Doomscrolling: a review of international and russian research on compulsive consumption of negative news content

Context and relevance. In the context of digitalization, compulsive consumption of negative content, known as doomscrolling, is observed. Amidst contemporary global challenges, its prevalence is increasing, exerting a destructive impact on users' psychological well-being. Objective. To structure the research problem area of doomscrolling as presented in international and domestic literature. Hypothesis. Doomscrolling has a consistent inverse relationship with psychological well-being. Methods and materials. An analytical review of scientific publications by international and domestic authors published between 2021 and 2026. Results. Empirical studies indicate a direct association between doomscrolling and anxiety, depression, impulsivity, risk-taking behavior, future anxiety, fear of missing out, neuroticism, and cyberchondria, as well as an inverse association with stress tolerance, hardiness, psychological well-being, motivation to avoid unhealthy behavior, life satisfaction, agreeableness, and conscientiousness. Conclusions. Doomscrolling is a widespread and psychologically destructive phenomenon. Despite its recognized harm, it persists because the inclination toward negative information is inherent to human nature and proves profitable within the media market. In terms of content, this phenomenon is not novel; the digital format merely adds nuances without altering its psychological essence. As a preventive measure, it is proposed to cultivate critical thinking and transition from passive doomscrolling to active doomsurfing — a reflexive, measured approach to engaging with information aimed at understanding the situation.

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