Digital media use and mental health problems. Early predictors and sex differences

Recent statistics show that almost all Swedish adolescents have their own digital media devise and many adolescents prioritize digital media over exercise, schoolwork, and even sleep. Associations have also been shown between digital media use and poor mental health.

However, previous research is limited in that it has seldom used a longitudinal design, only investigated screen time, and has not investigated predictors of problematic digital media use.

Previous studies have found sex differences in the use of digital media, but we know very little about sex differences regarding its consequences.

It is also important to examine to what extent individuals with psychiatric disorders that have been linked to other forms of addiction (e.g. ADHD) are also at higher risk of developing problematic use of digital media.

The present project aims to address the following issues regarding digital media use: 1) prevalence of problematic use; 2) early predictors, 3) associations to mental health problems and daily life functioning, 4) effects of sex with regard to digital media use and its consequences, and 5) associations between digital media use and ADHD.

Finally, we have adapted our research application to the current situation with the COVID-19 pandemic by adding a fourth study that will examine digital media, mental health and daily life functioning before, during and after the pandemic.

Altogether, the present project includes four studies, which address similar research questions but use different designs (cross-sectional and longitudinal), different types of samples (clinical and non-clinical) and different ages (preschool until late adolescence).

Conclusively, the present project will provide important knowledge within a rapidly growing research area of great importance for child and adolescent mental health, and it should therefore be considered to be of high societal relevance.