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Becker TD, Leong A, Shanker P, Martin D, Staudenmaier P, Lynch S, Rice TR. Digital Media-related Problems Contributing to Psychiatric Hospitalizations Among Children and Adolescents Before and After the Onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev 2024:10.1007/s10578-024-01670-w. [PMID: 38261150 DOI: 10.1007/s10578-024-01670-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
The role of digital media in crises leading to youth psychiatric admissions is understudied and digital media use increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this cross-sectional study, demographics, clinical characteristics, and digital media-related problems (DMRPs; sub-coded as cyberbullying, online communication problems, triggering content, and limit-setting problems) were extracted from hospital records of youth (n = 1,101) admitted to a pediatric psychiatric unit from May 2018 to November 2021. DMRPs were identified in 127 admissions (11.5%), led by the online communication problems and limit-setting subtypes (both 4-5%). Significantly more overall problems were identified following the pandemic onset (13.9% of admissions vs. 9.1% before, p < 0.05). The limit-setting subtype specifically increased post-COVID-19 (6.0% vs. 2.7%, p < 0.01), and was associated with prior admissions, suicide attempts, and impulse control/behavioral disorders. Online communication problems were significantly more common among girls and youth with a history of trauma. Interventions in acute settings to mitigate consequences of DMRPs are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy D Becker
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry/New York State Psychiatric Institute, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians & Surgeons, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Alicia Leong
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Parul Shanker
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Dalton Martin
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Paige Staudenmaier
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Sean Lynch
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Timothy R Rice
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
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