the health of populations and the delivery of health care. We publish studies based on analyses of Canadian national/provincial representative surveys or Canadian national/provincial administrative databases, as well as results of international comparative health research. Health Reports encourages the sharing of methodological information among those engaged in the analysis of health surveys or administrative databases. Use of the most current data available is advised for all submissions.