The associations between sedentary behaviour and mental health among adolescents:A systematic review

Background: With technological developments and modernised sedentary lifestyles has come an increase in diseases associated with inactivity such as obesity and other non-communicable diseases. Emerging evidence suggests that time spent sedentary may also interact with mental health. This systematic review examined the associations between sedentary behaviour and mental health problems among adolescents. Methods: This systematic review followed Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses, and applied a quality assessment tool for quantitative studies to identity best available evidence. Following stringent search strategy of the databases; Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Global Health, Health Source: Nursing and Academic Edition, MEDLINE, PsychARTICLES and PsycINFO, we identified 32 articles eligible for review. Results: All studies reported leisure screen time among adolescents, and two thirds of identified studies examined depressive symptomatology. Other mental health measures were; anxiety symptoms, self-esteem, suicide ideation, loneliness, stress, and psychological distress. Strong consistent evidence was found for the relationship between both depressive symptomatology and psychological distress, and time spent using screens for leisure. Moderate evidence supported the relationship between low self-esteem and screen use. Poorer mental health status was found among adolescents using screen time more than 2-3 h per day, and gender differences exist. Essential information was missing for quality of evidence including heterogeneity in mental health and screen time-based measures, and self-report data collection methods. Conclusions: The findings are of particular significance given the global public health concern of lifestyle-attributed diseases and the possibility for novel approaches to mental health. Future research should examine the psychological impact of reducing time spent using screens for leisure among adolescents, whilst accounting for possible confounding factors such as physical activity and dietary behaviours. It is critical that the reciprocal relationship between lifestyle behaviours and mental health is represented in both the psychiatric and public health forum

Young people and the Internet

Abstract not available

It's a boy thing : the role of the Internet in young people's psychological wellbeing

The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between psychological wellbeing and Internet use among adolescents, focussing not only on time spent on the Internet, but also on the relative strength/importance of both face-to-face and Internet friendship networks. A sample of 336 young people aged between 15 and 21 years from a secondary school and a university population were surveyed. Results indicated that females with more online friends were higher on selfesteem and lower on loneliness than females with fewer online friends, but the opposite was true for males. A higher number of online regular friendships seemed to militate against self-esteem and was related to greater loneliness for males. For face-to-face friendships, the effects on wellbeing were in the same direction for males and females, but stronger for males. Those with more face-to-face friendships were higher on self-esteem and less lonely. In addition, young men who rated their online friendship networks as very important were more likely to have lower self-esteem and to be lonely. Actual time spent on the Internet was not a predictor of wellbeing for either sex when online and offline friendship factors were included in the regression equation

Do cyber-friendships hinder healthy adolescent development? Yes

Abstract not available