Compulsive digital use in youth is linked with sleep and mental health problems
A review linked digital addiction with insomnia, depression symptoms, and other health concerns. It does not establish whether compulsive digital use caused these problems.
Based on the published abstract. The full paper may contain additional methods, results and limitations.
The 30-second takeaway
Young people identified as having digital addiction had higher reported odds of sleep problems, depression symptoms, anxiety, and several other health concerns. This is evidence of an association, not a demonstration that compulsive digital use caused the outcomes. The abstract also does not show whether reducing digital use would improve any of these measures.
The abstract omits study counts, ages, follow-up periods, and adjustment for other factors. These gaps limit interpretation of the associations and which young people they concern.
What researchers found
Insomnia associated with digital addiction in youth
Insomnia odds were 1.46 times those in the comparison group; one marks no association. Comparator definition and assessment timeframe were not reported. Odds do not express an individual's probability.
What digital addiction meant
Digital addiction covered excessive, compulsive use of devices and platforms, including smartphones, computers, and social media. The review asked about this pattern of use, rather than all engagement with digital technology.
What the estimate leaves unclear
The abstract provides no baseline insomnia rate, so the odds ratio cannot tell readers how common insomnia was in either group. It also leaves unclear how comparison participants differed from those identified with digital addiction.
The original publication
Impact of digital addiction on youth health: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Shiferaw BD, Tang J, Wang Y et al.
J Behav Addict · 2025
- PubMed ID
- 40928886
- Record checked
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