Vianne Cai, BMSc '25
Vianne Cai
Associations Between Internet Usage, Relationship Interference, and Mental Health in a Canadian Post-Pandemic Context
-Project supervised by Dr. Shehzad Ali, and completed in 2025
Abstract
Objective: This study investigates the association between the amount of time spent on the internet per week and relationship interference, as well as the association between the amount of time spent on the internet per week and feelings of anxiety, depression, and envy.
Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, internet use increased as communication, work, and entertainment was adjusted to be online. This shift has persisted even after the pandemic. While previous research suggesting that heightened internet use may be associated with increased mental health risks, existing research on this topic used data collected during the pandemic, where pandemic-related stressors may have skewed findings. In this case, the true associations between internet usage and relationship interference, as well as mental health outcomes may not have been clear. This study aimed to bridge this gap in a post-pandemic Canadian context.
Data and Methods: Data from the 2022 Canadian Internet Use Survey (CIUS) included in the Public Use Microdata File (PUMF) was used. Internet use was categorized into three activities: watching streamed content, playing video games, and general internet use. Cross-sectional survey data were cleaned and weighted. Weighted multivariable logistic regressions were performed to examine associations between internet use and the outcomes. Additionally, an interaction analysis was conducted to assess whether the association between internet use activities and the primary outcomes differed across age groups.
Results: The results showed that increased time spent on the internet, depending on the activity, was associated with a monotonic increase in odds of reporting relationship interference, as well as increased odds of reporting feelings of depression, anxiety, and envy. However, the interaction analysis did not yield any statistically significant results.
Conclusion: Overall, the study contributes to the expanding body of research on internet usage and social, as well as mental health outcomes in a post-pandemic Canadian context. The findings can inform future research and interventions focused on internet use and its associations with interpersonal and mental health outcomes in Canada. Future longitudinal studies should be conducted to explore the causal relationship between these key variables.
About Vianne
Vianne Cai, BMSc '25, completed her Year 4 Research Project supervised by Dr. Shehzad Ali. Vianne's research interests include health equity, health service utilization, and health technology. Vianne is doing her Master of Biotechnology at the University of Toronto.
