Connected but at what cost? A rapid scoping review of adolescents' smartphone use and their wellbeing

Connected but at what cost? A rapid scoping review of adolescents' smartphone use and their wellbeing

With the current prevalence of smartphones, adolescents are increasingly exposed to both benefits and risks of their use. While much of the existing research has focused on the academic effects of smartphone use, less attention is given to its’ broader impacts on adolescents’ overall wellbeing. This scoping review synthesises current evidence exploring the link between smartphone use and adolescents’ wellbeing. Guided by Arksey and O’Malley’s five-step framework, the Joanna Briggs Institute’s manual for evidence synthesis, and the PRISMA-ScR checklist, this study identified and screened 230 articles from three electronic databases. Eighteen eligible studies originating from nine countries and employing diverse methodological approaches were thematically categorised according to the domains of wellbeing. Seven studies focused on mental health, while five studies each examined physical, emotional, and social aspects of adolescent wellbeing, illustrating the multifaceted impact of smartphone use. The findings indicate that excessive or unregulated use of smartphones is associated with a range of negative outcomes, including depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, obesity, sleep disturbances, substance use, low self-esteem and self-worth, social anxiety, peer relationship challenges and feelings of loneliness. This study highlights the need for evidence-informed interventions to promote adolescents’ awareness of healthy use of smartphones and to support their holistic wellbeing.

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