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Meta-Analysis
. 2024 Aug;4(2):e786.
doi: 10.52225/narra.v4i2.786. Epub 2024 Aug 7.

Impacts of digital social media detox for mental health: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Roy N Ramadhan  1 , Derren D Rampengan  2 , Defin A Yumnanisha  3 , Sabrina Bv Setiono  2 , Kevin C Tjandra  4 , Melissa V Ariyanto  1 , Bulat Idrisov  5 , Maulana A Empitu  1   6
Affiliations
Meta-Analysis

Impacts of digital social media detox for mental health: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Roy N Ramadhan et al. Narra J. 2024 Aug.

Abstract

The impact of social media has been significant on various aspects of life, particularly mental health. Growing concerns about the adverse effects of social media use have prompted the exploration of experimental interventions, defined as digital detox interventions. However, it remains unclear whether digital detox interventions are effective for mental health outcomes. The aim of this study was to provide comprehensive insights into the effects of digital detox interventions on various mental health outcomes, including depression, life satisfaction, stress, and mental well-being. Following the PRISMA guidelines, systematic searches were carried out in online databases, including PubMed and ScienceDirect, within the publication range of 2013 and 2023. A total of 2578 titles and abstracts were screened, and 10 studies were included in the analysis. A risk of bias assessment was conducted using RoB 2.0 and the Newcastle-Ottawa scale, while statistical analysis was conducted using RevMan 5.4.1. Our data indicated a significant effect of digital detox in mitigating depression with the standardized mean difference (SMD: -0.29; 95%CI: -0.51, -0.07, p=0.01). No statistically significant effects were discerned in terms of life satisfaction (SMD: 0.20; 95%CI: -0.12, 0.52, p=0.23), stress (SMD: -0.31; 95%CI: -0.83, 0.21, p=0.24), and overall mental well-being (SMD: 0.04; 95%CI: -0.54, 0.62, p=0.90). These data underscore the nuanced and selective influence of digital detox on distinct facets of mental health. In conclusion, digital detox interventions significantly reduce depressive symptoms, suggesting that intentional reduction or cessation of digital engagement may help alleviate contributing factors. However, no statistically significant effects were observed in mental well-being, life satisfaction, and stress. This discrepancy may be due to the complex nature of these constructs, involving various factors beyond the scope of digital detox interventions.

Keywords: Digital detox; depression; effectiveness; mental health; social media use.

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Conflict of interest statement

All the authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Diagram flow of literature search strategy.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Risk of bias assessment of the included randomized controlled studies.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Forest plot of digital detox impact on mental well-being.
Figure 4.
Figure 4.
Funnel plot showing publication bias of all studies included in different outcomes: mental well-being (A), depression (B), life satisfaction (C), and stress (D).
Figure 5.
Figure 5.
Forest plot of digital detox impact on depression.
Figure 6.
Figure 6.
Forest plot of digital detox impact on life satisfaction.
Figure 7.
Figure 7.
Forest plot of digital detox impact on stress.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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