The pandemic has resulted in all of us spending more time online. According to a study by the University of California – Berkeley this is not a bad thing.
How time online affects teenagers’ moods depends more on what they do during that time than how much time they spend online. That shows a study under the direction of the University of California – Berkeley. According to this, young people who were able to chat with relatives via WhatsApp or hang out with friends in online games do not feel so lonely as a result.
Screen time against loneliness
Too much screen time makes you lonely and depressed: this is a common assumption that the current study contradicts. The researchers asked 735 Peruvian teens over six weeks about their online experiences when the country went into a tough lockdown from April 2020. Result: Positive online experiences such as exchanging ideas with friends and relatives via social media or games are a support that apparently helps against the oppressive feeling of loneliness that can easily arise in the physical isolation caused by the lockdown.
“Our results support our hypothesis that the way you spend time in front of a screen, rather than how much time you spend online, is the best predictor of loneliness and well-being,” says developmental psychologist Lucía Magis-Weinberg, lead author of the current study . With that in mind, it might make sense for parents and teachers to focus more on promoting positive online experiences for teens rather than limiting their screen time.
It depends on the “what”
“There has been this negative discourse about the fact that screen time causes loneliness and depression,” criticizes Magis-Weinberg. The current results paint a more nuanced picture that the “what” is particularly important. “Using social media to actively connect with friends and family and find support – instead of just scrolling through Instagram endlessly, comparing yourself with others and feeling left out – can have a positive impact on wellbeing,” explains the developmental psychologist.
Those: Press release
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