The DOI matches its Crossref record; 116 of the 117 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Seven Fears and the Science of How Mobile Technologies May Be Influencing Adolescents in the Digital Age
Open accessAbstract
Close to 90% of U.S. adolescents now own or have access to a mobile phone, and they are using them frequently. Adolescents send and receive an average of over 60 text messages per day from their devices, and over 90% of adolescents now access the Internet from a mobile device at least occasionally. Many adults are asking how this constant connectivity is influencing adolescents' development. In this article, we examine seven commonly voiced fears about the influence of mobile technologies on adolescents' safety (e.g., cyberbullying and online solicitation), social development (e.g., peer relationships, parent-child relationships, and identity development), cognitive performance, and sleep. Three sets of findings emerge. First, with some notable exceptions (e.g., sleep disruption and new tools for bullying), most online behaviors and threats to well-being are mirrored in the offline world, such that offline factors predict negative online experiences and effects. Second, the effects of mobile technologies are not uniform, in that benefits appear to be conferred for some adolescents (e.g., skill building among shy adolescents), whereas risk is exacerbated among others (e.g., worsening existing mental health problems). Third, experimental and quasi-experimental studies that go beyond a reliance on self-reported information are required to understand how, for whom, and under what conditions adolescents' interactions with mobile technologies influence their still developing social relationships, brains, and bodies.
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“parent–child relationships do not appear to be negatively influenced by these changes”
From Annual Research Review: Adolescent mental health in the digital age: facts, fears, and future directions. (2020) · cites this paper as George & Odgers, 2015
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“increased time online tends to displace offline time with parents”
From Annual Research Review: Adolescent mental health in the digital age: facts, fears, and future directions. (2020) · cites this paper as George & Odgers, 2015
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“Many studies now report positive associations and substantial overlap between adolescents online and offline interactions and relationship quality.”
From Annual Research Review: Adolescent mental health in the digital age: facts, fears, and future directions. (2020) · cites this paper as George & Odgers, 2015
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“adolescents with stronger offline networks often report more robust online networks”
From Annual Research Review: Adolescent mental health in the digital age: facts, fears, and future directions. (2020) · cites this paper as George & Odgers, 2015
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Metadata
- Authors
- George, M. J., & Odgers, C. L.
- Affiliations
- Duke University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Odgers, Candice L.
- Venue
- Perspectives on Psychological Science
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2015-11
- Volume
- 10
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- 832-851
- ISSN
- 1745-6916 (ISSN-L)
- 1745-6924
- PMC
- PMC4654691
- OpenAlex
- W2274084718
- Cited by
- 266
- References
- 117
- Citations by year
- 2026: 17 · 2025: 27 · 2024: 35 · 2023: 22 · 2022: 43 · 2021: 23 · 2020: 41 · 2019: 22 · 2018: 15 · 2017: 16 · 2016: 4
- FWCI
- 38.70
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Locations
- Perspectives on Psychological Science (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- eScholarship (California Digital Library) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (HD061298, P2CHD065563, R24HD065563, R01HD061298)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Impact of Technology on Adolescents
- Social Sciences › Education › Child Development and Digital Technology
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
- Keywords
- mobile technology use, adolescents, cyberbullying, online solicitation, sleep disruption, cognitive performance, identity construction, peer relationships, parent-child relationship, adolescent mental health
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent Health, Adolescent, Adolescent Behavior, Psychology, Adolescent, Cognition, Humans, Interpersonal Relations, Mental Health, Sleep, Internet, Cell Phone, Adolescent Development, Bullying
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