This article tests the relationship between information and communication technologies (ICT), such as the Internet, cell phones, and social media, and change over time in psychological distress (PD) and risk of serious psychological distress (SPD) associated with depression and anxiety disorders. Using a longitudinal panel design, survey data from a representative sample of American adults, findings revealed that home Internet and social network site (SNS) use are associated with decreased PD over time. Having extended family who are also Internet users further decreases PD. PD increased or decreased in relation to change in the PD of extended family who also use SNSs. For most people, ICT substantively reduce PD; in rare cases, an extreme spike in PD of extended family also on SNSs, there was a trivial increase to the risk of SPD. PD did not change when extended family not on social media experienced a change in their PD.

中文翻译：

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社交媒体和随着时间的推移心理困扰的变化：社会因果关系的作用

本文测试了诸如互联网，手机和社交媒体之类的信息和通信技术（ICT）之间的关系，以及心理困扰（PD）随时间的变化以及与抑郁和焦虑相关的严重心理困扰（SPD）的风险失调。使用纵向面板设计，来自美国成年人代表样本的调查数据，研究结果表明，随着时间的推移，家庭互联网和社交网站（SNS）的使用与PD的降低有关。拥有网民的大家庭进一步降低了PD。与使用SNS的大家庭的PD的变化相关的PD的升高或降低。对于大多数人来说，ICT可以大幅降低PD。在极少数情况下，SNS上大家庭的PD也会急剧增加，因此SPD风险会小幅增加。