PSYX 340 Psychological Disorders · Unit 2: Mood, suicide, body and addiction · on Exam 2
2.7 Technology and mental health
Study notes for Technology and mental health in PSYX 340 Psychological Disorders at Montana State University: the big ideas, a worked example, common mistakes and an exam tip. The same topic has endless practice questions and flashcards in Mathub.
Big ideas
- This is a lecture topic, not a textbook chapter, so the lecture notes are the source for the exam. The core scientific question is correlation versus causation: heavy screen or social media use is associated with poorer well-being, but the direction and size of the effect are debated.
- Large studies generally find small average associations between screen time and teen well-being; effects seem to depend on what people do (passive scrolling, comparison, cyberbullying and lost sleep look worse than active connection).
- Internet gaming disorder appears in DSM-5-TR Section III as a condition for further study, not an official diagnosis; the WHO’s ICD-11 does include gaming disorder. Gambling disorder is the only official behavioral addiction in the DSM.
- Technology also changes treatment: telehealth therapy (much expanded since 2020), internet-delivered CBT, mental health apps with mixed evidence, text-based crisis services and 988, and virtual reality for exposure therapy.
- Evaluate claims like a scientist: ask whether a study was correlational or experimental, whether a third variable (such as loneliness or poor sleep) could explain the link, and whether the effect is large enough to matter.
Worked example
A news story says “Teens who use social media over 5 hours a day are twice as likely to be depressed, so social media causes depression.” What is wrong with the conclusion?
Show the solution
The study is correlational, so it cannot show causation. Depressed teens might use more social media (reverse direction), or a third variable such as loneliness, poor sleep or family conflict might drive both. An experiment or a longitudinal design would be needed to test cause.
Common mistakes
- Treating internet gaming disorder as an official DSM-5-TR diagnosis. It is a condition for further study.
- Reading a correlation as proof of cause.
- Assuming all screen use is equal. Content and context matter more than hours alone.
Exam tipBecause this topic comes from lecture only, reread the slide notes. Questions often test research-method reasoning (correlation, third variables) using technology examples.
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