Digital engagement and its association with adverse psychiatric symptoms: A longitudinal cohort study utilizing latent class analysis

Highlights：

• Longitudnal assocations between age 13 digital media engagment and age 17 psychiatric symtoms show, for females, increased internalizing symptoms if placed in the "high usage" group, and for both genders, increases in widespread symptoms if placed in the "exclude education" group, a group indicitave of no behavioural engagament with education materials online.

• Cross Sectionally, while adjusting for multiple confounders including age 13 usage and age 9 psychiatric symptoms, we found that placement in the "high usage" group was associated with widespread symptoms increases for females and internalizing symptom increases for males. Additionally, placment in the "low time and behaviour" group, was asociated with widespread symptom increases for males only.

摘要

•Using latent class modelling, this paper attempted to combine both time based and behavioural based digital meida useage into a single exposure and examine its associations with psychiatric symptoms.•Longitudnal assocations between age 13 digital media engagment and age 17 psychiatric symtoms show, for females, increased internalizing symptoms if placed in the "high usage" group, and for both genders, increases in widespread symptoms if placed in the "exclude education" group, a group indicitave of no behavioural engagament with education materials online.•Cross Sectionally, while adjusting for multiple confounders including age 13 usage and age 9 psychiatric symptoms, we found that placement in the "high usage" group was associated with widespread symptoms increases for females and internalizing symptom increases for males. Additionally, placment in the "low time and behaviour" group, was asociated with widespread symptom increases for males only.