Frontiers in Public Health, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 13
Published: April 22, 2025
In recent years, short videos have become increasingly popular in rural China, yet their impact on mental health remains underexplored. While prior studies debated the psychological effects of social media, little is known about how short-form video consumption affects populations. This study investigates causal relationship between and among residents China. We use longitudinal data from China Family Panel Studies apply a Difference-in-Differences strategy to estimate frequent usage health. To address self-selection staggered treatment timing, we employ Propensity Score Matching heterogeneity-robust difference-in-differences estimators. Robustness checks include placebo tests an event analysis. find that appears improve residents. The effect immediate significant only first year exposure, but fades subsequent periods. Mechanism analysis suggests improvements are driven by enhanced entertainment information access rather than increased interaction. more pronounced economically underdeveloped less pandemic-affected regions, not evident urban Short provide short-term benefits for Chinese enriching leisure access, especially developed areas. However, positive transient cannot offset pandemic-related stress. Policy efforts should aim balance digital with potential risks such as addiction overload.
Language: Английский