Oxford University Study States No ‘Smoking Gun’ Link Between Internet and Mental Health Harm
The widespread belief of the detrimental effects of internet usage on mental health may be less significant than previously assumed. A comprehensive international study conducted the Oxford Internet Institute examined data from two million individuals aged 15 to 89 in 168 countries and found relatively minimal and inconsistent links between internet adoption and psychological well-being. This challenges the notion of a direct and substantial connection between internet use and psychological harm.
Professor Andrew Przybylski from the Oxford Internet Institute and Assistant Professor Matti Vuorre from Tilburg University led the study, analyzing trends over the past two decades. Despite extensive research on well-being and internet adoption, including demographic information and age groups, the researchers failed to identify any conclusive evidence supporting the idea that certain groups are more susceptible to negative effects.
The study also highlighted the necessity for greater data transparency from technology companies to establish more conclusive evidence regarding the effects of internet use. The researchers compared well-being and mental health data with per capita internet users, mobile broadband subscriptions, and usage patterns to investigate the potential predictive role of internet adoption on psychological well-being. They also emphasized the need for more detailed and transparent information from all stakeholders to improve independent research. The study’s findings were published in the journal Clinical Psychological Science.
There was no “smoking gun” link found that can be concluded with respect to the mental health harm caused the use of technology. The study was unable to establish any distinct patterns among internet users based on age groups and gender. On average, countries experienced higher life satisfaction, particularly among females during the study. Furthermore, the study also identified a minor link suggesting that higher mobile broadband adoption correlated with increased life satisfaction, but researchers stressed its negligible practical importance.
Overall, the study suggests that the impact of internet use on mental health may not be as substantial as commonly perceived and that further research is crucial to better understand the relationship between internet adoption and psychological well-being.