A systematic review and meta-analysis of the mental health correlates of swiping-based dating app use

Swiping-based dating apps have become a pervasive feature of contemporary social life, reshaping how individuals seek intimacy, curate self-presentation, and encounter psychological feedback. This systematic review and meta-analysis compared dating app users vs non-users across 27 studies (N = 21,263) to assess associations with mental health outcomes. Across six theoretically derived domains, meta-analytic results indicate small-to-moderate associations between dating app use and emotional distress, appearance concerns, body image disturbance, behavioral dysregulation, and interpersonal sensitivity, with the strongest effects observed for behavioral dysregulations (g = 0.44) and body-related outcomes (g = 0.32). Effects for general wellbeing were small and non-significant. Women and men who belong to a sexual minority exhibited elevated appearance- and body-related vulnerability. Although mechanisms cannot be inferred from available evidence, converging patterns across studies suggest that visually driven, evaluative interaction features may compound appearance-based concerns, and that high-volume partner choice may correlate with compulsive or dysregulated patterns of use. Considerable heterogeneity across studies underscores the influence of individual susceptibility and social context. Overall, findings indicate significant associations between dating app use and adverse psychological outcomes, while highlighting substantial gaps in longitudinal and mechanistic evidence. Future research should employ prospective and intersectional designs to clarify temporal pathways and inform digital mental health interventions.