Exploring the Effects of Problematic Internet Use on Adolescent Sleep: A Systematic Review

Ioulia Kokka, Iraklis Mourikis, Nicolas C. Nicolaides, Christina Darviri, George P. Chrousos, Christina Kanaka-Gantenbein and Flora Bacopoulou
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Ioulia Kokka: Postgraduate Course on the Science of Stress and Health Promotion, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
Iraklis Mourikis: Outpatient Specialty Clinic for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and Behavioral Therapy, First Department of Psychiatry, Eginition Hospital, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11528 Athens, Greece
Nicolas C. Nicolaides: Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Center of Clinical, Experimental Surgery and Translational Research, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
Christina Darviri: Postgraduate Course on the Science of Stress and Health Promotion, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
George P. Chrousos: Postgraduate Course on the Science of Stress and Health Promotion, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
Christina Kanaka-Gantenbein: Postgraduate Course on the Science of Stress and Health Promotion, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
Flora Bacopoulou: Postgraduate Course on the Science of Stress and Health Promotion, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 2, 1-14

Abstract: Adolescent suse internet via several devices to gather information or communicate. Sleep, as a key factor of adolescents’ development, contributes to their physical and mental health. Over the past decades insufficient sleep among adolescents has been wide spread, and one of its attributing factors is the increased availability of technology. This review aims to investigate the body of evidence regarding the impact of problematic internet use on adolescent sleep. Extensive search of databases was performed according to PRISMA guidelines for studies published within the last decade, regarding subjects aged 10–19. The final step of the search yielded 12 original studies. The quality of extracted data was evaluated with the AXIS tool, in order to estimate the risk of bias. All studies showed a negative correlation between adolescent sleep and problematic internet use. It was found to affect sleep quality and quantity and provoke insomnia symptoms. Interestingly, adolescent’s sex, parental educational level, type of family and use for leisure or academic reasons appeared as affecting factors of the problematic internet use-sleep relationship. Problematic internet use has several effects on adolescents’ sleep. Results of relevant studies should be embedded in educational interventions addressed to adolescents as well as parents, to eliminate the negative outcomes of problematic internet use on sleep and adolescence’s health in general.

Keywords: internet dependence; sleep deprivation; chronotype deregulation; behavioral addictions; sleep duration; adolescence (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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