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Online Special
Omobolaji Odunowo, a clinical data scientist with expertise in statistical programming, has been studying how excessive digital use is reshaping the emotional lives of adolescents.
In a conversation with The Nation, she shared insights into her latest research on digital overexposure and its psychological consequences.
According to her, digital overexposure is not merely about the number of hours young people spend online but the quality of that engagement.
She stated, “It’s more than just screen time. It’s about whether adolescents are doom-scrolling, seeking validation, or using technology purposefully for learning and creativity. Those differences matter a lot.”
She noted that while many parents assume more time online automatically leads to harm, the evidence paints a more complex picture.
“Not all digital engagement is inherently harmful,” she said. “Passive scrolling is linked to low self-esteem and depressive symptoms, but purposeful use can actually be beneficial.”
Her study highlights gender disparities, with adolescent girls showing heightened vulnerability.
“Girls often seek social validation online,” she said. “When feedback is negative, it hits harder. During the COVID-19 lockdowns, this became very clear — girls reported higher levels of sadness, irritability and sleep problems compared to boys.”
Parents, she argued, often respond by cutting off devices entirely, an approach she believes is unrealistic. Instead, she urged them to focus on meaningful use.
“Talk to your kids,” she advised. “Not just about what they’re watching, but how it makes them feel. Digital overexposure is as much about emotions as it is about devices.”
Odunowo also drew on theories such as Social Cognitive Theory and the Socio-Technical Interaction Networks (STIN) model to explain how adolescents internalise online behaviours.
“Social Cognitive Theory tells us that young people learn by observing others. On social media, what they see is often exaggerated or unrealistic,” she said.
“And STIN reminds us that technology is not neutral — design features like the ‘like’ button change how we value conversations.”
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She acknowledged that gaming remains another double-edged sword in the digital world.
“Multiplayer games can promote teamwork and community,” she explained. “But overexposure, especially to violent content, can increase isolation and emotional detachment.”
The COVID-19 pandemic, she added, accelerated the trend of adolescents retreating into digital spaces. “Remote learning, lack of outdoor play, no physical friendships — it pushed teens further online,” she observed.
“We saw spikes in irritability, sleep disturbances, and even psychosomatic complaints. One study showed a 15 percent increase in teens who said they were online ‘all the time’ during lockdown. That’s huge.”
For Odunowo, the way forward is not about banning technology but about reshaping how it is used.
“We need to move away from policing screen time to focusing on screen quality,” she argued.
She called for schools to integrate media literacy and emotional intelligence into their curricula, parents to model healthy digital behaviours, and tech companies to design features that encourage offline breaks.
Looking ahead, she emphasised the need for more longitudinal research, particularly in African contexts.
Her words: “Most existing data comes from the West. Growing up online in Mushin isn’t the same as in Manchester. We need Nigerian voices in this research.”
Odunowo concluded on a hopeful note: “Digital technologies don’t have to be villains. If we guide young people towards healthier, more intentional use, we can raise a generation that is emotionally resilient, self-aware, and capable of using technology in constructive ways.”
English (US)