Youth Wellbeing, Digital Use and Digital Literacy: Evidence from PISA 2022. Research Report
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| Title: | Youth Wellbeing, Digital Use and Digital Literacy: Evidence from PISA 2022. Research Report |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Carmen H. J. Lim, Pia Kreijkes, Cambridge University Press and Assessment (United Kingdom) |
| Source: | Cambridge University Press & Assessment. 2025. |
| Availability: | Cambridge University Press & Assessment. Shaftesbury Road Cambridge CB2 8EA. Tel: 44-1223-553311; e-mail: directcs@cambridge.org; Web site: https://www.cambridgeassessment.org.uk/ |
| Peer Reviewed: | N |
| Page Count: | 81 |
| Publication Date: | 2025 |
| Document Type: | Reports - Research |
| Education Level: | Secondary Education |
| Descriptors: | Well Being, Technological Literacy, Computer Use, Correlation, Youth, Social Media, Video Games, Online Searching, Life Satisfaction, Affective Behavior, Self Concept, Competence, Interpersonal Relationship, Physical Health, Gender Differences, Foreign Countries, Secondary School Students |
| Geographic Terms: | Brazil, Costa Rica, Hong Kong, Hungary, Ireland, Macau, Panama, Saudi Arabia, Slovenia, Spain |
| Assessment and Survey Identifiers: | Program for International Student Assessment |
| Abstract: | What is this report about?: This report explores the nature of the relationship between digital use and youth wellbeing by examining how the frequency of engaging in different digital activities is linked to various aspects of youth wellbeing. Additionally, it investigates the links between digital literacy, digital use and youth wellbeing. What did we do?: Using data from the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2022, we examined the strength of relationships between six types of digital activities and seven aspects of youth wellbeing. The digital activities included time spent accessing informational materials, browsing social media and playing video games. Rather than focusing on a single wellbeing outcome, we examined multiple aspects of youth wellbeing--life satisfaction, affect, perceived competence, interpersonal and physical wellbeing--to identify which are most affected by different types of digital activity. The methods employed were descriptive statistics followed by country-level fixed effects regression models. In the second part of the study, we explored the relationship between students' digital literacy--measured by their self-reported competency in using digital resources and their practices when engaging with online information--and their digital use and wellbeing. What did we find?: We found evidence supporting all types of associations--positive, negative, and no association, underscoring the complexity of these relationships. Positive relationships were primarily observed in instrumental use, while negative associations were noted with social media browsing, gaming, and Internet use, though the extent varied. On gender differences, social media browsing was negatively associated with girls' body image perceptions and life satisfaction, but not boys'. Among the wellbeing aspects examined, the frequency of experiencing psychosomatic symptoms was most consistently and negatively associated with digital use, regardless of purpose or gender. For girls, the negative link between psychosomatic symptoms and social media browsing was close to two-thirds as strong as the correlation between being bullied and psychosomatic symptoms; for boys, it was slightly more than half. Our research also suggests that digital literacy alone may not be sufficient to mitigate the potential negative impacts of digital use and to motivate beneficial allocation of screen activities, even though it may marginally enhance wellbeing. What are the implications?: Firstly, the mixed associations between digital activities and youth wellbeing highlight the need for purpose-specific guidance on youth digital use. Secondly, the differential impacts of social media on girls suggest that policy guidance and interventions should be gender specific. Thirdly, the consistent negative link between psychosomatic symptoms and digital use warrants further investigation and closer monitoring. Finally, young people may need additional skills--such as online resilience--to better protect themselves in the digital world, as digital literacy alone may not be sufficient to ensure beneficial use of time online or to mitigate possible negative impacts. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2026 |
| Accession Number: | ED678103 |
| Database: | ERIC |
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