Youth and Technology in a Changing Society: A Psychological Analysis

Abstract Digital technology has woven its way into the lives of young people in terms of their education, relationships, identity development and leisure. In addition to learning, social connection, opportunities for creativity and support, issues of problematic use, social comparison, cyberbullying, sleep disruptions and psychological distress have arisen. Based on the selected empirical studies, systematic reviews, and umbrella reviews, as well as books published primarily, this is a narrative review of the psychological connection between youth and technology. The literature was thematically structured to focus on the themes of well-being, mental health, identity, peer relationships, self-esteem, sleep and positive digital participation. The results of the reviewed sources fail to provide a straightforward answer of whether technology is always bad or good. Association with wellbeing scores generally small, and the individual association is dependent on content, purpose, social context, developmental stage and personal vulnerability when people use digital technology. Also, books about networked youth highlight that the activity of being online is a component of youth's social world, not a distinct space from it. The review urges going beyond a screen-time-only approach to explaining screen time to a more contextual approach, research into digital literacy, practices that support families and schools, and for more robust longitudinal and culturally diverse research. The review is narrative and not systematic, so that the conclusions drawn are interpretative and should not be interpreted as a complete and comprehensive evaluation of all evidence.