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Negative Effects of the Inappropriate Use of Information and Communication Technologies: Consequences on Physical, Psychological, Family and Social Health

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A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Digital Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 August 2023) | Viewed by 19563

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Dr. David Aparisi

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Department of Developmental Psychology and Didactic, Faculty of Education, University of Alicante, 03080 Alicante, Spain
Interests: psychology; social sciences

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The positive effect of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in education and work has been demonstrated, as they facilitate understanding, collaborative learning, develop critical thinking and increase motivation. However, the excessive or abusive use of ICT also has negative effects on physical, psychological, family and social health, such as poor performance, eyestrain, relationship problems and isolation. This special edition aims to offer a current view of the issue in different areas of personal health. This edition is aimed at offering the latest research advances that guide all education and health professionals in their work. Potential topics include, but are not limited to:

technology of the information and communication
impact of ICT on physical, psychological, social and family health
negative effects of the abusive use of ICT
future perspectives regarding intervention programs
work proposals

Dr. David Aparisi
Guest Editor

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Keywords

technology of the information and communication
negative effects
physical and psychological health
educative intervention
digital applications

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

15 pages, 876 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Social Overview of Smartphone Use by Teenagers

by María-Carmen Ricoy, Sara Martínez-Carrera and Isabel Martínez-Carrera

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(22), 15068; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192215068 - 16 Nov 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3257

Abstract

Information and Communication Technologies have led to a new way of life and, in particular, of socialization. The objective of this study is to analyse the image social media disseminate of news taken from digital newspapers, based on the opportunities and drawbacks attributed to smartphone use by teenagers. An essentially qualitative methodology was used, on a sample of 1704 news items published in digital newspapers. The results and conclusions show that smartphone use by teenagers improves development of their digital competence, presents new academic opportunities (through gamification or mobile learning) and provides them with digital tools for school and leisure. The widespread drawbacks reflect the effects of the device on the deterioration of health (dependence, stress, psychosocial problems) and emotions, thereby succinctly affecting academic performance. A noticeable increase of positive news about smartphones was published in the major newspapers in December, while that on its negative effects, in September. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Negative Effects of the Inappropriate Use of Information and Communication Technologies: Consequences on Physical, Psychological, Family and Social Health)

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22 pages, 2319 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Classroom Digital Teaching and College Students’ Academic Burnout in the Post COVID-19 Era: A Cross-Sectional Study

by Wenlong Song, Zihan Wang and Ruiqing Zhang

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(20), 13403; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192013403 - 17 Oct 2022

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 3937

Abstract

The continued development of digital technology and its overuse in teaching and learning in the post-epidemic era have brought about digital health risks, which are associated with academic burnout among college students. This study focused on the relationship between classroom digital teaching and students’ academic burnout and designed the Classroom Burnout Inventory (CBI) and the Classroom Burnout Causes Inventory (CBCI) to conduct a cross-sectional survey of 206 Chinese university students. Correlations and regression analyses were conducted between key factors and burnout values through a path model of “Digital teaching-Teaching & learning process-Causes subjects-Burnout”. The results of the study show that an inappropriate and excessive use of unintegrated digital teaching and learning technologies in the classroom was positively correlated with academic burnout among college students. Burnout levels and the three manifestations were not correlated with students’ gender, grade, and major. In terms of causes, the academic burnout of college students was more correlated with their own personal reasons than with external factors such as teachers, universities, and environments. Integrating digital technology platforms, enhancing teacher leadership in the digital classroom, and strengthening peer support and students’ psychological resilience are all meaningful explorations of academic burnout prevention strategies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Negative Effects of the Inappropriate Use of Information and Communication Technologies: Consequences on Physical, Psychological, Family and Social Health)

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15 pages, 796 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Relationship of Technoference in Conjugal Interactions and Child Smartphone Dependence: The Chain Mediation between Marital Conflict and Coparenting

by Tingting Shao, Chengwei Zhu, Xi Quan, Haitao Wang and Cai Zhang

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(17), 10949; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191710949 - 2 Sep 2022

Viewed by 2245

Abstract

With the increasing use of smartphones in our lives, technoference has become a new threat to family relationships and child development. The present study explored the impact of technoference in conjugal interactions on child smartphone dependence and its underlying mechanism. The participants were 6923 fourth grade children (55.0% boys; the average age was 10.60 years) in 545 primary schools and their parents (35.3% fathers). We found that technoference in conjugal interactions was significantly associated with child smartphone dependence. Technoference in conjugal interactions indirectly affected child smartphone dependence through marital conflict or coparenting and a chain mediation between marital conflict and coparenting. These findings support the spillover theory and provide relevant empirical evidence and advance our understanding of parental functioning on child smartphone dependence within the Chinese culture. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Negative Effects of the Inappropriate Use of Information and Communication Technologies: Consequences on Physical, Psychological, Family and Social Health)

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15 pages, 1033 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Prevalence of Static Balance Impairment and Associated Factors of University Student Smartphone Users with Subclinical Neck Pain: Cross-Sectional Study

by Saw Wah Wah, Uraiwan Chatchawan, Thiwaphon Chatprem and Rungthip Puntumetakul

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(17), 10723; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191710723 - 28 Aug 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2280

Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of static balance impairment in university student smartphone users with subclinical neck pain and identify the associated risk factors. Because of rapid and widespread smartphones use, and the subsequent effect on neck pain in university students, it is essential to determine the prevalence of balance impairment and associated factors in this population. Simple random sampling was completed among eighty-one participants in this cross-sectional study. A self-reported questionnaire, fitted precisely for smartphone users, was used prior to clinical assessment by the Balance Error Scoring System. Both simple and multiple logistic regressions were used to analyze the prevalence of static balance impairment and associated factors. The prevalence of static balance impairment in university student smartphone users with subclinical neck pain was 74.07% (95% CI: 64.32 to 83.82). The significant risk factors were “daily smartphone use ≥ 4 h’’ (AOR: 19.24 (95% CI 4.72 to 78.48) p = 0.000), “≥4 years of smartphone use” (AOR: 5.01 (95% CI 1.12 to 22.38) p = 0.035), and “≥7 neck disability index score’’ (AOR: 12.91 (95% CI 2.24 to 74.45) p = 0.004). There was a high prevalence of static balance impairment in university smartphone users with subclinical neck pain. University student smartphone users with subclinical neck pain who met at least one of the risk factors should realize their static balance impairment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Negative Effects of the Inappropriate Use of Information and Communication Technologies: Consequences on Physical, Psychological, Family and Social Health)

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14 pages, 1063 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Beyond Screen Time: Exploring the Associations between Types of Smartphone Use Content and Adolescents’ Social Relationships

by Shunsen Huang, Xiaoxiong Lai, Xinmei Zhao, Xinran Dai, Yuanwei Yao, Cai Zhang and Yun Wang

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(15), 8940; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19158940 - 22 Jul 2022

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3999

Abstract

The past two decades have witnessed controversy over whether the use of digital technology has damaged or enhanced adolescents’ social relationships, which influences their development. In this study, we addressed this debate by specifying the effect of different types of smartphone use content on social relationships, rather than simply relying on screen time spent on digital media. To avoid selective analysis and report of different variables, we used specification curve analysis (SCA) in a large dataset (N = 46,018) to explore the correlations between 20 types of smartphone use content and adolescents’ social relationships (parent–child, peer, and teacher–student). The types of smartphone use content were measured by the revised version of Mobile Phone Use Pattern Scale, the Parent-Child Relationship Scale, the Peer Relationship Scale, and the Teacher-Student Relationship Scale assessed three different social relationships, respectively. Of the 20 types of smartphone use content, only playing games (negatively explaining 1% of the variation), taking online courses (positively explaining 1.6% of the variation), using search engines (positively explaining 1.2% of the variation), using a dictionary (positively explaining 1.3% of the variation), and obtaining life information (positively explaining 1.5% of the variation) showed a significant effect size. The association between smartphone use and adolescents’ social relationships depends on the various types of content with which adolescents engage during smartphone use. The various effects of different types of smartphone use content deserve the attention of both the public and policy-makers. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Negative Effects of the Inappropriate Use of Information and Communication Technologies: Consequences on Physical, Psychological, Family and Social Health)

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12 pages, 338 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Teachers’ Perspectives on Cyberbullying: A Cross-Cultural Study

by Almudena Castellanos, Beatriz Ortega-Ruipérez and David Aparisi

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(1), 257; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19010257 - 27 Dec 2021

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3090

Abstract

The aim of this work is to analyze the perceptions of Colombian, Spanish, and Ecuadorian teachers regarding cyberbullying from a cross-cultural perspective. A descriptive and analytical method was used with a quantitative approach and 240 teachers answered an ad hoc questionnaire. Most teachers in the three countries say that they do not know how to deal with this type of bullying and have not received training in this respect, with the percentages in the three countries being very similar. Spanish teachers have the highest percentage of lack of concern about cyberbullying and Colombian teachers are the ones who admit to having had the most cases of cyberbullying. In terms of reaction, the majority acted, but among those who did not, Ecuadorian teachers did not due to lack of knowledge. Forced by the pandemic to teach their classes online, teachers are increasingly concerned about cyberbullying. For the three countries, it is considered necessary to take measures in terms of legislating specific protocols to deal with cyberbullying at school and that the training plans for the degrees that give access to this profession include the competencies that allow teachers to develop appropriate strategies to respond to cyberbullying. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Negative Effects of the Inappropriate Use of Information and Communication Technologies: Consequences on Physical, Psychological, Family and Social Health)

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Negative Effects of the Inappropriate Use of Information and Communication Technologies: Consequences on Physical, Psychological, Family and Social Health

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