A new study highlights that nearly one in five psychiatric crisis visits among children and teens involve digital media-related problems, emphasising the need for routine online behaviour assessments in emergency settings.
A study of more than 3,700 psychiatric crisis visits at a large children’s hospital suggests digital life is now a common part of acute mental health emergencies in young people. Researchers found that 19.2% of encounters among patients aged 6 to 17 involved a digital media or device-related problem, ranging from cyberbullying and harmful online content to excessive screen use and risky sexual contact online.
The findings, published in JAACAP Open, are based on electronic medical records from 2021 and 2022. According to the University of Rochester Medical Center, the study adds evidence that clinicians may be missing a significant part of the picture when assessing children and adolescents in crisis if they do not ask about online behaviour, device access and digital conflict.
Meredith Gansner, an assistant professor in the Division of Psychiatry at University of Rochester Medicine Golisano Children’s, said the data show these issues are not unusual and may be clinically important. Gansner argued that asking about digital media use during crisis evaluations could help identify vulnerable young people earlier and with greater accuracy.
The study also found clear patterns by age, sex and diagnosis. Young people with digital media-related crises were slightly older on average and more likely to have a mood disorder, which was the only diagnostic category significantly linked to these presentations. Female patients were more likely to be involved in high-risk online sexual behaviour or relationships, while male patients more often presented with problems tied to device access and use that disrupted daily life.
The research further linked these digital problems with greater psychiatric severity. Visits involving digital media-related issues were more likely to include suicidal thoughts and to end with recommendations for inpatient psychiatric admission. Some of the strongest associations with suicidal ideation appeared in cases involving online conflict and exposure to high-risk content.
The authors stressed that the study does not prove digital media causes psychiatric crises. But they said the pattern suggests online experiences may either contribute to distress or reflect deeper vulnerability. They also pointed to practical steps such as brief family counselling, targeted screening and more routine discussion of digital habits in emergency and inpatient settings.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
