Technology-Based Interventions for Promoting Well-Being in Childhood and Adolescence: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

• Autores: Matías E. Rodríguez Rivas, Sara Valdebenito, Maria Victoria Benavente, Jaime Alfaro Inzunza, Paula Villacura, Josefina Chuecas, Ana Loreto Ditzel Lacoa, Alejandra Galdames Riquelme
• Localización: Psicothema, ISSN-e 1886-144X, ISSN 0214-9915, Vol. 37, Nº. 2, 2025, págs. 61-73
• Idioma: inglés
• DOI: 10.70478/psicothema.2025.37.17
• Títulos paralelos:
  • Intervenciones Basadas en Tecnología para Promover el Bienestar en la Infancia y la Adolescencia: una Revisión Sistemática y Metaanálisis
• Enlaces
  • Texto completo
• Resumen
  • español

    Antecedentes: El bienestar es crucial para la salud mental de niños y adolescentes. A pesar de numerosas intervenciones, las tecnologías innovadoras siguen siendo poco exploradas, especialmente en poblaciones jóvenes. Este estudio pretende revisar, sintetizar y discutir estudios experimentales sobre los efectos de intervenciones tecnológicas en el bienestar infantil y adolescencente. Método: Se realizó una revisión sistemática y metaanálisis siguiendo las directrices PRISMA, incluyendo estudios desde el 2013. Las búsquedas se realizaron en PubMed, PsycInfo, Scopus y WOS. La calidad de los estudios fue evaluada mediante las herramientas ROB-2 y ROBINS-I. El metanálisis se realizó mediante R Studio. Resultados: De los 2705 artículos seleccionados, 55 se revisaron en texto completo. Se incluyeron 17 artículos, mostrando una diversidad de intervenciones, incluyendo apps, intervenciones web, intervención digital y chatbot. El metaanálisis (n = 5636 participantes) mostró un efecto pequeño pero estadísticamente significativo en la promoción del bienestar (Hedges's g = 0.18; p < .01). Las intervenciones basadas en aplicaciones demostraron un tamaño del efecto notablemente mayor (Hedges´s g = 0.33; p < .001). Conclusiones: Los hallazgos destacan una diversidad de intervenciones tecnológicas para promover el bienestar, con una mayor efectividad de las aplicaciones. Esto respalda su implementación como recursos valiosos para esta población.

  • English

    Background: Well-being is crucial for children's and adolescents' mental health. Despite numerous interventions, innovative technological options are still underexplored, particularly for younger populations. This study aims to review, summarize, and discuss experimental studies on the effects of technological interventions on well-being in childhood and adolescence. Method: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis following PRISMA guidelines, including studies published since 2013. Searches were conducted in PubMed, PsycInfo, Scopus, and Web of Science including randomized and non-randomized controlled trials. The quality of studies was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias (ROB-2) and ROBINS-I tools. Meta-analyses were performed using R studio. Results: Of the 2705 articles screened by title and abstract, 55 underwent full-text review. Seventeen articles were included, showing a diversity of technology-based interventions, including apps, web-based intervention, digital intervention, and chatbots. The meta-analysis (n = 5636 participants) showed a small but statistically significant effect in promoting well-being (Hedges's g = 0.18; p < .01). App-based interventions demonstrated a notably larger effect size (Hedges's g = 0.33; p < .001). Conclusions: The findings highlight a range of technological interventions for promoting well-being in children and adolescents, with apps showing greater effectiveness. This supports their use as valuable resources for this population.

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