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This longitudinal investigation examined the relationships between school burnout, compulsive Internet use, and academic decrement related to middle school adolescents' Internet use. The study tracked 1301 students from the seventh to ninth grades. We applied a cross-lagged panel model for the longitudinal data at three time points. The results indicated that elevated school burnout was significantly associated with later compulsive Internet use and academic decrement across the three years. Compulsive Internet use also had a predictive effect on academic decrement. These recursive patterns imply that students may overuse the Internet as a means to avoid an exhaustive school load and lower their perceptions of their academic performance. Moreover, higher academic decrement in the seventh grade was linked to increased school burnout and compulsive Internet use in the eighth grade; however, the link was not duplicate from the eighth to ninth grades. Academic decrement played an important role in the early period of the middle school by feeding back to burnout and Internet use. Finally, compulsive Internet use showed a direct effect on burnout from the eighth to ninth grades, but not in the earlier period. While burnout seems to always lead to compulsive Internet use, overuse of the Internet might fuel students' school burnout only in the later period of middle school. This paper discusses different perspectives of Internet use to expand the understanding of Internet use by the digital native generation. • Analyzing longitudinal relations of school burnout, Internet use and achievement. • Elevated burnout predicted later compulsive Internet use, but not the reverse. • Overusing the Internet as a means to cope with exhaustive school load. • Excessive Internet use lowered students' perceptions of academic performance. • Vicious cycles centered around academic decrement in the beginning and faded later. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To assess the impact of digital media usage on psychiatric symptoms in an adolescent population utilizing a longitudinal cohort design. Using two waves of the GUI child cohort, age 13 (N = 7527) and age 17/18 (N = 6126), we used latent class analysis (LCA) to create latent groups centred around self-reported time spent online, and the self-reported behaviours children engaged with online. At both waves, the 4 class latent model suited best. We used the different symptoms scales of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaires (SDQ), self-reported, at age 17 as our outcome variable. Using linear regression analysis, we then examined the associations between our latent class model and psychiatric symptoms, using moderate usage as our reference group, with adjustments being made for baseline psychiatric symptoms, maternal education and pre-diagnosed mental disorder. For females, placement in the high usage group at 13 was associated with increased internalizing symptoms, whereas placement in the high usage group at 17 was associated with an increase in all symptoms. For males, placement in the high usage group at 17 was associated with increased emotional symptoms, and placement in the "low usage & behaviour engagement"group, a group showing low reported time online and low engagement in our measured online behaviours at 17, was associated with an increase in all symptoms. Finally for both sexes, placement in the "moderate usage, entertainment only" group at age 13, (a group reporting no school-based online engagement), was associated with increases in all symptoms except emotional symptoms. High digital media usage is associated with increased psychiatric symptoms in both males and females, with moderate usage associated with positive effects on symptoms compared to both our high usage, and low usage groups. • Using latent class modelling, this paper attempted to combine both time based and behavioural based digital meida useage into a single exposure and examine its associations with psychiatric symptoms. • Longitudnal assocations between age 13 digital media engagment and age 17 psychiatric symtoms show, for females, increased internalizing symptoms if placed in the "high usage" group, and for both genders, increases in widespread symptoms if placed in the "exclude education" group, a group indicitave of no behavioural engagament with education materials online. • Cross Sectionally, while adjusting for multiple confounders including age 13 usage and age 9 psychiatric symptoms, we found that placement in the "high usage" group was associated with widespread symptoms increases for females and internalizing symptom increases for males. Additionally, placment in the "low time and behaviour" group, was asociated with widespread symptom increases for males only. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the light of demographic change, Active and Assisted Living (AAL) technologies promise to support older adults in their everyday lives and promote a self-determined lifestyle. However, empirical evidence for their effectiveness is fragmented and mixed. Thus, literature has called for more rigorous studies – including randomized controlled trials (RCTs) – to investigate the effectiveness of AAL technologies. In this paper, we present findings from a longitudinal RCT over 12 months (N = 150) evaluating an AAL technology that aims to support older adults' self-determination, social participation, and perceived safety. Results do not indicate significant effects on the measured outcomes. Based on complementary methods employed in the study (tracking of usage behavior, quantitative self-reports on user experience, qualitative interviews) and our practical experiences with the implementation of the WAALTeR project we critically reflect on this finding and explore possible explanations. This reflection reveals systematic challenges that exist not only in relation to the present study but also in relation to the evaluation of AAL technologies more generally. Based on these insights, we offer implications and directions for future research that aim to better understand and overcome challenges in evaluating the effectiveness of AAL technologies. • There is a lack of evidence for effects of AAL technologies in real-world settings. • Null findings from an RCT evaluating an AAL technology motivate a critical reflection. • How older adults engage with technology and its context can be highly diverse. • Sample diversity and other factors are methodological challenges for AAL research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thanks to their conversational capabilities, smart speaker-based voice assistants are gaining attention for their potential to support the aging population, though the empirical evidence is still scarce. This paper aims to obtain empirical evidence on older adults' experiences with a voice assistant. We especially focused on how their perception and use change over time as they progress from novice to more experienced users through a longitudinal field deployment study. We deployed Google Home devices in the homes of twelve older adults aged 65 and above and studied their use for sixteen weeks. Results show that the benefits our participants perceived have incrementally changed from enjoying simplicity and convenience of operation in the early phase of the study to not worrying about making mistakes and building digital companionship as they got used to using it. Results also show that participants confronted several challenges that evolved from the unfamiliarity with a voice assistant in their first interactions to coping with the functional errors due to limited speech technology as they got used to using it. Based on the results, we discuss design implications that could foster better user experiences with a voice assistant among older adults. • This study investigated older adults' use of a voice assistant over time. • Perceived benefits in the early phase were simplicity and convenience of operation. • Benefits later changed to unworried of making mistakes and digital companionship. • Challenges were due to unfamiliarity with voice interaction and technical flaws. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]