DIGITAL YOUTH PROJECT

As part of the Digital Youth Project, we conducted a longitudinal two-wave study using data from the Amsterdam Born Children and their Development (ABCD) cohort. This large-scale Dutch cohort follows individuals from birth through adolescence, offering valuable insights into youth development.

Our study focused on adolescents' problematic social media use and problematic gaming, and how these were associated with various mental health indicators: emotional problems, ADHD symptoms, conduct problems, and prosocial behavior. We also examined how gender and perceived social support might influence these relationships.

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By analyzing data collected at two time points, we explored the dynamic and potentially bidirectional links between digital media use and mental health outcomes over time. Advanced statistical techniques, including cross-lagged panel modeling, allowed us to test these complex relationships.

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Results showed that emotional problems were a stronger predictor of later problematic social media use and gaming than the other way around. In contrast, conduct problems and hyperactivity/inattention were less consistently related to digital media use over time. We also found that social support and gender played important roles in shaping these associations.

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This study was conducted with full ethical approval from the Ethics Review Board of the Amsterdam UMC.