Naslov
Dark sides of digital society amid COVID-19 pandemic

Autori
Kopilaš, Vanja ; Gajović, Srećko

Vrsta, podvrsta i kategorija rada
Sažeci sa skupova, neobjavljeni rad, znanstveni

Skup
The 7th Navigating Knowledge Landscapes’ Annual Conference ‘Dark Side of Digital Societies’

Mjesto i datum
Fulda, Njemačka, 24.05.2023. - 25.05.2023

Vrsta sudjelovanja
Predavanje

Vrsta recenzije
Međunarodna recenzija

Ključne riječi
Digital society ; Mental health ; COVID-19

Sažetak
As life in the digital society has become a norm for almost everyone around the globe, its benefits in various aspects of everyday living are undeniable. Technological advancements have proved useful numerous times and for the most part, have improved the quality of life. Our reality is interchangeable throughout online and offline realms. Frequently, many individuals are unconscious in which realm they are at a certain moment. Every process has its advantages and disadvantages. Hence, the disadvantages of living in the digital society are often overlooked even though they can be extremely harmful to one’s health. Our research placed focus on the exploration of the possible relationship between mental health and digital activity usage throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. The main objective was to see if the level of involvement in digital usage can predict certain psychological consequences of pandemic in the observed individuals. Psychological factors of interest were symptoms of depression, anxiety, stress, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), positive and negative affect, and finally loneliness. Our findings confirmed the existence of a relationship between digital activity and pandemic-related mental health status. Physical distance, digital activity, and PTSD symptoms have all been linked to the COVID-19 pandemic coping strategies in the offline, online, and psychological domains. Apart from depression, all psychological factors were predicted by digital activity. Interestingly, increased engagement in digital activity predicted a higher presence of intrusion, hyperarousal, and avoidance symptoms showing potential for meeting the criteria of the PTSD diagnosis down the line. These findings suggest that the use of digital technology can be used as a sociomarker of psychological health and that future studies should take this into account. This is a valuable finding to be further considered in creation of strategies that would limit the negative health impacts of living in a digital society and maximize its beneficial aspects.

Izvorni jezik
Engleski

Znanstvena područja
Javno zdravstvo i zdravstvena zaštita, Psihologija, Interdisciplinarne društvene znanosti

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