Association Between Short-Form Video Use and Mental Health: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Tang D, Zhang X, Gou P, Feng J, Hu R, Sum KR
Journal of medical Internet research · 4 citations
Review labels
Neutral facts our review recorded about how this study was done. They describe method, never whether we like the result.
How it was studied
- Design
- Meta-analysis (indexed by PubMed)
- Studied in
- People
- Main outcome
- Health markers and function
Who paid for it
- Funding
- Funding not disclosed
Publication
- Published
- 2026-03-18 · J Med Internet Res · vol. 28 · p. e82503
- Publisher
- JMIR Publications
- Cited
- 8 citations · more than 100% of similar papers · 103.1× the field average
- Impact
- Top 10% most cited in its field
- References
- 94 works
- Access
- Open access (journal) · CC-BY
- Research areas
- Media Influence and Health · Sexuality, Behavior, and Technology · Impact of Technology on Adolescents
- Keywords
- mental health, depression, anxiety, stress, negative affect, loneliness, boredom, subjective well-being, social media use, screen time
- MeSH
- humans, mental health, video recording, digital media
6 authors
From HK, CN
- Di TangChinese University of Hong Kong
- Xin ZhangCentral China Normal University
- Pengpeng GouWuhan Sports University
- Jie FengNingbo University
- Rui HuSouthwestern University of Finance and Economics
- Raymond Kim Wai SumChinese University of Hong Kong
Abstract
Background
Short-form videos (SFVs) have emerged as a dominant trend in digital content sharing over the past decade, gaining rapid global popularity. An increasing number of studies have explored the association between SFV use and mental health, yet current empirical evidence remains inconsistent.
Objective
This study aimed to provide a comprehensive synthesis examining the relationship between SFV usage and mental health outcomes, distinguishing between problematic and routine usage behaviors.
Methods
Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, Embase, PsycInfo, SportDiscus, and ProQuest were searched for relevant literature up to January 3, 2026. Statistical metrics reflecting the relationship between SFV use and mental health outcome indicators were extracted for meta-analysis, such as Pearson correlation coefficients, Spearman's rank correlation coefficients, and β coefficients. For intervention and longitudinal studies, we extracted the baseline correlation coefficients. The Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Checklist was used to assess the risk of bias.
Results
A total of 58 studies, with a cumulative sample of 96,676 participants, were included in the analysis. Results showed no significant correlations between SFV use and positive psychological states, but significant positive correlations with negative psychological states, including depression (r=0.24, 95% CI 0.15-0.33), anxiety (r=0.26, 95% CI 0.17-0.35), stress (r=0.41, 95% CI 0.38-0.56), negative affect (r=0.22, 95% CI 0.10.33), loneliness (r=0.33, 95% CI 0.25-0.41), and boredom (r=0.42, 95% CI 0.29-0.53). Subgroup analyses revealed substantial differences between usage patterns: problematic use demonstrated significant negative associations with subjective well-being (r=-0.25, 95% CI -0.35 to -0.14) and positive correlations with adverse mental health outcomes, while routine usage showed no significant associations with negative affect and exhibited a negative but nonsignificant correlation with anxiety (r=-0.02, 95% CI -0.18 to 0.14). Additionally, while some studies reported significant associations between routine SFV use (time spent or frequency) and mental health outcomes, these findings were less consistent and showed smaller effect sizes compared to the more robust correlations found with problematic use measures. This suggests that the relationship between time spent on SFV and mental health may be less stable than that of problematic use patterns, highlighting the importance of considering qualitative aspects of usage rather than merely quantitative metrics.
Conclusions
This meta-analysis suggests that SFV use is associated with adverse mental health outcomes. Future research should use objective measurement instruments to capture contemporary SFV usage patterns and differentiate between distinct types of engagement. Additionally, studies with greater geographical diversity and longitudinal or experimental designs are needed to establish causality and examine temporal changes in these associations.
Abstract via Europe PMC. Copyright remains with the authors or publisher (CC BY).
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