Digital Stress: Insights from Bibliometric, Scientometric, Meta-Analytic and Thematic Analyses

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Information Science
• Sociology

Background:

• Digital stress, psychological strain from constant connectivity, is a growing challenge.
• The research field is conceptually fragmented, lacking clear boundaries.
• Existing research often conflates digital stress with technostress.

Purpose of the Study:

• Map the evolution of digital stress research using bibliometric and scientometric analyses.
• Quantify measurement consistency of the Digital Stress Scale (DSS) via meta-analysis.
• Synthesize thematic trends to clarify the construct's boundaries and distinguish it from technostress.

Main Methods:

• Multi-method review integrating bibliometric analysis (215 documents), Google Ngram analysis, random-effects meta-analysis (10 DSS studies, n=8572), and thematic analysis.
• Bibliometric and Ngram analyses tracked publication trends and keyword evolution.
• Meta-analysis assessed pooled mean stress levels and heterogeneity; thematic analysis identified key dimensions.

Main Results:

• Bibliometrics and Ngram analysis indicate the field is maturing, with sharp publication increases post-2020, differentiating it from technostress.
• The construct evolved from biomedical/engineering to a psychosocial concept linked to social media and mental health.
• Meta-analysis revealed moderate pooled mean digital stress (2.45/5), within average U.S. norms, but high heterogeneity (I²=99.7%) highlights significant cultural/contextual moderation.

Conclusions:

• Digital stress is a distinct, multidimensional construct, encompassing social-evaluative pressures beyond technostress.
• The Digital Stress Scale (DSS) demonstrates psychometric consistency.
• Digital stress is a critical, context-dependent factor in human adaptation to technology, necessitating further research into its boundaries and moderators.