Data from more than 17,000 teenagers show little evidence of a relationship between screen time and well-being in adolescents, according to the study published in the journal Psychological Science. “Implementing best practice statistical and methodological techniques, we found little evidence for substantial negative associations between digital-screen engagement and adolescent well-being,” said Amy Orben, a researcher at the Oxford Internet Institute (OII) in the UK.
Other studies, such as Oxford, reanalyzed data from Ireland, the US, and the UK to support their conclusions.
The researchers used a rigorous methodology to gather data on how much time an adolescent spends on screens per day, including self-reported measures and time-use diaries.
This is important as many studies are based solely on self-reported digital technology use, even though recent work found only one-third of participants give accurate accounts of how much time they spend online when asked after the fact.
The researchers also created a comprehensive picture of teens’ well-being, examining measures of psychosocial functioning, depression symptoms, self-esteem, and mood, with data provided by both young people and their caregivers.
Additionally, the final of the three studies conducted was preregistered, meaning that the researchers publicly documented the analyses they would run before they analyzed the data.
This prevents hypothesizing after the results are known, a challenge for controversial research topics.
“Because technologies are embedded in our social and professional lives, research concerning digital-screen use and its effects on adolescent well-being is under increasing scrutiny,” said Orben.
“To retain influence and trust, robust and transparent research practices must become the norm – not the exception. We hope our approach will set a new baseline for new research on the psychological study of technology,” said Przybylski.
