IMPACT OF DIGITALIZATION ON MENTAL WELLNESS OF

STUDENTS

YASHASVI PAWAR
Student, Delhi Public School Sushant Lok

ABSTRACT
Currently, we are living in a modern developing world, where new steps are taken
every day towards a more technology-based future. Technologies surround us, and
they have become a significant part of our everyday lives. Even for young children,
digital electronics like phones and laptops are an undeniable necessity; these devices
hold great potential for transforming learning. In this world of digitalization, the
Internet provides infinite knowledge and endless opportunities to children; it is also
furnishing more stress and anxiety on their minds and possibly even limiting their
imagination and promoting aggressiveness and cognitive deformities. Personality
disorder or psychological issues faced by adults can be rooted back to mental health
issues developed in their childhood. Therefore, it is vital to understand the effects of
this new digital world on children's mental well-being. Research conducted in this
paper was in the form of a review of available literature research to provide an
overview of how digitalization influences different aspects of children's mental or
psychological well-being. Based on the research, digitalization has its list of pros and
cons. However, the cons can destroy children's developing young minds, and it is
necessary to take some steps to address the 'side effects' of the Internet.
KEYWORDS: Digitalization, Personality development, Mental well-being, Children,
Internet.

INTRODUCTION
From online gaming to online classes to online meetings, digital media has a firm grip
on the world. The machines are controlling the mindset, as it makes everybody
dependent on them. IT world has made an enormous impact globally in the last 20
years, but this impact had gotten a lot more intense recently when WHO declared
COVID-19 as a global pandemic. The pandemic led to a lockdown in almost every
country, which resulted in popularized digital education. Digital Education is a
growing concept. Digital Education has both negative and positive effects on young
minds. Students are happy with flexible hours; it has also helped institutes increase
enrollments.
Other than online classes, the overall Internet and social media have also impacted
children's psychology. Young children and youth are more vulnerable to the Internet
and technological addiction. Internet addiction refers to the compulsive need to
spend a great deal of time on the Internet to the point where every aspect of one's
life, such as health, relationships, etc., suffers. But on the other hand, it is seen to
have an adverse result on the mental well-being of the students. Internet addicts try
to fill some void in their lives by creating a life according to their preferences. Some
might also try and escape reality. Different authors characterize generations whose
active socialization is based on the digital world as "digital generation" and even
"digital natives" (Palfrey, & Gasser, 2011).
Even though an increase in the use of modern technology implies a brighter, more
innovative future of better social relations, more advanced technology, and less work
burden, it also promotes some significant problems such as increased stress and
anxiety, internet addiction, and other numerous personality types disorders. As a
result, the world we are in sometimes raises questions like whether we should ignore
these problems as collateral to have a more technological-based advanced future or
how we can address these problems on a worldwide level.
Lack of research on how the Internet is associated with different psychological
symptoms and disorders creates uncertainty on numerous topics. Some mental
health experts have expressed concerns that excessive use of the Internet can
negatively impact and contribute to psychiatric symptoms (Bremer, 2005). Raised
number of complaints on increased mental disorders due to more than the average
Internet has also raised concern among experts and society.

Cyberpsychology – A new Concept

Defined as the discipline of understanding the psychological processes related to, and
underlying, all aspects and features of technologically interconnected human
behavior (Atrill-Smith et al., 2019), cyberpsychology includes multiple intersecting
disciplines human-computer interaction, computer science, engineering, and
psychology. Professor John Suler is the founder of this discipline. Suler draws on a
vast range of theoretical constructs in psychology, including psychodynamic theory,
operant theory, group dynamics theory, and theories of human motivation. Professor
Suler had a different approach to understanding the Internet's influence on the
human psyche; he had a unique approach to exploring experiences in cyberspace and
has applications in a wide range of fields like online communication and consumer
psychology. His dedication and imagination led him to create cyberpsychology as an
established, respected field that is slowly and steadily catching attention from all
around the globe.
As of the fourth quarter of 2020, there are 4.66 billion active internet users
(Datareportal, 2020). A significant increase is visible in the population of "digital
natives"; this generation is growing up with gadgets like computers and smartphones
and has transformed how children perceive information and socialize with the real
world. When children learn to understand the world around them and develop
fundamental social and cognitive skills, children are instead catapulted into
cyberspace. The increased exposure to screens has impacted children's perception of
our natural environments. As society's dependency on machines increases, the
variance between the real world and the digital world keeps on diminishing; this is
where cyberpsychology plays its part. As total removing Internet or gadgets from
houses is not a possibility, steps can be taken into educating parents and the society
about the impacts of the Internet. Even though it might be a new concept for parents
to grasp as they weren't grown in a world full of gadgets, it is necessary for the
proper development of the children.
The graph below shows the internet Users Distribution globally, and the numbers are
shocking and on the rise. Nevertheless, the field of cyberpsychology remains open to
refinement, including an inquiry into the nature of current and future trends in
mental illness associated with technological advances.

(GRAPH 1)
Internet and Personality
Digitalization can be seen to have an impact on many aspects of your life, including
your personality. Even though research on the cognitive, social, psychological, and
physical implications of using the Internet for children and adolescents remains
unanswered (Jackson, 2008), it can be observed that Internet influence some aspect
of personalities like hyperactivity, anxiety, depression, and many more. Hamburger
and Ben-Artzi are the first ones who analyzed an association between the Internet
and Personality. The result of their study was quite interesting as they confirm earlier
studies showing that women have higher self-awareness and are more likely to use
the social network for support. The Internet also has a constructive impact on
children as it helps develop abstract and logical thinking, is a good way of self-
education, and enhances research skills. However, on the downside, the Internet can
promote aggressive or irritable behavior, give children wrong ideas about the real
world, and develop problems handling social situations, and impaired
communication. Excessive Internet use could lead to Internet addiction characterized
by one's inability to inhibit Internet use despite adverse effects on many domains of
life, such as academic performance, social relations, physical and mental health, and
quality of life.
Numerous cases indicate that some active Internet users (that is, people using the
Internet more than a few hours a day for non-work-related activities) suffer from
mental disorders (Treuer et al., 2001; Iftene et al. Al., 2004, Kendall, 2015).
A study by Salwa Abdullah portrayed that excess use of gadgets can have several
negative impacts on children. A positive correlation between the Internet and
psychological development (aspects like emotional symptoms, peer- relation,
inattention, hyperactivity, and other behavioral problem) can be seen in children of
various ages. Difficulty with communication, lack of desire to help others, and all
other effects, indicates a direct relationship between the Internet and the mental
well-being of children. Interestingly the results in the study also portrayed that boys
were more dependent on the Internet than girls. High indicators of the mental health
criteria presented in the study, in addition to prosocial behaviors, can cause a child's
personality disorder. As the usage of gadgets and the internet increases, so does the
chances of being psychologically ill. Below is a table from the study that showcases
correlation among different aspects of psychology and the Internet.
 (TABLE 1)

The results of the relationship criterion of The Strengths and Difficulties

Questionnaire (SDQ) and the level of Internet addiction.
(GRAPH 2)

Some limitations of the literature available are that the samples of the studies are
limited and hard to apply at a global level. Not considering the context of content
that the children watch on the Internet can also influence the study results. In
addition, sometimes, the research method is not appropriate or open to wrongful
interpretation and bias, which can question the authenticity of the study. However,
limitations do not necessarily render paper invalid; limitations suggest scope for even
better and accurate results.
Personality is the source of our emotions, cognition, and behavior. We can compare
our personality structure to that of an iceberg, of which only the tip is visible above
the water level, and the rest of its vast mass is hidden underneath. The influence of
digitalization on you is in your hand; it will only hurt if you give it the power to do so.

Gaming And Psychological Development

Different effects of gaming on children's psyche are still a debatable topic in the field
of research. Developing computer games for children is an excellent way of self-
education; using the Internet can become a good school of communication and skills
in searching and selecting information (Chen, 2014). Gaming has an impact on one's
emotional vulnerability. When you accomplish your goals in a video game or the
sensation when you lose, the feeling you get is the secret that helps companies reach
millions of sales. And this feeling of accomplishment can soon turn a hobby into an
addiction. Studies show that gaming has several upsides, including a higher level of
critical thinking skills, better virtual social interaction, emotional resilience, and
complex problem-solving skills.
Video Games are not vicious, however problematic and excessive video gaming can
cause psychological damage and addiction. Children, especially teenagers, tend to
use video games to escape their problems; they can also use games to suppress
emotions and avoid dealing with a real-life crisis. These circumstances can lead to a
severe impact on your mental being and can even lead to severe depression.
Some studies indicate that gaming results in people becoming anxious, depressed,
angry, or even violent and have low self-esteem. Unfortunately, nearly three decades
of research exploring the possible links between video games and adverse outcomes,
including aggression, addiction, well-being, and cognitive functioning, have brought
us nowhere near a consensus or evidence-based policy because reliable and naturally
valid studies are few and far between.
The American Psychiatric Association did not identify any psychiatric conditions
related to video games in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
(DSM-5). Still, it does recommend Internet Gaming Disorder as a topic for further
research. The kind of impact gaming like have on children will also be influenced by
their playing games. For example, playing a game with violent imaging might increase
violent behavior in a child or make them insensitive to their environment and lead to
an emotional problem.
 (GRAPH 3)

(GRAPH 4)

The available literature that links gaming and its impact on mental health are vague
and negligible in quantity. And limitations like not considering the amount of time
spent on games and the type of games played by the children are seen. Also,
sometimes inadequate amount of volunteers in studies is an issue. Nevertheless, this
issue requires more attention and better assessment to address the problems faced
by children.

Social Media And Developing Minds

One of the most popular social media sites, Instagram alone, has almost 30 crore
users under age 18. Surveys show that ninety percent of teens ages 13-17 have used
social media. Seventy-five percent report having at least one active social media
profile, and 51% report visiting a social media site daily. Two-thirds of teens have
their own mobile devices with internet capabilities.
Social media is defined as a form of electronic communication through which users
create online communities to share information, ideas, personal messages, and other
content. Over the past two decades, social media usage has been significantly
increasing, especially among the youth. This growing use has also raised concern
among the experts and the parents. As a result, research on social media and
adolescent mental health has increased in recent years. Many studies explore
whether more frequent social media use is associated with mental health concerns,
including depression, body image concerns, disordered eating, and externalizing
problems. Both positive and negative effects of social media on youth's mental health
can be calculated. However, the adverse effects outnumber the positive impact.
Social media helps you make new valuable connections, build relationships, and also
helps you maintain your existing friendships. It also enables you to create awareness
and share your expertise—also available possibilities for humor and entertainment,
identity exploration, and creative expression. The receipt of online social support
may also play a protective role for youth with mental illness. As the usage of social
among youth increases, so does emotional and social dependency on these apps. At
the same time, nearly every 1 in 5 adolescents is suffering from some mental
disparities; this raises concern as the children's future is affected. On the Darker side
of social media, we have matters like cyber-bullying, online harassment, body
shaming, emotional suppression, and other such issues that can have a traumatic
impact on children and cause severe mental problems. This can also can make
children take questionable or regretful actions.
 (GRAPH 5)

Using various types of social media depends on the kind of risk, a teen's use of the
media, and the psychological makeup of the teen using them. Actions should be
taken by parents as well as social media companies to help children keep healthy.
Restriction on specific content, age restriction while making accounts, parental
consent, and many other steps can be taken to keep children safe. It is also vitally
important to normalize and promote talking about mental health issues faced by the
adolescents.

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