Digital technology use had differing links with adult mental health
A meta-analysis reported positive correlations with psychological well-being and negative correlations with burnout for selected technologies, without establishing that technology caused either outcome.
Based on the published abstract. The full paper may contain additional methods, results and limitations.
The 30-second takeaway
The review linked use of artificial intelligence, remote work and smart tourism technologies with higher psychological well-being. It also linked artificial intelligence and remote work with lower burnout. These correlations concern different technology groupings and outcomes, so they do not show that digital tools generally improve mental health or that increasing use would help.
The abstract gives no confidence intervals, study-specific designs or clear definitions of technology exposure. It reports selected associations without enough detail to assess their reliability or explain the differences between technologies.
What researchers found
Psychological well-being
Correlation with AI, remote work and smart tourism technology use; comparator and assessment timeframe were not reported.
Burnout
Correlation with AI and remote work use; comparator and assessment timeframe were not reported.
Reading the correlations
A positive correlation here means technology use and well-being varied in the same direction; a negative burnout correlation means they varied in opposite directions. Neither coefficient measures a treatment benefit.
A selective abstract summary
The review considered several mental-health outcomes, but the abstract highlights only the largest positive and negative correlations. It mentions contextual moderators without describing them, leaving the circumstances behind these associations unclear.
The original publication
Psychological "effects" of digital technology: a meta-analysis.
Lițan DE
Front Psychol · 2025
- PubMed ID
- 41112559
- Record checked
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