The puzzle of whether digital media are improving or harming psychological well-being has been plaguing researchers and the public for decades. Derived from media richness theory, this study proposed that phone calls and texting improve well-being, while use of social network sites (SNSs), instant messaging (IM), and online gaming may displace other social contacts and, thereby, impair well-being. To test this hypothesis, a meta-analysis of 124 studies was conducted. The results showed that phone calls and texting were positively correlated with well-being, whereas online gaming was negatively associated with well-being. Furthermore, the relationship between digital media use and well-being was also contingent upon the way the technology was used. A series of meta-analyses of different types of SNS use and well-being was used to elucidate this point: interaction, self-presentation, and entertainment on SNSs were associated with better well-being, whereas consuming SNSs’ content was associated with poorer well-being.

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数字通信媒体的使用与心理健康：荟萃分析

数十年来，关于数字媒体是改善还是损害心理健康的困惑一直困扰着研究人员和公众。这项研究源于媒体丰富度理论，提出电话和短信可以改善人们的生活状况，而使用社交网站（SNS），即时消息（IM）和在线游戏则可能会取代其他社交联系，从而损害健康状况，存在。为了验证该假设，对124个研究进行了荟萃分析。结果表明，电话和短信与幸福感呈正相关，而在线游戏与幸福感呈负相关。此外，数字媒体使用与幸福之间的关系也取决于该技术的使用方式。。