No Harm To Mental Health Following Social Media & Gaming Study

In recent years, concerns about the negative impact of smartphones and social media on mental health have become increasingly prevalent. Many have speculated that the digital era has led to a decline in psychological well-being and a global mental health epidemic. However, a ground breaking global study conducted by the University of Oxford challenges these assumptions and sheds light on the true relationship between technology and mental health.

The study, overseen by Professor Andrew Przybylski of the Oxford Internet Institute, surveyed a staggering two million individuals from 168 countries, ranging in age from 15 to 89. Spanning from 2005 to 2022, the research aimed to explore whether the introduction of smartphones and the internet had indeed caused widespread damage to mental health.

Contrary to popular belief, the study found no evidence to support the notion that the digital era has coincided with broad declines in psychological wellbeing. In fact, overall life satisfaction appeared to have remained stable over the past two decades. Professor Przybylski states, “We looked very hard for a ‘smoking gun’ linking technology and wellbeing, and we didn’t find it.” This ground breaking finding challenges the widely held view and assumptions that smartphones and the internet have been detrimental to mental health.

One of the prevailing beliefs is that the introduction of the internet and smartphones has led to a global mental health epidemic, particularly among young people. However, the Oxford study found no evidence to substantiate this claim. While individuals, including children, have undoubtedly been harmed by various forms of online exploitation, there is no indication of a broader pattern of internet-fuelled misery.

Professor Przybylski emphasizes that until now, the assumption that technology has been universally detrimental to mental health has gone unproven. The study’s findings challenge this assumption, highlighting the need for a more nuanced understanding of the relationship between technology and mental well-being.

To further investigate the impact of internet use on mental health, the researchers analysed data on wellbeing and mental health using surveys that asked participants questions such as “Did you smile or laugh a lot yesterday?” and “Did you learn or do something interesting yesterday?” Additionally, participants were asked to rate their life satisfaction on a scale of one to 11, with 11 representing “the best possible life for you.”

Interestingly, the study found no significant changes in psychological wellbeing coinciding with landmark dates in technology, such as the release of the first iPhone in 2007 or Facebook’s acquisition of Instagram in 2012. This suggests that the introduction of smartphones and social media did not herald the anticipated negative effects on mental health.

Furthermore, the study revealed no evidence of particular groups being more vulnerable to negative effects from activities such as social media or online gaming. Across the two decades covered by the study, life satisfaction actually increased for females in the average country. This finding challenges the notion that certain groups are more at risk and highlights the need for a more balanced understanding of the impact of technology on mental health.

While the study’s findings offer valuable insights into the relationship between technology and mental health, the researchers argue that more data is needed to fully understand the effects of internet use. They call upon large technology companies to provide access to the data necessary for researchers to conduct further investigations.

In a paper published in the journal Clinical Psychological Science, the researchers write, “Research on the effects of internet technologies is stalled because the data most urgently needed are collected and held behind closed doors by technology companies and online platforms.” By opening up access to this crucial data, researchers can gain a deeper understanding of the true impact of technology on mental health.