Digital technology is ubiquitous in modern adolescence, and researchers are concerned that it has negative impacts on mental health that, furthermore, increase over time. To investigate whether technology is becoming more harmful, we examined changes in associations between technology engagement and mental health in three nationally representative samples. Results were mixed across types of technology and mental health outcomes: Technology engagement had become less strongly associated with depression in the past decade, but social-media use had become more strongly associated with emotional problems. We detected no changes in five other associations or differential associations by sex. There is therefore little evidence for increases in the associations between adolescents’ technology engagement and mental health. Information about new digital media has been collected for a relatively short time; drawing firm conclusions about changes in their associations with mental health may be premature. We urge transparent and credible collaborations between scientists and technology companies.

数字技术在现代青少年中无处不在，研究人员担心它会对心理健康产生负面影响，而且这种影响会随着时间的推移而增加。为了调查技术是否变得越来越有害，我们在三个具有全国代表性的样本中检查了技术参与与心理健康之间关联的变化。不同类型的技术和心理健康结果的结果参差不齐：在过去十年中，技术参与与抑郁症的相关性减弱，但社交媒体的使用与情绪问题的相关性更强。我们没有发现其他五个关联或性别差异关联的变化。因此，几乎没有证据表明青少年的技术参与与心理健康之间的关联有所增加。收集有关新数字媒体的信息的时间相对较短；就他们与心理健康的关系发生变化得出肯定的结论可能为时过早。我们敦促科学家和科技公司之间进行透明和可信的合作。