[Problematic internet use (PIN)--a review of assessment questionnaires and risk factors]

Digital Detox Strategies and Mental Health: A Comprehensive Scoping Review of Why, Where, and How

Excessive use of social media (SM) platforms and digital technology (DT), often driven by habitual scrolling due to adaptive feed experiences, has been linked to anxiety, sleep disturbances, and obsessive-compulsive behaviors while also exacerbating mental health concerns. Yet, the role of "digital detox", defined as a voluntary reduction or temporary cessation of device use, remains only partially understood as both a clinical and lifestyle intervention. This comprehensive scoping review was conducted to consolidate existing research on digital detox interventions and evaluate contextual factors that may influence their effectiveness for mental health and well-being. A targeted keyword search for "digital detox" was conducted in the PubMed database on December 12, 2024, yielding 34 initial results. This review followed the approach recommended by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) to identify, screen, and extract evidence from relevant studies as per pre-specified inclusion criteria. A total of 14 studies were found eligible, and data from these studies and their relevant references (totaling 640 citations) were extracted and synthesized. Our findings suggest that digital detox interventions may alleviate depression and problematic internet use, and individuals with higher baseline symptom severity appear to derive higher benefits. However, the impact on broader outcomes such as life satisfaction and overall well-being remains variable. Divergent intervention approaches, ranging from short-term SM abstinence to sustained, moderate device restrictions and individual differences in baseline severity of symptoms, coping styles, environmental pressures, and support systems, may contribute to different outcomes across various studies and systematic reviews. Overall, age, gender, baseline mental health, and range and duration of DT usage prior to detox are the key variables that may determine the effectiveness of digital detox interventions. Tailored DT usage in moderation, aligned with each individual's age, developmental stage, and academic needs, has greater benefits among younger populations, particularly adolescents and young adults, while mindful and regulated SM use is especially advantageous for female populations. However, other populations could also benefit, provided interventions address self-regulation challenges specific to adult lifestyles. Given the growing global prevalence of problematic smartphone use (PSU) and its documented comorbidity with psychiatric disorders, digital detox strategies have the potential to be integrated into clinical recommendations and policy initiatives. However, a framework for assessing intervention quality and long-term outcomes is essential.

Effects of Online Game and Short Video Behavior on Academic Delay of Gratification - Mediating Effects of Anxiety, Depression and Retrospective Memory

Objective

Learner dependence on short videos has many pitfalls for learning outcomes, but the negative effects of excessive short video use have been little discussed in the learning psychology literature. Therefore, this study investigated the effects of excessive short video use on anxiety, depression, prospective memory, and academically delayed gratification (ADOG) in relation to online gaming-related behaviours, and explored the possible mechanisms by which excessive online gaming and short video use may lead to decreased ADOG, to expand our understanding of excessive short video use.

Methods

Based on the whole class random sampling method, a questionnaire survey was conducted among college students in Northern Anhui, China from May 7 to July 27, 2022. The questionnaires included the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7), Patient Health Questionnaire Scale (PHQ-9), Prospective and Retrospective Memory (PRM) Questionnaire, and ADOG Scale.

Results

A total of 1016 participants completed the survey. The study found that of all the internet behaviors, 20.8% of the college students mainly played online games, 43.9% mainly played short videos, and 35.3% conducted other online behaviors. When compared with other internet behaviors, online gaming and short video behaviors can cause more serious anxiety/depression and worse PRM and ADOG scores. As time spent playing online games and short videos increased, anxiety and depression became worse, and the scores for PRM and ADOG also declined. Anxiety, depression, and PRM mediate the relationship between time spent on online gaming/short videos and ADOG.

Conclusion

Excessive short videos behaviour may produce the same psychological problems and learning problems as online gaming disorder. Excessive short video and online gaming behaviors may affect ADOG performance through anxiety, depression, and prospective memory. These findings could be used as a basis for future studies on the improvement of ADOG.

Demographic characteristics, family environment and psychosocial factors affecting internet addiction in Chinese adolescents

BACKGROUND

Internet addiction of adolescents has aroused social concern recently. The present study aims to identify predicting factors of internet addiction on adolescents.

METHODS

The demographic characteristics and psychological characteristics of 50, 855 middle school students were investigated through Internet Gaming Disorder Scale- Short Form(IGDS9-SF), Smartphone Application-Based Addiction Scale (SABAS), Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale (BSMAS), Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire-students (SDQS), 16-Item Version of the Prodromal Questionnaire (PQ-16), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7), Multidimensional Peer Victimization Scale (MPVS), Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (WEMWBS), and Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC10) were used to analyze factors associated with internet addiction by Pearson correlation coefficient and multiple hierarchical regression.

RESULTS

IGDS9-SF, SABAS and BSMAS are positively correlated with SDQS, PQ-16, PHQ-9, GAD-7 and MPVS (r-values ranging from 0.180 to 0.488, p < 0.01). IGDS9-SF, SABAS and BSMAS are negatively correlated with WEMWB and CD-RISC (r-values ranging from -0.242 ~ -0.338, p < 0.01). Multiple hierarchical regression shown gender, one-child, twins, left-behind, rural, education (father), drink (father), smoke (father), CD-RISC-10, SDQS, PQ-16, PHQ-9, GAD-7 and MPVS predicted 32.7 % of the variance in internet gaming disorder (IGD) (F = 1174.949, p < 0.001). Group (junior and senior), Gender, Age, One-Child, Twins, Village, Education (father), Drink (father), Drink (mother), Smoke (father), WEMWBS, CD-RISC-10, SDQS, PQ-16, PHQ-9, GAD-7 and MPVS predicted 28.9 % of the total variance in social media addiction (SMA) (F = 982.932, p < 0.001). Fifteen variables [Gender, Age, Twins, Left-behind, Residence, Residence, Education (mother), Drink(father), Drink (mother), Smoke (father), WEMWBS, CD-RISC-10, PHQ-9, GAD-7 and MPVS] predicted 30.7 % of the variance in smartphone addiction (SA) (F = 1076.02, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

The present study found that demographic characteristics, family environment and psychosocial factors were associated with internet gaming addiction, social media addiction and smartphone addiction. Negative psychological factors (such as anxiety and depression) play an important role in different behavioral addictions.

[Usage patterns of internet and computer games : Results of an observational study of Tyrolean adolescents]

BACKGROUND

The use of digital media such as the Internet and Computer games has greatly increased. In the western world, almost all young people regularly use these relevant technologies. Against this background, forms of use with possible negative consequences for young people have been recognized and scientifically examined. The aim of our study was therefore to investigate the prevalence of pathological use of these technologies in a sample of young Tyrolean people.

METHODS

398 students (average age 15.2 years, SD ± 2.3 years, 34.2% female) were interviewed by means of the structured questionnaires CIUS (Internet), CSV-S (Computer games) and SWE (Self efficacy). Additionally, socio demographic data were collected.

RESULTS

In line with previous studies, 7.7% of the adolescents of our sample showed criteria for problematic internet use, 3.3% for pathological internet use. 5.4% of the sample reported pathological computer game usage. The most important aspect to influence our results was the gender of the subjects. Intensive users in the field of Internet and Computer games were more often young men, young women, however, showed significantly less signs of pathological computer game use.

CONCLUSIONS

A significant percentage of Tyrolean adolescents showed difficulties in the development of competent media use, indicating the growing significance of prevention measures such as media education. In a follow-up project, a sample of adolescents with mental disorders will be examined concerning their media use and be compared with our school-sample.