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Cited by 79Migraine and Headache StudiesImpact of Technology on AdolescentsErgonomics and Musculoskeletal Disorders

The Potential Impact of Internet and Mobile Use on Headache and Other Somatic Symptoms in Adolescence. A Population‐Based Cross‐Sectional Study

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Cerutti, Rita, Presaghi, Fabio, Spensieri, Valentina, Valastro, Carmela, Guidetti, Vincenzo·2016·Headache: The Journal of Head and Face Pain
DOI 10.1111/head.12840
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Abstract

Objective: The purpose of this cross‐sectional study was to determine whether migraine or tension‐type headaches are associated with abuse of the internet and/or mobile phones and to explore whether headache and the abuse of the two technologies are associated with sleep disturbances and other self‐reported somatic symptoms. Background: In the last several years, estimates indicate the increasing pervasiveness of the internet and other technologies in the lives of young people, highlighting the impact on well‐being. Design: A population‐based cross‐sectional study was conducted between February 2013 and June 2014. Method: The initial sample was composed of 1004 Italian students (aged 10–16 years) recruited within public middle schools not randomly selected in central Italy. The final convenience sample consisted of 841 students (Males = 51.1%; Females = 48.9%) who were included in the analysis. Data were collected using self‐reported measures. Results: Headache was reported by 28.0% of the total sample. A significant relationship was determined with gender ( χ 2 (1) = 7.78, P < .01), with female students being overrepresented in the headache group. Approximately 39.6% of subjects were non‐abusers of both technologies, internet and mobile. Mobile only abusers were approximately 26.0% of the study population; internet only abusers were approximately 14.9%; and abusers of both media were 19.5%. No significant relationship was found between students with and without headache with respect to the abuse of internet and mobile phone categories (headache was, respectively, the 26% in no abusers, the 30% in internet abusers, the 29% in mobile abusers, and the 29% in internet and mobile abusers, P = .86). Additionally, also by excluding the no headache group, the relationship between the two groups of headache (migraine and tension type headache) and the abuse of media (tension type headache was the 31% in no abusers, the 43% in internet abusers, the 49% in mobile abusers, and the 29% in internet and mobile abusers) is not statistically significant ( P = .06). No significant relationship emerged between headache and the internet and mobile phone addiction groups (headache was the 28% in no addiction group, the 35% in mobile addiction group, the 25% of internet addiction group, and the 28% in mobile and internet addiction group, P = .57) as well as no significant relationship was found when only the different headache types were considered (tension type headache was the 39% in no addiction group, the 40% in mobile addiction group, the 32% in internet addiction group, and the 31% in mobile and internet addiction group, P = .71). Daily internet users reported higher median scores for somatic symptoms than the occasional internet users in the no‐headache group (Kruskal‐Wallis χ 2 (1) = 5.44, P = .02) and in the migraine group (Kruskal‐Wallis χ 2 (1) = 6.54, P = .01). Conclusions: Results highlighted the potential impact of excessive internet and mobile use, which ranges from different types of headache to other somatic symptoms. Further studies are needed to confirm these findings and to determine if there is a need for promoting preventive health interventions, especially in school setting.

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  • There is a documented positive correlation between somatization and internet addiction in adolescents.

    “As for somatization, there’s a documented positive correlation with internet addiction in adolescents [61–63].”

    From Social media addiction: associations with attachment style, mental distress, and personality (2024) · cites this paper as [63]

    The paper reports higher somatic-symptom scores among daily than occasional internet users in some headache groups, and its Results compare somatization scores within internet-addiction groups. It does not establish the claimed positive correlation between somatization and internet addiction itself; frequency of use is not the same as addiction, and the addiction-group comparisons are across headache groups. Page numbers are unavailable in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.82)

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  • Prior cross-sectional studies have mostly found a positive association between screen time and somatic symptoms in children, adolescents, and young adults.

    “Prior cross-sectional studies have examined the relationship between screen time and somatic symptoms in children, adolescents, and young adults [60–66], with the majority finding a positive association between screen time and somatic symptoms.”

    From Screen time and mental health: a prospective analysis of the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study (2024) · cites this paper as [60]

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1 of the 44 references couldn’t be matched to a known paper.

Research works printed but not linked: 5

  1. Alp R, Alp SI, Palanci FY, et al. Use of the Inter- national Classification of Headache Disorders, Sec- ond Edition, criteria in the diagnosis of primary headache in school children: Epidemiologic study from eastern Turkey. Cephalalgia. 2010;30:868-877.
  2. Bruni O, Ottaviano S, Guidetti V, et al. The sleep disturbance scale for children (SDSC). J Sleep Res. 1996;5:251-261.
  3. Cerutti R, Spensieri V, Valastro C, Guidetti V. Understanding the medically unexplained symp- toms among children and adolescents of non clini- cal population. Psychother Psychosom. 2013;82:18.
  4. Guidetti V, Cerutti R, Valastro C, Petescia M, Presaghi F. Does internet (I) and mobile (M) abuse interfere with headache and somatic com- plaints (SC) in adolescence (A)? Cephalalgia. 2013;33:192.
  5. Pedrero PEJ, Rodr ıguez MMT, Ruiz S anchez D, Le on JM. Mobile phone abuse or addiction. A review of the literature. Adicciones. 2012;24:139-152.

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Authors
Cerutti, R., Presaghi, F., Spensieri, V., Valastro, C., & Guidetti, V.
Affiliations
Sapienza University of Rome (IT)
Corresponding author
Guidetti, Vincenzo
ORCID
Venue
Headache: The Journal of Head and Face Pain
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2016-06-03
Volume
56
Issue
7
Pages
1161-1170
ISSN
  • 0017-8748 (ISSN-L)
  • 1526-4610
DOI
10.1111/head.12840
OpenAlex
W2419237131
Cited by
79
References
44
Citations by year
2026: 3 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 15 · 2023: 11 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 7 · 2019: 14 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 1
FWCI
6.22
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Headache The Journal of Head and Face Pain (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • IRIS Research product catalog (Sapienza University of Rome) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Migraine and Headache Studies
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Impact of Technology on Adolescents
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Ergonomics and Musculoskeletal Disorders
Keywords
headache, migraine, tension-type headache, internet use, mobile phone use, adolescents, somatic symptoms, sleep disorders, technology addiction, gender differences, school students, screen time, well-being
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Child, Cross-Sectional Studies, Female, Headache, Humans, Italy, Male, Behavior, Addictive, Internet, Cell Phone, Self Report

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