Smartphones, Teen Mental Health, and the Role of Digital Engagement

Crespo, Ivan

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/133115 Copy

Description

Title

Smartphones, Teen Mental Health, and the Role of Digital Engagement

Author(s)

Crespo, Ivan

Issue Date

2025-12-14

Keyword(s)

• Digital Engagement
• Teen Mental Health
• Smartphones

Date of Ingest

2026-04-16T03:11:23-05:00

Abstract

Public concern about adolescent mental health has increasingly focused on smartphones as a potential cause of rising anxiety and depression. However, empirical findings in this area remain mixed, and causal claims often exceed what existing evidence can support. This literature review examines research on smartphone use and adolescent mental health, with particular attention to trends over time, associations reported across studies, and methodological limitations that complicate causal interpretation. The review synthesizes findings from cross-sectional and longitudinal studies, as well as meta-analytic and theoretical work, to evaluate the strength and consistency of observed relationships. Across the literature, associations between smartphone use and mental health outcomes are generally modest and highly variable, and evidence for direct causal effects remains limited. Findings further indicate that outcomes depend on factors such as type of smartphone engagement, individual vulnerabilities, and social context. Rather than functioning as a primary causal driver of adolescent mental health problems, smartphone use appears to operate as a contextual factor that can amplify or buffer psychological outcomes. These conclusions highlight the need for more nuanced research designs and more careful public discourse surrounding technology and adolescent well-being.

Type of Resource

text

Genre of Resource

article

Language

eng

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