"Monitoring phone use via digital well-being apps increases self-regulation in adolescents by over a third," reports The Daily Herald.
A study was conducted using an online survey by researchers from the University of Edinburgh and the youth mental health charity MindSpace. Researchers found correlations between the time teenagers spent engaging with screen-time tracking features and their self-reported anxiety levels, sleep quality, and daily self-regulation strategies. Time spent on non-interactive e-readers was not linked to anxiety levels.
Teenagers who reviewed their screen-time statistics for more than 15 minutes a day were 45% more likely to report high self-regulation scores than those who used tracking features for less than 5 minutes a day. Those who set strict daily app limits were 35% less likely to report severe bedtime anxiety.
However, it is important to note that we cannot establish whether utilizing tracking features directly causes improved mental well-being or self-regulation. There are several limitations to utilizing online self-report surveys. While researchers aimed for a diverse, representative sample, selection bias may have occurred, as teenagers already interested in digital wellness were more likely to participate. The data also relies heavily on participants accurately recalling their exact mood and screen-time habits, and some teenagers may have felt pressured to underreport their actual gaming or social media hours. Additionally, the full dataset has not yet been peer-reviewed or published in an open-access journal.
Adapted from an article on the MindSpace Policy Blog (November 2021)
Outline one strength of using this type of data (quantitative self-report data) in the research described in the article.
