MENTAL HEALTH OF ADOLESCENTS IN THE FACE OF DIGITAL HYPERCONNECTIVITY AND CONTEMPORARY SOCIAL CHANGES

Abstract

Considering adolescence as a stage of development marked by high psychosocial vulnerability, contemporary social changes intensified by the expansion of digital technologies have significantly transformed adolescents’ forms of interaction, socialization, and identity construction. Digital hyperconnectivity, characterized by the intensive and continuous use of devices such as smartphones, social media, and the internet, emerges as a structuring phenomenon of adolescent daily life, raising concerns about its implications for mental health. This study aims to analyze adolescent mental health in the context of digital hyperconnectivity and contemporary social changes, based on the synthesis of scientific evidence and institutional documents. To this end, an integrative literature review was conducted according to the methodological steps proposed by Mendes, Silveira, and Galvão, with searches performed in PubMed, LILACS, SciELO, and the Virtual Health Library, as well as official documents from the Brazilian Ministry of Health. The findings indicate that digital hyperconnectivity is associated with symptoms of anxiety, depression, loneliness, sleep disturbances, psychological stress, and emotional regulation difficulties, often mediated by sleep deprivation and problematic use of smartphones and social media. The impacts are not homogeneous and are influenced by gender, sociocultural context, and usage patterns. It is concluded that digital hyperconnectivity represents a relevant factor in understanding adolescent mental health, requiring integrated approaches within public health, education, and youth protection policies.