ArticlePloS one2020
Prospective associations between internet use and poor mental health: A population-based study.
Article in PloS one, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 14 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Who cites it
14 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- The longitudinal course of childhood bullying victimization and associations with self-injurious thoughts and behaviors in children and young people: A systematic review of the literature.Journal of adolescence · 2023Pooled it
- Off-Duty Internet Use and Depression: The Japanese Civil Servants Study.JMA journal · 2026Article
- Associations of various internet device use and activities with depression in Chinese adolescents: gender and geographical differences.Social psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology · 2025Article
- The impact of chronic diseases on the health-related quality of life of middle-aged and older adults: the role of physical activity and degree of digitization.BMC public health · 2024Article
- Sex Differences in the Association between Prolonged Sitting Time and Anxiety Prevalence among Korean Adults.Brain sciences · 2024Article
- Article
- Assessment of non-fatal injuries among university students in Hainan: a machine learning approach to exploring key factors.Frontiers in public health · 2024Article
- 'Everything turned upside down': A thematic analysis of adolescents' experiences of everyday life during COVID-19 restrictions.Scandinavian journal of public health · 2023Article
- Static and Dynamic Impacts of Internet Use on Self-Rated Health among Adults in China: A Hybrid Model Analysis Based on National Panel Survey Data.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2023Article
- A critical review of the Online Safety Bill.Patterns (New York, N.Y.) · 2022Review
- Sedentary Behaviors and Health Outcomes among Young Adults: A Systematic Review of Longitudinal Studies.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2022Review
- Does Mobile Internet Use Affect the Depression of Young Chinese Adults? An Instrumental Variable Quantile Analysis.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Article
- Does Internet Use Impact the Health Status of Middle-Aged and Older Populations? Evidence from China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS).International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Article
- Information Technology Use and Cyberbullying Behavior in South Thailand: A Test of the Goldilocks Hypothesis.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2020Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
7 authors.
Funding
Abstract
objectivesMost of the evidence on the effects of internet use on mental health derives from cross-sectional research. We set out to explore prospective associations between internet use (hours online and specific internet experiences) and future mental health problems.
methodsParticipants were 1,431 respondents from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC), a UK birth cohort, who completed a questionnaire on internet use (time online and ten different internet experiences) when they were aged 18 years. Outcomes included past year self-harm, assessed at 21 years and high levels of depression and anxiety symptoms, assessed at 22 years. Associations were investigated using logistic regression models and analyses were conducted separately for males and females.
resultsFemales reporting high levels of internet use (number of hours online) were found to be at increased risk of depression at follow-up (highest tertile vs lowest tertile OR = 1.41, 95% CI 0.90 to 2.20), whereas males with high levels of internet use were at increased risk for self-harm (highest tertile vs lowest tertile OR = 2.53, 95%CI 0.93 to 6.90). There was no evidence to suggest an association between hours spent online and anxiety. With regards to the specific internet experiences, associations were found for females but not for males. In fully adjusted models, being bullied online (OR = 1.76, 95% CI 1.09 to 2.86) and meeting someone face to face (OR = 1.55, 95% CI 1.00 to 2.41) were associated with an increased risk of future depression. Being bullied online was also associated with an increased risk of future self-harm (OR = 2.42, 95% CI 1.41 to 4.15), along with receiving unwanted sexual comments or material, and coming across pornography and violent/gruesome material.
conclusionsOur findings highlight the importance of digital citizenship training to help teach young people to use technology safely and responsibly.
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