Dynamics of adolescents’ smartphone use and well-being are positive but ephemeral

• Published in: Scientific reports Vol. 12; no. 1; pp. 1316 - 15
• Main Authors: Marciano, Laura, Driver, Charles C., Schulz, Peter J., Camerini, Anne-Linda
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 25-01-2022; Nature Publishing Group; Nature Portfolio
• Subjects: 631/477; 631/477/2811; Adolescent; Adolescent Behavior - psychology; Adolescent Health; Adolescents; Bayes Theorem; Bayesian analysis; Child; Digital broadcasting; Digital media; Female; Heterogeneity; Humanities and Social Sciences; Humans; Influence; Internet Addiction Disorder - psychology; Longitudinal Studies; Male; Mathematical models; Mental health; Models, Statistical; multidisciplinary; Parents - psychology; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Screen Time; Self Report; Smartphone; Smartphones; Social networks; Teenagers
• ISSN: 2045-2322; 2045-2322
• DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-05291-y

Well-being and smartphone use are thought to influence each other. However, previous studies mainly focused on one direction (looking at the effects of smartphone use on well-being) and considered between-person effects, with self-reported measures of smartphone use. By using 2548 assessments of well-being and trace data of smartphone use collected for 45 consecutive days in 82 adolescent participants (M
age
 = 13.47, SD
age
 = 1.62, 54% females), the present study disentangled the reciprocal and individual dynamics of well-being and smartphone use. Hierarchical Bayesian Continuous Time Dynamic Models were used to estimate how a change in frequency and duration of smartphone use predicted a later change in well-being, and vice versa. Results revealed that (i) when participants used the smartphone frequently and for a longer period, they also reported higher levels of well-being; (ii) well-being positively predicted subsequent duration of smartphone use; (iii) usage patterns and system dynamics showed heterogeneity, with many subjects showing reciprocal effects close to zero; finally, (iv) changes in well-being tend to persist longer than changes in the frequency and duration of smartphone use.