Despite previous findings, Oregon-led research has determined that smartphone use isn't necessarily related to the well-being of adults.
The study conducted by the University of Oregon and Google Research found that younger adults experience lower moods when using social media in one particular stance, but the link between mental health and digital surfing was "either weak or statistically insignificant" when assessing longer time periods.
According to UO, Nicholas Allen — a psychology professor and director of the Center for Digital Mental Health — led the team that conducted the study. For four weeks, researchers recorded the smartphone activity and daily moods of more than 10,000 participants who were at least 18 years of age.
The university noted that previous studies have included self-reported data, which scientists claimed aren't as reliable.
"Our findings challenge the popular assumption that smartphone use is inherently harmful to mental health and well-being," Allen said in a release. "There's been a lot of public concern and policy discussion often based on small, self-reported studies. This large-scale, objective data suggests the relationship is far more nuanced and, in most cases, minimal — at least over this time frame."
The findings, which were published in the National Library of Medicine earlier this week, show that demographics like age and gender were more likely to negatively impact mental well-being than smartphone usage. Notably, researchers discovered that younger adults and women experienced lower moods despite how often they surfed social media.
"Smartphones are part of the context of our daily lives; they're not inherently good or bad. The key is understanding how people use them and how technology can be designed to support well-being rather than detract from it," Allen added.