Digital Technologies Use and Youth Well-being in Panama

This thesis investigates the relationship between the use of digital technologies and youth well-being. Specifically, it uses 2018 and 2022 data from the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) to assess the correlation between hours of Internet use and psychosomatic symptoms among 15-year-old Panamanian students. A descriptive statistics analysis and Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regressions were carried out in order to identify potential patterns and significant associations. A heterogeneity analysis was performed to assess how estimations change by gender and by socioeconomic status. Findings show a consistent correlation between a high use of digital technologies (such as more than 6 hours per day) and an increase in reported psychosomatic symptoms across both 2018 and 2022 cohorts. The association is present for weekdays as well as weekend days use, and is stronger among female students. In some instances, usage between 1 to 3 hours does not seem to have a negative effect compared to less than 1 hour, with some estimates suggesting a nonlinear relationship. This study aims to contribute to the literature on the complex relationship between digital technologies and well-being by shedding light on the context and patterns of a developing country.