The relationship between risky digital media use and happiness in adolescents

This study investigates the relationship between risky digital media use and perceived happiness among adolescents. A representative sample of 2,697 pupils aged 12 to 15 was categorized into three groups based on excessive digital media use: regular, intensive, and risky users. Results showed that over half of risky users reported feeling unhappy, compared to less than a quarter of regular users. Adolescents reporting higher happiness spent significantly less time on digital media and reported higher self-control, sense of control, and trust. Happiness was more strongly associated with these psychological factors than with screen time. Sense of control emerged as the strongest predictor of perceived happiness, with the greatest relative contribution among risky users. While screen time showed a weak association with happiness, its contribution was limited across groups. These findings highlight the importance of psychological factors, particularly sense of control, in understanding happiness among adolescents with excessive digital media use.