literature review with abstract example

How do I Write a Literature Review?: #5 Writing the Review

• Step #1: Choosing a Topic
• Step #2: Finding Information
• Step #3: Evaluating Content
• Step #4: Synthesizing Content
• #5 Writing the Review
• Citing Your Sources

WRITING THE REVIEW 

You've done the research and now you're ready to put your findings down on paper. When preparing to write your review, first consider how will you organize your review.

The actual review generally has 5 components:

Abstract  -  An abstract is a summary of your literature review. It is made up of the following parts:

• A contextual sentence about your motivation behind your research topic
• Your thesis statement
• A descriptive statement about the types of literature used in the review
• Summarize your findings
• Conclusion(s) based upon your findings

Introduction :   Like a typical research paper introduction, provide the reader with a quick idea of the topic of the literature review:

• Define or identify the general topic, issue, or area of concern. This provides the reader with context for reviewing the literature.
• Identify related trends in what has already been published about the topic; or conflicts in theory, methodology, evidence, and conclusions; or gaps in research and scholarship; or a single problem or new perspective of immediate interest.
• Establish your reason (point of view) for reviewing the literature; explain the criteria to be used in analyzing and comparing literature and the organization of the review (sequence); and, when necessary, state why certain literature is or is not included (scope)  - 

Body :  The body of a literature review contains your discussion of sources and can be organized in 3 ways-

• Chronological -  by publication or by trend
• Thematic -  organized around a topic or issue, rather than the progression of time
• Methodical -  the focusing factor usually does not have to do with the content of the material. Instead, it focuses on the "methods" of the literature's researcher or writer that you are reviewing

You may also want to include a section on "questions for further research" and discuss what questions the review has sparked about the topic/field or offer suggestions for future studies/examinations that build on your current findings.

Conclusion :  In the conclusion, you should:

Conclude your paper by providing your reader with some perspective on the relationship between your literature review's specific topic and how it's related to it's parent discipline, scientific endeavor, or profession.

Bibliography :   Since a literature review is composed of pieces of research, it is very important that your correctly cite the literature you are reviewing, both in the reviews body as well as in a bibliography/works cited. To learn more about different citation styles, visit the " Citing Your Sources " tab.

• Writing a Literature Review: Wesleyan University
• Literature Review: Edith Cowan University
• << Previous: Step #4: Synthesizing Content
• Next: Citing Your Sources >>
• Last Updated: Aug 22, 2023 1:35 PM
• URL: https://libguides.eastern.edu/literature_reviews

About the Library

• Collection Development
• Circulation Policies
• Mission Statement
• Staff Directory

Using the Library

• A to Z Journal List
• Library Catalog
• Research Guides

Interlibrary Services

• Research Help

Warner Memorial Library

• Research Guides
• University Libraries
• Medical Sciences Guides

Literature Reviews for Medical Sciences

• Introduction
• Headings and subheadings
• Author Profile

The following content adheres to APA guidelines.

• Start on a new page
• Title centered and bolded
• Paragraph starts on the next line (no indent)
• Running header in the top left
• Page number in the top right

This section should be about 150-250 words in length.

It should establish the following:

• Topic (What is your paper about?)
• Purpose (Why did you write this paper?)
• Sources (How did you select your sources?)
• << Previous: Title page
• Next: Introduction >>
• Last Updated: Apr 3, 2024 8:57 AM
• URL: https://tamu.libguides.com/literature-reviews

• Citation Generator
• Style Guides
• Chicago/Turabian Format

Writing Abstracts for a Literature Review in APA Format

While developing your APA style school research paper, follow the specific formatting guidelines to finalize your paper. This citation example focuses on writing  abstracts for an APA style paper. Learning how to write abstracts is a good skill to have, as it helps you develop the ability to summarize the important points in your paper. A busy student can read abstracts to determine if it’s worth the time to read the full paper.

Sectioning Your APA Research Paper

In APA style, a research paper has four sections:

Types of Research Papers

You may be asked to prepare several types of research papers  as a student, including:

• Empirical Study
• Theory-Oriented
• Methodological

A literature review paper is one you’ll be asked to write frequently, as many times there is not enough time in a class setting to complete extensive research.

Formatting an APA Abstract

The abstract page is the second page of your report, right after the title page. This page is numbered 2 on your report.

On the first line of the page, center the word Abstract . *Do not underline, bold, italicize or otherwise format the title.

On the second line, start your abstract. *Do not indent.

Inserting Keywords into an APA Abstract

In today’s digital world, it is important to think about ways readers can find your work online. Adding keywords at the end of your abstract guides online searches. After the abstract paragraph, type Keywords:  italicized and indented.

Keywords:  digital print, online sources

Abstract Word Limits

The maximum word count for an APA abstract is 250 words. However, your instructor may ask for fewer words or provide you with additional guidance. In fact, some instructors or publications  may restrict the word count to 150.

Writing the Abstract

The abstract is a concise summary of your paper. Write it after you have finished your paper, so you have a clear idea of what to include in this short paragraph.

Examples of APA Abstracts

Following your instructor’s guidance, include these elements in your APA abstract:

• First, briefly state the research topic  and questions.
• Then, using the primary studies in the literature you reviewed, include the participants in the studies and the main results.
• Remember to include the conclusion of your literature review.
• Finally, finish with a sentence about any implications or future research that developed from the research presented in your paper.

APA Abstract Example

This article is an examination of the history of gender demographics in the field of librarianship. The historic development and subsequent “feminization” of librarianship continues to influence the gender wage gap and the disproportionate leadership bias in the field today. This article examines the stereotyping of librarians and the cyclical effect of genderizing the profession. Consideration of current trends and data in librarian demographics demonstrates a consistent decrease in gender diversity, accompanied by a troubling lack of women leaders and executives. Additionally, this article explores options for combating the gender perceptions that negatively impact women in library and information science fields, including management and negotiation training in graduate programs, increased emphasis on technological skills, and professional organization advocacy.

Mars, P. (2018). Gender demographics and perceptions in librarianship.  School of Information Student Research Journal 7 (2). Retrieved from http://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/slissrj/vol7/iss2/3

Abstract Example With Keywords

The future of books and libraries is put into question by the increasing popularity of e-books and the use of computers as text platforms. In an effort to anticipate which reading platform—print, e-readers, or computers displays—will dominate in the coming years, recent research and experimental data on the suitability of each reading platform for reading comprehension will be considered, from the perspectives of optical issues, cognition, and metacognition. It will be shown that, while printed books are most conducive to learning from longer, more difficult texts, e-readers and computer displays offer convenience and some distinct advantages to readers in particular situations. This synthesis of current research will be helpful to librarians working in digital and print book purchasing and collection development, as well as those making long-range planning decisions.

Keywords : books, digital books, e-paper, reading comprehension, cognition

Tanner, M. J. (2014). Digital vs. print: Reading comprehension and the future of the book.  SLIS Student Research Journal, 4 (2). Retrieved from http://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/slissrj/vol4/iss2/6

A Crucial Element

Your APA abstract is a critical part of your school research paper. Thus, you should put a lot of thought into creating your abstract and make sure it includes all the required elements. As always, be sure to follow your teacher’s guidance for length and format.

Abstracts and Annotated Bibliographies

Understanding APA Literature Reviews

Add comment

Cancel reply.

Please enter an answer in digits: twenty − one =

Notify me of follow-up comments by email.

Notify me of new posts by email.

How to Write an APA Bibliography

Easy apa citation guide to generate your own apa reference pages, creating apa citations for websites with no author, basic apa citation format guidelines and examples.

Your browser does not support javascript. Some site functionality may not work as expected.

• Government Reports
• Books & eBooks
• Citation Help
• Writing a Literature Review
• University of Washington Libraries
• Library Guides

Physics: Writing a Literature Review

Literature reviews.

A  literature review  surveys scholarly articles, books and other sources (e.g. dissertations, conference proceedings) relevant to a particular issue, area of research, or theory, providing a description, summary, and critical evaluation of each work. 

• Provide context for a research paper
• Explore the history and development of a topic
• Examine the scholarly conversation surrounding the topic
• Shows relationships between studies
• Examines gaps in research on the topic

Components 

Similar to primary research, development of the literature review requires four stages:

• Problem formulation—which topic or field is being examined and what are its component issues?
• Literature search—finding materials relevant to the subject being explored
• Data evaluation—determining which literature makes a significant contribution to the understanding of the topic
• Analysis and interpretation—discussing the findings and conclusions of pertinent literature

Conducting a Literature Review

1. choose a topic. define your research questions..

Your literature review should be guided by a central research question.  Remember, it is not a collection of loosely related studies in a field but instead represents background and research developments related to a specific research question, interpreted and analyzed by you in a synthesized way.

• Make sure your research question is not too broad or too narrow.  Is it manageable?
• Begin writing down terms that are related to your question. These will be useful for searches later.
• If you have the opportunity, discuss your topic with your professor.

2. Decide on the scope of your review. 

• How many studies do you need to look at?
• How comprehensive should it be?
• How many years should it cover? 

Tip: This may depend on your assignment.  How many sources does the assignment require?

3. Select the databases you will use to conduct your searches.  

Make a list of the databases you will search.  

Where to find databases:

• Find Databases by Subject
• T he Find Articles tab of this guide

This page contains a list of the most relevant databases for most Physics research. 

4. Conduct your searches and find the literature. Keep track of your searches! 

• Review the abstracts of research studies carefully. This will save you time.
• Write down the searches you conduct in each database so that you may duplicate them if you need to later (or avoid dead-end searches   that you'd forgotten you'd already tried).
• Use the bibliographies and references of research studies you find to locate others.
• Ask your professor or a librarian if you are missing any key works in the field.

5. Review the Literature 

Some questions to help you analyze the research: 

• What was the research question of the study you are reviewing? What were the authors trying to discover?
• Was the research funded by a source that could influence the findings?
• What were the research methodologies? Analyze its literature review, the samples and variables used, the results, and the conclusions. Does the research seem to be complete? Could it have been conducted more soundly? What further questions does it raise?
• If there are conflicting studies, why do you think that is?
• How are the authors viewed in the field? Has this study been cited?; if so, how has it been analyzed?

Tips: 

• Again, review the abstracts carefully.  
• Keep careful notes so that you may track your thought processes during the research process.

Chat with a UW Librarian

• << Previous: Citation Help
• Last Updated: Apr 7, 2024 3:23 PM
• URL: https://guides.lib.uw.edu/bothell/physics

Quick Links:

• Order Tracking

How to Write an Abstract for Literature Review?

• How to Write an Abstract…

Table of Contents

Writing an Abstract for Literature Review

Before a researcher or an academic writer starts to become familiar with how to write an abstract for literature review , one should first be familiar with what exactly qualifies as a Literature Review .

While writing a research paper or dissertation , the literature review is the portion where you brief the guidance counselor – also referred to as a Project Coordinator – about the precise problem you are looking to study and explain in the research paper.

Not only does this enable the guidance counselor to determine that the pupil is on the right track, but also helps the writer lay down a robust foundation to support his or her claim with the help of cited references .

Learn how to write an abstract?

Basic Tips and Guidelines

It would be more helpful to explain this with a real example. A student is looking to study the notion that “Small & Medium Enterprises can benefit by switching over to Cloud Computing”. This is the claim and the study path to be explored. In the Literature Review, the writer can build his case by, first, writing on the history of Cloud Computing; how it started, where it comes from, pioneers, how it evolved etc.

Consequently, the writer will also define & explain Cloud Computing; its various service models, deployment models, components, real life applications of Cloud Computing, the advantages & disadvantages etc.

Now that you know what the Literature Review comprises, let’s come back to how to write an abstract for literature review . The flow is the same as your research paper; initiate with the introduction and talk about the problem or situation being studied, follow it with a description of the research methods brought in to implementation during the data collection & analysis phases , the results derived from the data analysis and, finally, the conclusion reached at the end.

Sample of an Abstract for a Literature Review

Here is a sample of how to write an abstract for literature review in light of the previously mentioned scenario:

Cloud Computing is a technology that brings many advantages with it for businesses that adopt it. In times of this recession when companies are resorting to either shutting down or come up with ways to reduce their operating expenditures, Cloud Computing offers Small & Medium Enterprises numerous benefits and a lifeline to stay in business. To validate this proposition, 10 SMEs that switched over to a Cloud Computing IT infrastructure in the last 12 months or less were chosen from various industries. The firms’ executives and decision makers were interviewed in detail about their IT operations before and after the implementation of Cloud Computing. The findings attained from the respondents clearly indicated a sharp reduction in both operating & capital expenses. This was evident by the lessening in the physical space required for the hardware, diminution of the IT staff headcount to monitor the systems, annulment of expenses incurred on software licensing and also for data recovery & systems security. The study clearly indicates that Cloud Computing is of immense importance to SMEs that wish to reduce their running costs yet continue expanding their operations.

Author:  Ozzy Mirza

For the first 2 decades of life, Ozzy lived a nomadic life; growing up in different countries, interacting with various cultures, gaining exposure to numerous lifestyles. His inscriptions reflect the blend of it all; versatility & candidness meet paper & pen.

Related Posts

An official website of the United States government

The .gov means it’s official. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

The site is secure. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

• Publications
• Account settings

Preview improvements coming to the PMC website in October 2024. Learn More or Try it out now .

• Advanced Search
• Journal List
• Bull Med Libr Assoc
• v.88(4); 2000 Oct

Clarifying the abstracts of systematic literature reviews *

James hartley.

1 Department of Psychology Keele University Staffordshire United Kingdom

2 † Author's address for correspondence: James Hartley, B.A., Ph.D., Department of Psychology, Keele University, Staffordshire, ST5 5BG, United Kingdom; email, [email protected]

Background: There is a small body of research on improving the clarity of abstracts in general that is relevant to improving the clarity of abstracts of systematic reviews.

Objectives: To summarize this earlier research and indicate its implications for writing the abstracts of systematic reviews.

Method: Literature review with commentary on three main features affecting the clarity of abstracts: their language, structure, and typographical presentation.

Conclusions: The abstracts of systematic reviews should be easier to read than the abstracts of medical research articles, as they are targeted at a wider audience. The aims, methods, results, and conclusions of systematic reviews need to be presented in a consistent way to help search and retrieval. The typographic detailing of the abstracts (type-sizes, spacing, and weights) should be planned to help, rather than confuse, the reader.

Several books and review papers have been published over the last twenty-five years about improving the clarity of the abstracts of articles in scientific journals, including several recent studies [ 1–5 ]. Three main areas of importance have been discussed:

• the language, or the readability, of an abstract;
• the sequence of information, or the structure, of an abstract; and
• the typography, or the presentation, of an abstract.

This paper considers the implications of the findings from research in each of these overlapping areas to the more specific area of writing abstracts for what are called “systematic reviews.” Such reviews in medical journals typically use standard procedures for assessing the evidence obtained from separate studies for and against the effectiveness of a particular treatment. The term “systematic” implies that the authors have used a standard approach to minimizing biases and random errors and that the methods chosen for the approach will be documented in the materials and methods sections of the review. Examples of such reviews may be found in Chalmers's and Altman's text [ 6 ] and in papers published in medical journals, particularly Evidence-Based Medicine. Figure 1 provides a fictitious example of an abstract for such a paper.

“Before” and “after” examples designed to show how differences in typography and wording can enhance the clarity of an abstract. Abstract courtesy of Philippa Middleton.

THE LANGUAGE OF THE TEXT

Research on the readability of conventional journal abstracts suggests that they are not easy to read. Studies in this area typically use the Flesch Reading Ease (R.E.) scores as their measure of text difficulty [ 7 ]. This measure, developed in the 1940s, is based upon the somewhat over simple idea that the difficulty of text is a function of the length of the sentences in the text and the length of the words within these sentences. The original Flesch formula is that R.E. = 206.835 − 0.846w − 1.015s (where w = the average number of syllables in 100 words and s = the average number of words per sentence). The scores normally range from 0 to 100, and the lower the score the more difficult the text is to read; Table 1 gives typical examples. Today, Flesch R.E. scores accompany most computerized spell checkers, and this removes the difficulties of hand calculation; although different programs give slightly different results [ 8, 9 ].

Table 1 The interpretation of Flesch scores

Table 2 summarizes the Flesch scores obtained for numerous journal abstracts in seven studies. The low scores shown here support the notion that journal abstracts are difficult to read. With medical journals, in particular, this difficulty may stem partly from complex medical terminology. Readability scores such as these are widely quoted, even though there is considerable debate about their validity, largely because they ignore the readers' prior knowledge and motivation [ 10, 11 ].

Table 2 Flesch Reading Ease scores reported in previous research on abstracts in journal articles

A second cause of difficulty in understanding text is that, although the wording may be simple and the sentences short, the concepts being described may not be understood by the reader. Thus, for example, although the sentence “God is grace” is extremely readable (in terms of the Flesch), it is not easy to explain what it actually means! In systematic reviews, to be more specific, the statistical concepts of the confidence interval and the adjusted odds ratio ( Figure 1 ) may be well understood by medical researchers, but they will not be understood by all readers.

A third cause of difficulty in prose lies in the scientific nature of the text that emphasizes the use of the third person, together with the passive rather than the active tense. Graetz writes of journal abstracts:

The abstract is characterized by the use of the past tense, the third person, passive, and the non-use of negatives…. It is written in tightly worded sentences, which avoid repetition, meaningless expressions, superlatives, adjectives, illustrations, preliminaries, descriptive details, examples, footnotes. In short it eliminates the redundancy which the skilled reader counts on finding in written language and which usually facilitates comprehension. [ 12 ]

In systematic reviews, it is easy to find sentences like “Trial eligibility and quality were assessed” that would be more readable if they were written as “We assessed the eligibility and the quality of the trials.” Furthermore, there are often short telegrammatic communications, some of which contain no verbs. Figure 1 provides an example (under the subheading “Selection criteria”).

There are, of course, numerous guidelines on how to write clear abstracts and more readable medical text [ 13–16 ] but, at present, there are few such guidelines for writing the abstracts of systematic reviews. Mulrow, Thacker, and Pugh [ 17 ] provide an excellent early example, and there are now regularly updated guidelines in the Cochrane Handbook [ 18 ].

Nonetheless, even when such guidelines are followed, evaluating the clarity of medical text is not easy. But some methods of doing so may be adapted from the more traditional literature on text evaluation. Schriver, for example, describes three different methods of text evaluation—text-based, expert-based, and reader-based methods [ 19 ]:

• Text-based methods are ones that can be used without recourse to experts or to readers. Such methods include computer-based readability formulae (such as the Flesch measure described above) and computer-based measures of style and grammar.
• Expert-based methods are ones that use experts to make assessments of the effectiveness of a piece of text. Medical experts may be asked, for example, to judge the suitability of the information contained in a patient information leaflet.
• Reader-based methods are ones that involve actual readers in making assessments of the suitability of the text, for themselves and for others. Patients, for example, may be asked to comment on medical leaflets or be tested on how much they can recall from them.

Although all three methods of evaluation are useful, especially in combination, this writer particularly recommends reader-based methods for evaluating the readability of abstracts in systematic reviews. This recommendation is because the readers of such systematic reviews are likely to be quite disparate in their aims, needs, and even in the languages that they speak. As the 1999 Cochrane Handbook put it:

Abstracts should be made as readable as possible without compromising scientific integrity. They should primarily be targeted to health care decision makers (clinicians, consumers, and policy makers) rather than just researchers. Terminology should be reasonably comprehensible to a general rather than a specialist medical audience [emphasis added]. [ 20 ]

Expert-based measures on their own may be misleading. For instance, there is evidence to suggest that the concerns of professionals are different from those of other personnel [ 21 ]. Wilson et al. [ 22 ], for instance, report wide differences between the responses of general practitioners (GPs) and patients in the United Kingdom in responses to questions concerning the content and usefulness of several patient information leaflets. Table 3 shows some of their replies.

Table 3 Differences between general practitioners (GPs) and patients in their views about particular patient information leaflets

THE STRUCTURE OF THE TEXT

In recent times, particularly in the medical field, there has been great interest in the use of so-called “structured abstracts”—abstracts that typically contain subheadings, such as “background,” “aims,” “methods,” “results,” and “conclusions.” Indeed, the early rise in the use of such abstracts was phenomenal [ 23 ], and it has no doubt continued to be so up to the present day. Evaluation studies have shown that structured abstracts are more effective than traditional ones, particularly in the sense that they contain more information [ 24–31 ]. However, a caveat here is that some authors still omit important information, and some still include information in the abstract that does not match exactly what is said in the article [ 32–35 ].

Additional research has shown that structured abstracts are sometimes easier to read and to search than are traditional ones [ 36, 37 ], but others have questioned this conclusion [ 38, 39 ]. Nonetheless, in general, both authors and readers apparently prefer structured to traditional abstracts [ 40–42 ]. The main features of structured abstracts that lead to these findings are that:

• the texts are opened-up and clearly subdivided into their component parts, which helps the reader perceive their structure;
• the abstracts sequence their information in a consistent order under consistent subheadings, which facilitates search and retrieval; and
• the writing under these subheadings ensures that authors do not miss out anything important.

Nonetheless, there are some difficulties—and these difficulties become more apparent after considering the structured abstracts of systematic reviews. First of all, the typographic practice of denoting the subheadings varies from journal to journal [ 43, 44 ]. Second, and of more relevance here, there is a range of subheadings used both within and among journals [ 45, 46 ], which militates against rapid retrieval. Table 4 shows an example of these variations by listing the subheadings used in the abstracts in just one volume of the Journal of the American Medical Association. Finally, it appears that some authors omit important subheadings or present them in a different order (e.g., reporting the conclusions before the results) [ 47 ].

Table 4 Different numbers of subheadings used in abstracts in the same volume of the Journal of the American Medical Association

The implications of these difficulties are that a decision needs to be made, based upon appropriate evaluation studies, about what are the key subheadings that can be used consistently in systematic reviews. The journal Evidence-Based Medicine, for example, uses the following six subheadings: “Question(s),” “Data sources,” “Study selection,” “Data extraction,” “Main results,” and “Conclusions,” but the Cochrane Handbook [ 48 ] recommends another seven: “Background,” “Objectives,” “Search strategy,” “Selection criteria,” “Data collection and analysis,” “Main results,” and “Reviewers' conclusions.” Presumably, these different sets of subheadings have developed over time with experience. For example, “Objective(s)” initially preceded “Question(s)” in Evidence-Based Medicine. In the future, refining these subheadings further may be possible by using appropriate typographic cueing, to separate important from minor subheadings, such as those headings used in the Journal of the American Medical Association. It will be essential, however, to use consistent terminology throughout the literature to aid both the creation of and retrieval from the abstracts of systematic reviews. Editors may consult their readers and their authors for possible solutions to this problem.

THE TYPOGRAPHIC SETTING FOR ABSTRACTS OF SYSTEMATIC REVIEWS

Early research on the typographic setting of structured abstracts in scientific articles suggests that the subheadings should be printed in bold capital letters with a line space above each subheading [ 49 ]. But this research has been done with structured abstracts that only have four subheadings. However, the abstracts of systematic reviews are likely to have more than four-subheadings—indeed, as noted above, six or seven seem typical. Also, some of these subheadings may be more important than others.

Generally speaking, there are two ways of clarifying the structure in typography. One is to vary the typography, the other to vary the spacing [ 50, 51 ]. In terms of typography, not overdoing is best; there is no need to use two cues when one will do. Thus, it may be appropriate to use bold lettering for the main subheadings and italic lettering for the less important ones, without adding the additional cues of capital letters or underlining. Also, as the subheadings appear as the first word on a line, placing a line space above them enhances their effectiveness, so there is no need to indent the subheadings as well. The abstracts published in the Cochrane Library follow this procedure.

Finally in this section, it should be noted that it is easier to read an abstract:

• that is set in the same type-size (or larger) than the body of the text of the review, unlike many journal abstracts, [ 52 ];
• that does not use “fancy'” typography or indeed bold or italic for its substantive text [ 53 ]; and
• that is set in “unjustified text,” with equal word spacing and a ragged right-hand margin, rather than in “justified text,” with unequal word spacing and straight left- and right-hand margins. This is particularly the case if the abstract is being read on screen [ 54 ].

CONCLUSIONS

The research reviewed above suggests that, in presenting the abstracts to systematic reviews, attention needs to be paid to their language, their structure, and their typographic design. Figure 1 shows a “before and after” example for a fictitious abstract for a systematic review. The purpose of this example is to encapsulate the argument of this paper and to show how changes in wording and typography can enhance the clarity of an abstract for a systematic review.

Acknowledgments

The author is indebted to Iain Chalmers, Philippa Middleton, Mark Starr, and anonymous referees for assistance in the preparation of this paper.

* Based on invited presentation at the VIIth Cochrane Colloquium, Rome, Italy, October 1999.

• Berkenkotter C, Huckin TN. Genre knowledge in disciplinary communication . Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum. 1995 [ Google Scholar ]
• Hartley J. Three ways to improve the clarity of journal abstracts . Brit J Educ Psychol . 1994 Jun. 64 ( 2 ):331–43. [ Google Scholar ]
• Swales JM. Genre analysis: English in academic and research settings . Cambridge, U.K.: Cambridge University Press. 1990 [ Google Scholar ]
• Swales JM, Feak C. Academic writing for graduate students . Michigan: University of Michigan Press. 1994 [ Google Scholar ]
• Anonymous. A proposal for more informative abstracts in clinical articles. Ad Hoc Working Group for Critical Appraisal of the Medical Literature . Ann Intern Med . 1987 Apr. 106 ( 4 ):598–604. [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Chalmers I, Altman DG. eds. . Systematic reviews . London, U.K.: British Medical Journal Publishing Group. 1995 [ Google Scholar ]
• Flesch R. A new readability yardstick . J Appl Psychol . 1948 Jun. 32 :221–3. [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Mailloux SL, Johnson ME, Fisher DG, and Pettibone TJ. How reliable is computerized assessment of readability? Computers and Nursing . 1995 Sep–Oct. 13 ( 5 ):221–5. [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Sydes M, Hartley J. A thorn in the Flesch: observations on the unreliability of computer-based readability formulae . British Journal of Educational Technology . 1997 Apr. 28 ( 2 ):143–5. [ Google Scholar ]
• Davison A, Green G. eds. . Linguistic complexity and text comprehension: readability issues reconsidered . Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum. 1988 [ Google Scholar ]
• Hartley J. Designing instructional text . 3d ed. East Brunswick, NJ: Nichols. 1994 [ Google Scholar ]
• Graetz N. Teaching EFL students to extract structural information from abstracts . In: Ulijn JM, Pugh AK, eds. Reading for professional purposes. Leuven, Belgium: ACCO. 1985 125. [ Google Scholar ]
• National Information Standards Organization. An American national standard: guidelines for abstracts . Bethesda, MD: NISO Press. 1997 [ Google Scholar ]
• Hall GM. How to write a paper . London, U.K.: BMJ Pub Group. 1994 [ Google Scholar ]
• Hartley J. What does it say? text design, medical information and older readers . In Park DC, Morrell RW, Shifren K, eds. Processing of medical information in aging patients. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum. 1999 233–47. [ Google Scholar ]
• Matthews JR. Successful scientific writing: a step-by-step guide for biological and medical scientists . 2d ed. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. 2000 [ Google Scholar ]
• Mulrow CD, Thacker SB, and Pugh JA. A proposal for more informative abstracts of review articles . Ann Intern Med . 1988 Apr:  108 ( 4 ):613–5. [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Clarke M, Oxman AD. eds. . Cochrane reviewers' handbook 4.0 [updated July 1999] . In: The Cochrane Library, issue 2 [database on CDROM]. The Cochrane Collaboration. Oxford, U.K.: Update Software. 2000 [ Google Scholar ]
• Schriver KA. Evaluating text quality: the continuum from text-focused to reader-focused methods . IEEE Trans Prof Comm . 1989 Dec. 32 ( 4 ):238–55. [ Google Scholar ]
• Berry DC, Michas IC, Gillie T, and Forster M. What do patients want to know about their medicines, and what do doctors want to tell them? a comparative study . Psychol and Health . 1997. 12 ( 4 ):467–80. [ Google Scholar ]
• Wilson R, Kenny T, Clark J, Moseley D, Newton L, Newton D, and Purves I. Ensuring the readability and efficacy of patient information leaflets . Newcastle, U.K.: Sowerby Health Centre for Health Informatics, Newcastle University. Prodigy Publication. 1998  no. 30. [ Google Scholar ]
• Harbourt AM, Knecht LS, and Humphreys BL. Structured abstracts in MEDLINE 1989–91 . Bull Med Libr Assoc . 1995 Apr. 83 ( 2 ):190–5. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Hartley J. Applying ergonomics to Applied Ergonomics: using structured abstracts . Appl Ergonom . 1999 Dec. 30 ( 6 ):535–41. [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Hartley J, Benjamin M. An evaluation of structured abstracts in journals published by the British Psychological Society . Brit J Educ Psychol . 1998 Sep. 68 ( 3 ):443–56. [ Google Scholar ]
• Haynes RB. More informative abstracts: current status and evaluation . J Clin Epidemiol . 1993 Jul. 46 ( 7 ):595–7. [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ]
• McIntosh N, Duc G, and Sedin G. Structure improves content and peer review of abstracts submitted to scientific meetings . European Science Editing . 1999 Jun. 25 ( 2 ):43–7. [ Google Scholar ]
• Scherer RW, Crawley B. Reporting of randomized clinical trial descriptors and the use of structured abstracts . JAMA . 1998 July 15. 280 ( 3 ):269–72. [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Taddio A, Pain T, Fassos FF, Boon H, Ilersich AL, and Einarson TR. Quality of nonstructured and structured abstracts of original research articles in the British Medical Journal, the Canadian Medical Association Journal and the Journal of the American Medical Association . Can Med Assoc J . 1994 May 15. 150 ( 10 ):1611–5. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Tenopir C, Jacso P. Quality of abstracts . Online . 1993 May. 17 ( 3 ):44–55. [ Google Scholar ]
• Froom P, Froom J. Deficiencies in structured medical abstracts . J Clin Epidemiol . 1993 Jul. 46 ( 7 ):591–4. [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Pitkin RM, Branagan MA. Can the accuracy of abstracts be improved by providing specific instructions? a randomized controlled trial . JAMA . 1998 Jul 15. 280 ( 3 ):267–9. [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Pitkin RM, Branagan MA, and Burmeister L. Accuracy of data in abstracts of published research articles . JAMA . 1999 Mar 24–31. 281 ( 12 ):1110–1. [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Hartley J.. Are structured abstracts more/less accurate than traditional ones? a study in the psychological literature. Journal of Information Science. 2000; 26 (4) [ Google Scholar ]
• Hartley J, Sydes M.. Are structured abstracts easier to read than traditional ones? J Res Reading. 1997; 20 (2):122–36. [ Google Scholar ]
• Hartley J, Sydes M, Blurton A.. Obtaining information accurately and quickly: are structured abstracts more efficient? J Info Sc. 1996; 22 (5):349–56. [ Google Scholar ]
• Booth A, O'Rourke AJ.. The value of structured abstracts in information retrieval from MEDLINE. Health Libr Rev. 1997; 14 (3):157–66. [ Google Scholar ]
• O'Rourke AJ. Structured abstracts in information retrieval from biomedical databases: a literature survey . Health Informatics J . 1997 Jan. 3 ( 1 ):17–20. [ Google Scholar ]
• Hartley J, Sydes M.. Which layout do you prefer? an analysis of readers' preferences for different typographic layouts of structured abstracts. J Info Sci. 1996; 22 (1):27–37. [ Google Scholar ]
• Hartley J. Typographic settings for structured abstracts . J Technical Writing and Communication . 2001  in press. [ Google Scholar ]
• Dronberger GB, Kowitz GT.. Abstract readability as a factor in information systems. J Am Soc Inf Sci. 1975; 26 :108–11. [ Google Scholar ]
• Roberts JC, Fletcher CH, and Fletcher SW. Effects of peer review and editing on the readability of articles published in Annals of Internal Medicine . JAMA . 1994 Jul 13. 272 ( 2 ):119–21. [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ]

11.8  Writing an abstract

All full reviews must include an abstract of not more than 400 words. The abstract should be kept as brief as possible without sacrificing important content. Abstracts to Cochrane reviews are published in MEDLINE and the Science Citation Index, and are made freely available on the internet. It is therefore important that they can be read as stand-alone documents.

The abstract should summarize the key methods, results and conclusions of the review and should not contain any information that is not in the review. Links to other parts of the review (such as references, studies, tables and figures) may not be included in the abstract. A hypothetical example of an abstract is included in Box 11.8.a .

Abstracts should be targeted primarily at healthcare decision makers (clinicians, informed consumers and policy makers) rather than just to researchers. Terminology should be reasonably comprehensible to a general rather than a specialist healthcare audience. Abbreviations should be avoided, except where they are widely understood (for example, HIV). Where essential, other abbreviations should be spelt out (with the abbreviations in brackets) on first use. Names of drugs and interventions that can be understood internationally should be used wherever possible. Trade names should not be used.

The content under each heading in the abstract should be as follows:

Background: This should be one or two sentences to explain the context or elaborate on the purpose and rationale of the review. If this version of the review is an update of an earlier one, it is helpful to include a sentence such as “This is an update of a Cochrane review first published in YEAR, and previously updated in YEAR”.

Objectives:  This should be a precise statement of the primary objective of the review, ideally in a single sentence, matching the Objectives in the main text of the review. Where possible the style should be of the form “To assess the effects of   [intervention or comparison] for [health problem] for/in [types of people, disease or problem and setting if specified]”.

Search methods: This should list the sources and the dates of the last search, for each source, using the active form ‘We searched….’ or, if there is only one author, the passive form can be used, for example, ‘Database X, Y, Z were searched’. Search terms should not be listed here. If the CRG’s Specialized Register was used, this should be listed first in the form ‘Cochrane X Group Specialized Register’. The order for listing other databases should be the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, MEDLINE, EMBASE, other databases. The date range of the search for each database should be given. For the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials this should be in the form ‘Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials ( The Cochrane Library 2007, Issue 1)’. For most other databases, such as MEDLINE, it should be in the form ‘MEDLINE (January 1966 to December 2006)’. Searching of bibliographies for relevant citations can be covered in a generic phrase ‘reference lists of articles’. If there were any constraints based on language or publication status, these should be listed. If individuals or organizations were contacted to locate studies this should be noted and it is preferable to use ‘We contacted pharmaceutical companies’ rather than a listing of all the pharmaceutical companies contacted. If journals were specifically handsearched for the review, this should be noted but handsearching to help build the Specialized Register of the CRG should not be listed.

Selection criteria: These should be given as ‘ [type of study] of [type of intervention or comparison] in [disease, problem or type of people]‘ . Outcomes should only be listed here if the review was restricted to specific outcomes.

Data collection and analysis: This should be restricted to how data were extracted and assessed, and not include details of what data were extracted. This section should cover whether data extraction and assessments of risk of bias were done by more than one person. If the authors contacted investigators to obtain missing information, this should be noted here. What steps, if any, were taken to identify adverse effects should be noted.

Main results: This section should begin with the total number of studies and participants included in the review, and brief details pertinent to the interpretation of the results (for example, the risk of bias in the studies overall or a comment on the comparability of the studies, if appropriate). It should address the primary objective and be restricted to the main qualitative and quantitative results (generally including not more than six key results). The outcomes included should be selected on the basis of which are most likely to help someone making a decision about whether or not to use a particular intervention. Adverse effects should be included if these are covered in the review. If necessary, the number of studies and participants contributing to the separate outcomes should be noted, along with concerns over quality of evidence specific to these outcomes. The results should be expressed narratively as well as quantitatively if the numerical results are not clear or intuitive (such as those from a standardized mean differences analysis). The summary statistics in the abstract should be the same as those selected as the defaults for the review, and should be presented in a standard way, such as ‘odds ratio 2.31 (95% confidence interval 1.13 to 3.45)’. Ideally, risks of events (percentage) or averages (for continuous data) should be reported for both comparison groups. If overall results are not calculated in the review, a qualitative assessment or a description of the range and pattern of the results can be given. However, ‘vote counts’ in which the numbers of ‘positive’ and ‘negative’ studies are reported should be avoided.

Authors’ conclusions: The primary purpose of the review should be to present information, rather than to offer advice or recommendations. The Authors’ conclusions should be succinct and drawn directly from the findings of the review so that they directly and obviously reflect the main results. Assumptions should generally not be made about practice circumstances, values, preferences, tradeoffs; and the giving of advice or recommendations should generally be avoided. Any important limitations of data and analyses should be noted. Important conclusions about the implications for research should be included if these are not obvious.

• Resources    
• Prospective Students
• Current Students
• Faculty & Staff
• Alumni & Friends
• News & Media

Writing Abstracts

Graduate students and researchers need to be able to write effective but concise abstracts for presentation and publication opportunities. Readers will decide whether or not to read your paper (if it is published) based on your abstract.

Your abstract is a “selling” point for your paper, so you want to make it clear and, more importantly, it should be a condensed summary of your paper.

What is an Abstract?

An abstract is a summary of approximately 250 words of the main points that you have made in your writing. Therefore it is usually easier to write an abstract once you have finished your research article or manuscript.

To write an abstract, ask yourself the following questions and use the answers as a guideline for your abstract:

• What is the research background of this paper?
• Why did I write this paper?
• What are the main questions presented in this paper
• How did I answer my questions in this paper?

Here is an example of an abstract in APA format: According to Bernard Spolsky, language policy includes language practices—community members' specific selection of linguistic repertoire. For over a decade, the Internet has provided social enclaves for the language practices of world English. Adopting the lens of “communities of practice,” defined by Lave & Wenger (1991) as “a set of relations among persons, activity, and world, over time and in relation with other tangential and overlapping communities of practice” (p. 98), the present study looks at the way that a group of Chinese teachers utilize English as a translingual practice, moving beyond a monolithic use of the language to communicate their new teaching experiences in an online forum.

The data for this study were collected on a China-based internet forum called, 21st Century Community. Using socialization theory (Duff, 2011) and rhetorical analysis (Mao 2006; You 2010), I explore the way that these multilingual teachers from China practice and motivate each other by sharing stories about their lived experiences in new teaching communities. As they grapple with these new experiences in English on the forum, they find support and encouragement from each other and discover new ways of utilizing English as a translingual practice.

Written by: Rachel Griffo

More Writing Help

The Kathleen Jones White Writing Center provides tutoring services, workshops, and writing resources.

• In-Person : 203 Stabley Library
• Online Tutoring: Use the online writing center .
• Instructors: Request a workshop for your class .
• Students: Attend a Wednesday-night workshop .
• Online Workshops: APA Documentation , MLA Documentation .

Online help with

• Organization
• Research documentation
• Kathleen Jones White Writing Center
• Stabley Library, Room 203 431 South Eleventh Street Indiana, PA 15705
• Phone: 724-357-3029
• [email protected]

Write Abstracts, Literature Reviews, and Annotated Bibliographies: Annotated Bibliographies & Examples

• Abstract Guides & Examples
• Literature Reviews
• Annotated Bibliographies & Examples
• Student Research

Style Guides

Your instructor may indicate which style they want you to use in the assignment's description or class syllabus. Below are the generally recommended subject specific style guides.

• APA (psychology, general studies)
• MLA (English, humanities, general studies)
• ACS (chemistry)
• Associated Press (AP) (news writing)
• APSA (political science)
• ASA (sociology)
• Chicago Author-Date/SAA (anthropology)
• CSE/NLM (sciences)
• GSA Citation Style (geology)

What is an Annotated Bibliography?

An annotated bibliography is a list of sources (books, articles, presentations, etc.) where each source is followed by a brief summary paragraph describing/evaluating the source. You can use annotated bibliographies to organize your work, provide an evaluation of resources in a certain discipline, and share insights for readers who might be looking to use those resources in their work.

SIU - What is an Annotated Bibliography from Joshua Vossler on Vimeo .

How to Write an Annotated Bibliography

• Annotated Bibliography Overview (Purdue University)
• Why do an Annotated Bibliography? (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)
• Parts of an Annotated Bibliography (Excelsior College)
• Annotated Bibliographies In Depth (Skidmore College)

Annotated Bibliography Examples

• Annotated Bibliography Samples (Purdue University)
• Example and Writing Advice (University of Toronto)
• MLA Example (Eastern Nazarene College)
• APA Example (Eastern Nazarene College)
• Chicago Example (Eastern Nazarene College)
• << Previous: Literature Reviews
• Next: Student Research >>
• Last Updated: Feb 15, 2024 4:00 PM
• URL: https://library.geneseo.edu/abstracts

Fraser Hall Library | SUNY Geneseo

Fraser Hall 203

Milne Building Renovation Updates

Connect With Us!

Geneseo Authors Hall preserves over 90 years of scholarly works.

KnightScholar Services facilitates creation of works by the SUNY Geneseo community.

IDS Project is a resource-sharing cooperative.

CIT HelpDesk

Writing learning center (wlc).

Fraser Hall 208

Reference Examples

More than 100 reference examples and their corresponding in-text citations are presented in the seventh edition Publication Manual . Examples of the most common works that writers cite are provided on this page; additional examples are available in the Publication Manual .

To find the reference example you need, first select a category (e.g., periodicals) and then choose the appropriate type of work (e.g., journal article ) and follow the relevant example.

When selecting a category, use the webpages and websites category only when a work does not fit better within another category. For example, a report from a government website would use the reports category, whereas a page on a government website that is not a report or other work would use the webpages and websites category.

Also note that print and electronic references are largely the same. For example, to cite both print books and ebooks, use the books and reference works category and then choose the appropriate type of work (i.e., book ) and follow the relevant example (e.g., whole authored book ).

Examples on these pages illustrate the details of reference formats. We make every attempt to show examples that are in keeping with APA Style’s guiding principles of inclusivity and bias-free language. These examples are presented out of context only to demonstrate formatting issues (e.g., which elements to italicize, where punctuation is needed, placement of parentheses). References, including these examples, are not inherently endorsements for the ideas or content of the works themselves. An author may cite a work to support a statement or an idea, to critique that work, or for many other reasons. For more examples, see our sample papers .

Reference examples are covered in the seventh edition APA Style manuals in the Publication Manual Chapter 10 and the Concise Guide Chapter 10

Related handouts

• Common Reference Examples Guide (PDF, 147KB)
• Reference Quick Guide (PDF, 225KB)

Textual Works

Textual works are covered in Sections 10.1–10.8 of the Publication Manual . The most common categories and examples are presented here. For the reviews of other works category, see Section 10.7.

• Journal Article References
• Magazine Article References
• Newspaper Article References
• Blog Post and Blog Comment References
• UpToDate Article References
• Book/Ebook References
• Diagnostic Manual References
• Children’s Book or Other Illustrated Book References
• Classroom Course Pack Material References
• Religious Work References
• Chapter in an Edited Book/Ebook References
• Dictionary Entry References
• Wikipedia Entry References
• Report by a Government Agency References
• Report with Individual Authors References
• Brochure References
• Ethics Code References
• Fact Sheet References
• ISO Standard References
• Press Release References
• White Paper References
• Conference Presentation References
• Conference Proceeding References
• Published Dissertation or Thesis References
• Unpublished Dissertation or Thesis References
• ERIC Database References
• Preprint Article References

Data and Assessments

Data sets are covered in Section 10.9 of the Publication Manual . For the software and tests categories, see Sections 10.10 and 10.11.

• Data Set References
• Toolbox References

Audiovisual Media

Audiovisual media are covered in Sections 10.12–10.14 of the Publication Manual . The most common examples are presented together here. In the manual, these examples and more are separated into categories for audiovisual, audio, and visual media.

• Artwork References
• Clip Art or Stock Image References
• Film and Television References
• Musical Score References
• Online Course or MOOC References
• Podcast References
• PowerPoint Slide or Lecture Note References
• Radio Broadcast References
• TED Talk References
• Transcript of an Audiovisual Work References
• YouTube Video References

Online Media

Online media are covered in Sections 10.15 and 10.16 of the Publication Manual . Please note that blog posts are part of the periodicals category.

• Facebook References
• Instagram References
• LinkedIn References
• Online Forum (e.g., Reddit) References
• TikTok References
• X References
• Webpage on a Website References
• Clinical Practice References
• Open Educational Resource References
• Whole Website References

Loading metrics

Open Access

Peer-reviewed

Research Article

Functional connectivity changes in the brain of adolescents with internet addiction: A systematic literature review of imaging studies

Roles Conceptualization, Data curation, Formal analysis, Investigation, Methodology, Project administration, Software, Validation, Visualization, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing

Affiliation Child and Adolescent Mental Health, Department of Brain Sciences, Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom

Roles Conceptualization, Supervision, Validation, Writing – review & editing

* E-mail: [email protected]

Affiliation Behavioural Brain Sciences Unit, Population Policy Practice Programme, Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom

• Max L. Y. Chang, 
• Irene O. Lee

• Published: June 4, 2024
• https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmen.0000022
• Peer Review
• Reader Comments

Internet usage has seen a stark global rise over the last few decades, particularly among adolescents and young people, who have also been diagnosed increasingly with internet addiction (IA). IA impacts several neural networks that influence an adolescent’s behaviour and development. This article issued a literature review on the resting-state and task-based functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies to inspect the consequences of IA on the functional connectivity (FC) in the adolescent brain and its subsequent effects on their behaviour and development. A systematic search was conducted from two databases, PubMed and PsycINFO, to select eligible articles according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Eligibility criteria was especially stringent regarding the adolescent age range (10–19) and formal diagnosis of IA. Bias and quality of individual studies were evaluated. The fMRI results from 12 articles demonstrated that the effects of IA were seen throughout multiple neural networks: a mix of increases/decreases in FC in the default mode network; an overall decrease in FC in the executive control network; and no clear increase or decrease in FC within the salience network and reward pathway. The FC changes led to addictive behaviour and tendencies in adolescents. The subsequent behavioural changes are associated with the mechanisms relating to the areas of cognitive control, reward valuation, motor coordination, and the developing adolescent brain. Our results presented the FC alterations in numerous brain regions of adolescents with IA leading to the behavioural and developmental changes. Research on this topic had a low frequency with adolescent samples and were primarily produced in Asian countries. Future research studies of comparing results from Western adolescent samples provide more insight on therapeutic intervention.

Citation: Chang MLY, Lee IO (2024) Functional connectivity changes in the brain of adolescents with internet addiction: A systematic literature review of imaging studies. PLOS Ment Health 1(1): e0000022. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmen.0000022

Editor: Kizito Omona, Uganda Martyrs University, UGANDA

Received: December 29, 2023; Accepted: March 18, 2024; Published: June 4, 2024

Copyright: © 2024 Chang, Lee. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License , which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

Data Availability: All relevant data are within the paper and its Supporting information files.

Funding: The authors received no specific funding for this work.

Competing interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Introduction

The behavioural addiction brought on by excessive internet use has become a rising source of concern [ 1 ] since the last decade. According to clinical studies, individuals with Internet Addiction (IA) or Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) may have a range of biopsychosocial effects and is classified as an impulse-control disorder owing to its resemblance to pathological gambling and substance addiction [ 2 , 3 ]. IA has been defined by researchers as a person’s inability to resist the urge to use the internet, which has negative effects on their psychological well-being as well as their social, academic, and professional lives [ 4 ]. The symptoms can have serious physical and interpersonal repercussions and are linked to mood modification, salience, tolerance, impulsivity, and conflict [ 5 ]. In severe circumstances, people may experience severe pain in their bodies or health issues like carpal tunnel syndrome, dry eyes, irregular eating and disrupted sleep [ 6 ]. Additionally, IA is significantly linked to comorbidities with other psychiatric disorders [ 7 ].

Stevens et al (2021) reviewed 53 studies including 17 countries and reported the global prevalence of IA was 3.05% [ 8 ]. Asian countries had a higher prevalence (5.1%) than European countries (2.7%) [ 8 ]. Strikingly, adolescents and young adults had a global IGD prevalence rate of 9.9% which matches previous literature that reported historically higher prevalence among adolescent populations compared to adults [ 8 , 9 ]. Over 80% of adolescent population in the UK, the USA, and Asia have direct access to the internet [ 10 ]. Children and adolescents frequently spend more time on media (possibly 7 hours and 22 minutes per day) than at school or sleeping [ 11 ]. Developing nations have also shown a sharp rise in teenage internet usage despite having lower internet penetration rates [ 10 ]. Concerns regarding the possible harms that overt internet use could do to adolescents and their development have arisen because of this surge, especially the significant impacts by the COVID-19 pandemic [ 12 ]. The growing prevalence and neurocognitive consequences of IA among adolescents makes this population a vital area of study [ 13 ].

Adolescence is a crucial developmental stage during which people go through significant changes in their biology, cognition, and personalities [ 14 ]. Adolescents’ emotional-behavioural functioning is hyperactivated, which creates risk of psychopathological vulnerability [ 15 ]. In accordance with clinical study results [ 16 ], this emotional hyperactivity is supported by a high level of neuronal plasticity. This plasticity enables teenagers to adapt to the numerous physical and emotional changes that occur during puberty as well as develop communication techniques and gain independence [ 16 ]. However, the strong neuronal plasticity is also associated with risk-taking and sensation seeking [ 17 ] which may lead to IA.

Despite the fact that the precise neuronal mechanisms underlying IA are still largely unclear, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) method has been used by scientists as an important framework to examine the neuropathological changes occurring in IA, particularly in the form of functional connectivity (FC) [ 18 ]. fMRI research study has shown that IA alters both the functional and structural makeup of the brain [ 3 ].

We hypothesise that IA has widespread neurological alteration effects rather than being limited to a few specific brain regions. Further hypothesis holds that according to these alterations of FC between the brain regions or certain neural networks, adolescents with IA would experience behavioural changes. An investigation of these domains could be useful for creating better procedures and standards as well as minimising the negative effects of overt internet use. This literature review aims to summarise and analyse the evidence of various imaging studies that have investigated the effects of IA on the FC in adolescents. This will be addressed through two research questions:

• How does internet addiction affect the functional connectivity in the adolescent brain?
• How is adolescent behaviour and development impacted by functional connectivity changes due to internet addiction?

The review protocol was conducted in line with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines (see S1 Checklist ).

Search strategy and selection process

A systematic search was conducted up until April 2023 from two sources of database, PubMed and PsycINFO, using a range of terms relevant to the title and research questions (see full list of search terms in S1 Appendix ). All the searched articles can be accessed in the S1 Data . The eligible articles were selected according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Inclusion criteria used for the present review were: (i) participants in the studies with clinical diagnosis of IA; (ii) participants between the ages of 10 and 19; (iii) imaging research investigations; (iv) works published between January 2013 and April 2023; (v) written in English language; (vi) peer-reviewed papers and (vii) full text. The numbers of articles excluded due to not meeting the inclusion criteria are shown in Fig 1 . Each study’s title and abstract were screened for eligibility.

• PPT PowerPoint slide
• PNG larger image
• TIFF original image

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmen.0000022.g001

Quality appraisal

Full texts of all potentially relevant studies were then retrieved and further appraised for eligibility. Furthermore, articles were critically appraised based on the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations) framework to evaluate the individual study for both quality and bias. The subsequent quality levels were then appraised to each article and listed as either low, moderate, or high.

Data collection process

Data that satisfied the inclusion requirements was entered into an excel sheet for data extraction and further selection. An article’s author, publication year, country, age range, participant sample size, sex, area of interest, measures, outcome and article quality were all included in the data extraction spreadsheet. Studies looking at FC, for instance, were grouped, while studies looking at FC in specific area were further divided into sub-groups.

Data synthesis and analysis

Articles were classified according to their location in the brain as well as the network or pathway they were a part of to create a coherent narrative between the selected studies. Conclusions concerning various research trends relevant to particular groupings were drawn from these groupings and subgroupings. To maintain the offered information in a prominent manner, these assertions were entered into the data extraction excel spreadsheet.

With the search performed on the selected databases, 238 articles in total were identified (see Fig 1 ). 15 duplicated articles were eliminated, and another 6 items were removed for various other reasons. Title and abstract screening eliminated 184 articles because they were not in English (number of article, n, = 7), did not include imaging components (n = 47), had adult participants (n = 53), did not have a clinical diagnosis of IA (n = 19), did not address FC in the brain (n = 20), and were published outside the desired timeframe (n = 38). A further 21 papers were eliminated for failing to meet inclusion requirements after the remaining 33 articles underwent full-text eligibility screening. A total of 12 papers were deemed eligible for this review analysis.

Characteristics of the included studies, as depicted in the data extraction sheet in Table 1 provide information of the author(s), publication year, sample size, study location, age range, gender, area of interest, outcome, measures used and quality appraisal. Most of the studies in this review utilised resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging techniques (n = 7), with several studies demonstrating task-based fMRI procedures (n = 3), and the remaining studies utilising whole-brain imaging measures (n = 2). The studies were all conducted in Asiatic countries, specifically coming from China (8), Korea (3), and Indonesia (1). Sample sizes ranged from 12 to 31 participants with most of the imaging studies having comparable sample sizes. Majority of the studies included a mix of male and female participants (n = 8) with several studies having a male only participant pool (n = 3). All except one of the mixed gender studies had a majority male participant pool. One study did not disclose their data on the gender demographics of their experiment. Study years ranged from 2013–2022, with 2 studies in 2013, 3 studies in 2014, 3 studies in 2015, 1 study in 2017, 1 study in 2020, 1 study in 2021, and 1 study in 2022.

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmen.0000022.t001

(1) How does internet addiction affect the functional connectivity in the adolescent brain?

The included studies were organised according to the brain region or network that they were observing. The specific networks affected by IA were the default mode network, executive control system, salience network and reward pathway. These networks are vital components of adolescent behaviour and development [ 31 ]. The studies in each section were then grouped into subsections according to their specific brain regions within their network.

Default mode network (DMN)/reward network.

Out of the 12 studies, 3 have specifically studied the default mode network (DMN), and 3 observed whole-brain FC that partially included components of the DMN. The effect of IA on the various centres of the DMN was not unilaterally the same. The findings illustrate a complex mix of increases and decreases in FC depending on the specific region in the DMN (see Table 2 and Fig 2 ). The alteration of FC in posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) in the DMN was the most frequently reported area in adolescents with IA, which involved in attentional processes [ 32 ], but Lee et al. (2020) additionally found alterations of FC in other brain regions, such as anterior insula cortex, a node in the DMN that controls the integration of motivational and cognitive processes [ 20 ].

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmen.0000022.g002

The overall changes of functional connectivity in the brain network including default mode network (DMN), executive control network (ECN), salience network (SN) and reward network. IA = Internet Addiction, FC = Functional Connectivity.

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmen.0000022.t002

Ding et al. (2013) revealed altered FC in the cerebellum, the middle temporal gyrus, and the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) [ 22 ]. They found that the bilateral inferior parietal lobule, left superior parietal lobule, and right inferior temporal gyrus had decreased FC, while the bilateral posterior lobe of the cerebellum and the medial temporal gyrus had increased FC [ 22 ]. The right middle temporal gyrus was found to have 111 cluster voxels (t = 3.52, p<0.05) and the right inferior parietal lobule was found to have 324 cluster voxels (t = -4.07, p<0.05) with an extent threshold of 54 voxels (figures above this threshold are deemed significant) [ 22 ]. Additionally, there was a negative correlation, with 95 cluster voxels (p<0.05) between the FC of the left superior parietal lobule and the PCC with the Chen Internet Addiction Scores (CIAS) which are used to determine the severity of IA [ 22 ]. On the other hand, in regions of the reward system, connection with the PCC was positively connected with CIAS scores [ 22 ]. The most significant was the right praecuneus with 219 cluster voxels (p<0.05) [ 22 ]. Wang et al. (2017) also discovered that adolescents with IA had 33% less FC in the left inferior parietal lobule and 20% less FC in the dorsal mPFC [ 24 ]. A potential connection between the effects of substance use and overt internet use is revealed by the generally decreased FC in these areas of the DMN of teenagers with drug addiction and IA [ 35 ].

The putamen was one of the main regions of reduced FC in adolescents with IA [ 19 ]. The putamen and the insula-operculum demonstrated significant group differences regarding functional connectivity with a cluster size of 251 and an extent threshold of 250 (Z = 3.40, p<0.05) [ 19 ]. The molecular mechanisms behind addiction disorders have been intimately connected to decreased striatal dopaminergic function [ 19 ], making this function crucial.

Executive Control Network (ECN).

5 studies out of 12 have specifically viewed parts of the executive control network (ECN) and 3 studies observed whole-brain FC. The effects of IA on the ECN’s constituent parts were consistent across all the studies examined for this analysis (see Table 2 and Fig 3 ). The results showed a notable decline in all the ECN’s major centres. Li et al. (2014) used fMRI imaging and a behavioural task to study response inhibition in adolescents with IA [ 25 ] and found decreased activation at the striatum and frontal gyrus, particularly a reduction in FC at inferior frontal gyrus, in the IA group compared to controls [ 25 ]. The inferior frontal gyrus showed a reduction in FC in comparison to the controls with a cluster size of 71 (t = 4.18, p<0.05) [ 25 ]. In addition, the frontal-basal ganglia pathways in the adolescents with IA showed little effective connection between areas and increased degrees of response inhibition [ 25 ].

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmen.0000022.g003

Lin et al. (2015) found that adolescents with IA demonstrated disrupted corticostriatal FC compared to controls [ 33 ]. The corticostriatal circuitry experienced decreased connectivity with the caudate, bilateral anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), as well as the striatum and frontal gyrus [ 33 ]. The inferior ventral striatum showed significantly reduced FC with the subcallosal ACC and caudate head with cluster size of 101 (t = -4.64, p<0.05) [ 33 ]. Decreased FC in the caudate implies dysfunction of the corticostriatal-limbic circuitry involved in cognitive and emotional control [ 36 ]. The decrease in FC in both the striatum and frontal gyrus is related to inhibitory control, a common deficit seen with disruptions with the ECN [ 33 ].

The dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), ACC, and right supplementary motor area (SMA) of the prefrontal cortex were all found to have significantly decreased grey matter volume [ 29 ]. In addition, the DLPFC, insula, temporal cortices, as well as significant subcortical regions like the striatum and thalamus, showed decreased FC [ 29 ]. According to Tremblay (2009), the striatum plays a significant role in the processing of rewards, decision-making, and motivation [ 37 ]. Chen et al. (2020) reported that the IA group demonstrated increased impulsivity as well as decreased reaction inhibition using a Stroop colour-word task [ 26 ]. Furthermore, Chen et al. (2020) observed that the left DLPFC and dorsal striatum experienced a negative connection efficiency value, specifically demonstrating that the dorsal striatum activity suppressed the left DLPFC [ 27 ].

Salience network (SN).

Out of the 12 chosen studies, 3 studies specifically looked at the salience network (SN) and 3 studies have observed whole-brain FC. Relative to the DMN and ECN, the findings on the SN were slightly sparser. Despite this, adolescents with IA demonstrated a moderate decrease in FC, as well as other measures like fibre connectivity and cognitive control, when compared to healthy control (see Table 2 and Fig 4 ).

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmen.0000022.g004

Xing et al. (2014) used both dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) and insula to test FC changes in the SN of adolescents with IA and found decreased structural connectivity in the SN as well as decreased fractional anisotropy (FA) that correlated to behaviour performance in the Stroop colour word-task [ 21 ]. They examined the dACC and insula to determine whether the SN’s disrupted connectivity may be linked to the SN’s disruption of regulation, which would explain the impaired cognitive control seen in adolescents with IA. However, researchers did not find significant FC differences in the SN when compared to the controls [ 21 ]. These results provided evidence for the structural changes in the interconnectivity within SN in adolescents with IA.

Wang et al. (2017) investigated network interactions between the DMN, ECN, SN and reward pathway in IA subjects [ 24 ] (see Fig 5 ), and found 40% reduction of FC between the DMN and specific regions of the SN, such as the insula, in comparison to the controls (p = 0.008) [ 24 ]. The anterior insula and dACC are two areas that are impacted by this altered FC [ 24 ]. This finding supports the idea that IA has similar neurobiological abnormalities with other addictive illnesses, which is in line with a study that discovered disruptive changes in the SN and DMN’s interaction in cocaine addiction [ 38 ]. The insula has also been linked to the intensity of symptoms and has been implicated in the development of IA [ 39 ].

“+” indicates an increase in behaivour; “-”indicates a decrease in behaviour; solid arrows indicate a direct network interaction; and the dotted arrows indicates a reduction in network interaction. This diagram depicts network interactions juxtaposed with engaging in internet related behaviours. Through the neural interactions, the diagram illustrates how the networks inhibit or amplify internet usage and vice versa. Furthermore, it demonstrates how the SN mediates both the DMN and ECN.

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmen.0000022.g005

(2) How is adolescent behaviour and development impacted by functional connectivity changes due to internet addiction?

The findings that IA individuals demonstrate an overall decrease in FC in the DMN is supported by numerous research [ 24 ]. Drug addict populations also exhibited similar decline in FC in the DMN [ 40 ]. The disruption of attentional orientation and self-referential processing for both substance and behavioural addiction was then hypothesised to be caused by DMN anomalies in FC [ 41 ].

In adolescents with IA, decline of FC in the parietal lobule affects visuospatial task-related behaviour [ 22 ], short-term memory [ 42 ], and the ability of controlling attention or restraining motor responses during response inhibition tests [ 42 ]. Cue-induced gaming cravings are influenced by the DMN [ 43 ]. A visual processing area called the praecuneus links gaming cues to internal information [ 22 ]. A meta-analysis found that the posterior cingulate cortex activity of individuals with IA during cue-reactivity tasks was connected with their gaming time [ 44 ], suggesting that excessive gaming may impair DMN function and that individuals with IA exert more cognitive effort to control it. Findings for the behavioural consequences of FC changes in the DMN illustrate its underlying role in regulating impulsivity, self-monitoring, and cognitive control.

Furthermore, Ding et al. (2013) reported an activation of components of the reward pathway, including areas like the nucleus accumbens, praecuneus, SMA, caudate, and thalamus, in connection to the DMN [ 22 ]. The increased FC of the limbic and reward networks have been confirmed to be a major biomarker for IA [ 45 , 46 ]. The increased reinforcement in these networks increases the strength of reward stimuli and makes it more difficult for other networks, namely the ECN, to down-regulate the increased attention [ 29 ] (See Fig 5 ).

Executive control network (ECN).

The numerous IA-affected components in the ECN have a role in a variety of behaviours that are connected to both response inhibition and emotional regulation [ 47 ]. For instance, brain regions like the striatum, which are linked to impulsivity and the reward system, are heavily involved in the act of playing online games [ 47 ]. Online game play activates the striatum, which suppresses the left DLPFC in ECN [ 48 ]. As a result, people with IA may find it difficult to control their want to play online games [ 48 ]. This system thus causes impulsive and protracted gaming conduct, lack of inhibitory control leading to the continued use of internet in an overt manner despite a variety of negative effects, personal distress, and signs of psychological dependence [ 33 ] (See Fig 5 ).

Wang et al. (2017) report that disruptions in cognitive control networks within the ECN are frequently linked to characteristics of substance addiction [ 24 ]. With samples that were addicted to heroin and cocaine, previous studies discovered abnormal FC in the ECN and the PFC [ 49 ]. Electronic gaming is known to promote striatal dopamine release, similar to drug addiction [ 50 ]. According to Drgonova and Walther (2016), it is hypothesised that dopamine could stimulate the reward system of the striatum in the brain, leading to a loss of impulse control and a failure of prefrontal lobe executive inhibitory control [ 51 ]. In the end, IA’s resemblance to drug use disorders may point to vital biomarkers or underlying mechanisms that explain how cognitive control and impulsive behaviour are related.

A task-related fMRI study found that the decrease in FC between the left DLPFC and dorsal striatum was congruent with an increase in impulsivity in adolescents with IA [ 26 ]. The lack of response inhibition from the ECN results in a loss of control over internet usage and a reduced capacity to display goal-directed behaviour [ 33 ]. Previous studies have linked the alteration of the ECN in IA with higher cue reactivity and impaired ability to self-regulate internet specific stimuli [ 52 ].

Salience network (SN)/ other networks.

Xing et al. (2014) investigated the significance of the SN regarding cognitive control in teenagers with IA [ 21 ]. The SN, which is composed of the ACC and insula, has been demonstrated to control dynamic changes in other networks to modify cognitive performance [ 21 ]. The ACC is engaged in conflict monitoring and cognitive control, according to previous neuroimaging research [ 53 ]. The insula is a region that integrates interoceptive states into conscious feelings [ 54 ]. The results from Xing et al. (2014) showed declines in the SN regarding its structural connectivity and fractional anisotropy, even though they did not observe any appreciable change in FC in the IA participants [ 21 ]. Due to the small sample size, the results may have indicated that FC methods are not sensitive enough to detect the significant functional changes [ 21 ]. However, task performance behaviours associated with impaired cognitive control in adolescents with IA were correlated with these findings [ 21 ]. Our comprehension of the SN’s broader function in IA can be enhanced by this relationship.

Research study supports the idea that different psychological issues are caused by the functional reorganisation of expansive brain networks, such that strong association between SN and DMN may provide neurological underpinnings at the system level for the uncontrollable character of internet-using behaviours [ 24 ]. In the study by Wang et al. (2017), the decreased interconnectivity between the SN and DMN, comprising regions such the DLPFC and the insula, suggests that adolescents with IA may struggle to effectively inhibit DMN activity during internally focused processing, leading to poorly managed desires or preoccupations to use the internet [ 24 ] (See Fig 5 ). Subsequently, this may cause a failure to inhibit DMN activity as well as a restriction of ECN functionality [ 55 ]. As a result, the adolescent experiences an increased salience and sensitivity towards internet addicting cues making it difficult to avoid these triggers [ 56 ].

The primary aim of this review was to present a summary of how internet addiction impacts on the functional connectivity of adolescent brain. Subsequently, the influence of IA on the adolescent brain was compartmentalised into three sections: alterations of FC at various brain regions, specific FC relationships, and behavioural/developmental changes. Overall, the specific effects of IA on the adolescent brain were not completely clear, given the variety of FC changes. However, there were overarching behavioural, network and developmental trends that were supported that provided insight on adolescent development.

The first hypothesis that was held about this question was that IA was widespread and would be regionally similar to substance-use and gambling addiction. After conducting a review of the information in the chosen articles, the hypothesis was predictably supported. The regions of the brain affected by IA are widespread and influence multiple networks, mainly DMN, ECN, SN and reward pathway. In the DMN, there was a complex mix of increases and decreases within the network. However, in the ECN, the alterations of FC were more unilaterally decreased, but the findings of SN and reward pathway were not quite clear. Overall, the FC changes within adolescents with IA are very much network specific and lay a solid foundation from which to understand the subsequent behaviour changes that arise from the disorder.

The second hypothesis placed emphasis on the importance of between network interactions and within network interactions in the continuation of IA and the development of its behavioural symptoms. The results from the findings involving the networks, DMN, SN, ECN and reward system, support this hypothesis (see Fig 5 ). Studies confirm the influence of all these neural networks on reward valuation, impulsivity, salience to stimuli, cue reactivity and other changes that alter behaviour towards the internet use. Many of these changes are connected to the inherent nature of the adolescent brain.

There are multiple explanations that underlie the vulnerability of the adolescent brain towards IA related urges. Several of them have to do with the inherent nature and underlying mechanisms of the adolescent brain. Children’s emotional, social, and cognitive capacities grow exponentially during childhood and adolescence [ 57 ]. Early teenagers go through a process called “social reorientation” that is characterised by heightened sensitivity to social cues and peer connections [ 58 ]. Adolescents’ improvements in their social skills coincide with changes in their brains’ anatomical and functional organisation [ 59 ]. Functional hubs exhibit growing connectivity strength [ 60 ], suggesting increased functional integration during development. During this time, the brain’s functional networks change from an anatomically dominant structure to a scattered architecture [ 60 ].

The adolescent brain is very responsive to synaptic reorganisation and experience cues [ 61 ]. As a result, one of the distinguishing traits of the maturation of adolescent brains is the variation in neural network trajectory [ 62 ]. Important weaknesses of the adolescent brain that may explain the neurobiological change brought on by external stimuli are illustrated by features like the functional gaps between networks and the inadequate segregation of networks [ 62 ].

The implications of these findings towards adolescent behaviour are significant. Although the exact changes and mechanisms are not fully clear, the observed changes in functional connectivity have the capacity of influencing several aspects of adolescent development. For example, functional connectivity has been utilised to investigate attachment styles in adolescents [ 63 ]. It was observed that adolescent attachment styles were negatively associated with caudate-prefrontal connectivity, but positively with the putamen-visual area connectivity [ 63 ]. Both named areas were also influenced by the onset of internet addiction, possibly providing a connection between the two. Another study associated neighbourhood/socioeconomic disadvantage with functional connectivity alterations in the DMN and dorsal attention network [ 64 ]. The study also found multivariate brain behaviour relationships between the altered/disadvantaged functional connectivity and mental health and cognition [ 64 ]. This conclusion supports the notion that the functional connectivity alterations observed in IA are associated with specific adolescent behaviours as well as the fact that functional connectivity can be utilised as a platform onto which to compare various neurologic conditions.

Limitations/strengths

There were several limitations that were related to the conduction of the review as well as the data extracted from the articles. Firstly, the study followed a systematic literature review design when analysing the fMRI studies. The data pulled from these imaging studies were namely qualitative and were subject to bias contrasting the quantitative nature of statistical analysis. Components of the study, such as sample sizes, effect sizes, and demographics were not weighted or controlled. The second limitation brought up by a similar review was the lack of a universal consensus of terminology given IA [ 47 ]. Globally, authors writing about this topic use an array of terminology including online gaming addiction, internet addiction, internet gaming disorder, and problematic internet use. Often, authors use multiple terms interchangeably which makes it difficult to depict the subtle similarities and differences between the terms.

Reviewing the explicit limitations in each of the included studies, two major limitations were brought up in many of the articles. One was relating to the cross-sectional nature of the included studies. Due to the inherent qualities of a cross-sectional study, the studies did not provide clear evidence that IA played a causal role towards the development of the adolescent brain. While several biopsychosocial factors mediate these interactions, task-based measures that combine executive functions with imaging results reinforce the assumed connection between the two that is utilised by the papers studying IA. Another limitation regarded the small sample size of the included studies, which averaged to around 20 participants. The small sample size can influence the generalisation of the results as well as the effectiveness of statistical analyses. Ultimately, both included study specific limitations illustrate the need for future studies to clarify the causal relationship between the alterations of FC and the development of IA.

Another vital limitation was the limited number of studies applying imaging techniques for investigations on IA in adolescents were a uniformly Far East collection of studies. The reason for this was because the studies included in this review were the only fMRI studies that were found that adhered to the strict adolescent age restriction. The adolescent age range given by the WHO (10–19 years old) [ 65 ] was strictly followed. It is important to note that a multitude of studies found in the initial search utilised an older adolescent demographic that was slightly higher than the WHO age range and had a mean age that was outside of the limitations. As a result, the results of this review are biased and based on the 12 studies that met the inclusion and exclusion criteria.

Regarding the global nature of the research, although the journals that the studies were published in were all established western journals, the collection of studies were found to all originate from Asian countries, namely China and Korea. Subsequently, it pulls into question if the results and measures from these studies are generalisable towards a western population. As stated previously, Asian countries have a higher prevalence of IA, which may be the reasoning to why the majority of studies are from there [ 8 ]. However, in an additional search including other age groups, it was found that a high majority of all FC studies on IA were done in Asian countries. Interestingly, western papers studying fMRI FC were primarily focused on gambling and substance-use addiction disorders. The western papers on IA were less focused on fMRI FC but more on other components of IA such as sleep, game-genre, and other non-imaging related factors. This demonstrated an overall lack of western fMRI studies on IA. It is important to note that both western and eastern fMRI studies on IA presented an overall lack on children and adolescents in general.

Despite the several limitations, this review provided a clear reflection on the state of the data. The strengths of the review include the strict inclusion/exclusion criteria that filtered through studies and only included ones that contained a purely adolescent sample. As a result, the information presented in this review was specific to the review’s aims. Given the sparse nature of adolescent specific fMRI studies on the FC changes in IA, this review successfully provided a much-needed niche representation of adolescent specific results. Furthermore, the review provided a thorough functional explanation of the DMN, ECN, SN and reward pathway making it accessible to readers new to the topic.

Future directions and implications

Through the search process of the review, there were more imaging studies focused on older adolescence and adulthood. Furthermore, finding a review that covered a strictly adolescent population, focused on FC changes, and was specifically depicting IA, was proven difficult. Many related reviews, such as Tereshchenko and Kasparov (2019), looked at risk factors related to the biopsychosocial model, but did not tackle specific alterations in specific structural or functional changes in the brain [ 66 ]. Weinstein (2017) found similar structural and functional results as well as the role IA has in altering response inhibition and reward valuation in adolescents with IA [ 47 ]. Overall, the accumulated findings only paint an emerging pattern which aligns with similar substance-use and gambling disorders. Future studies require more specificity in depicting the interactions between neural networks, as well as more literature on adolescent and comorbid populations. One future field of interest is the incorporation of more task-based fMRI data. Advances in resting-state fMRI methods have yet to be reflected or confirmed in task-based fMRI methods [ 62 ]. Due to the fact that network connectivity is shaped by different tasks, it is critical to confirm that the findings of the resting state fMRI studies also apply to the task based ones [ 62 ]. Subsequently, work in this area will confirm if intrinsic connectivity networks function in resting state will function similarly during goal directed behaviour [ 62 ]. An elevated focus on adolescent populations as well as task-based fMRI methodology will help uncover to what extent adolescent network connectivity maturation facilitates behavioural and cognitive development [ 62 ].

A treatment implication is the potential usage of bupropion for the treatment of IA. Bupropion has been previously used to treat patients with gambling disorder and has been effective in decreasing overall gambling behaviour as well as money spent while gambling [ 67 ]. Bae et al. (2018) found a decrease in clinical symptoms of IA in line with a 12-week bupropion treatment [ 31 ]. The study found that bupropion altered the FC of both the DMN and ECN which in turn decreased impulsivity and attentional deficits for the individuals with IA [ 31 ]. Interventions like bupropion illustrate the importance of understanding the fundamental mechanisms that underlie disorders like IA.

The goal for this review was to summarise the current literature on functional connectivity changes in adolescents with internet addiction. The findings answered the primary research questions that were directed at FC alterations within several networks of the adolescent brain and how that influenced their behaviour and development. Overall, the research demonstrated several wide-ranging effects that influenced the DMN, SN, ECN, and reward centres. Additionally, the findings gave ground to important details such as the maturation of the adolescent brain, the high prevalence of Asian originated studies, and the importance of task-based studies in this field. The process of making this review allowed for a thorough understanding IA and adolescent brain interactions.

Given the influx of technology and media in the lives and education of children and adolescents, an increase in prevalence and focus on internet related behavioural changes is imperative towards future children/adolescent mental health. Events such as COVID-19 act to expose the consequences of extended internet usage on the development and lifestyle of specifically young people. While it is important for parents and older generations to be wary of these changes, it is important for them to develop a base understanding of the issue and not dismiss it as an all-bad or all-good scenario. Future research on IA will aim to better understand the causal relationship between IA and psychological symptoms that coincide with it. The current literature regarding functional connectivity changes in adolescents is limited and requires future studies to test with larger sample sizes, comorbid populations, and populations outside Far East Asia.

This review aimed to demonstrate the inner workings of how IA alters the connection between the primary behavioural networks in the adolescent brain. Predictably, the present answers merely paint an unfinished picture that does not necessarily depict internet usage as overwhelmingly positive or negative. Alternatively, the research points towards emerging patterns that can direct individuals on the consequences of certain variables or risk factors. A clearer depiction of the mechanisms of IA would allow physicians to screen and treat the onset of IA more effectively. Clinically, this could be in the form of more streamlined and accurate sessions of CBT or family therapy, targeting key symptoms of IA. Alternatively clinicians could potentially prescribe treatment such as bupropion to target FC in certain regions of the brain. Furthermore, parental education on IA is another possible avenue of prevention from a public health standpoint. Parents who are aware of the early signs and onset of IA will more effectively handle screen time, impulsivity, and minimize the risk factors surrounding IA.

Additionally, an increased attention towards internet related fMRI research is needed in the West, as mentioned previously. Despite cultural differences, Western countries may hold similarities to the eastern countries with a high prevalence of IA, like China and Korea, regarding the implications of the internet and IA. The increasing influence of the internet on the world may contribute to an overall increase in the global prevalence of IA. Nonetheless, the high saturation of eastern studies in this field should be replicated with a Western sample to determine if the same FC alterations occur. A growing interest in internet related research and education within the West will hopefully lead to the knowledge of healthier internet habits and coping strategies among parents with children and adolescents. Furthermore, IA research has the potential to become a crucial proxy for which to study adolescent brain maturation and development.

Supporting information

S1 checklist. prisma checklist..

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmen.0000022.s001

S1 Appendix. Search strategies with all the terms.

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmen.0000022.s002

S1 Data. Article screening records with details of categorized content.

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmen.0000022.s003

Acknowledgments

The authors thank https://www.stockio.com/free-clipart/brain-01 (with attribution to Stockio.com); and https://www.rawpixel.com/image/6442258/png-sticker-vintage for the free images used to create Figs 2 – 4 .

• View Article
• PubMed/NCBI
• Google Scholar
• 2. Association AP. Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders: DSM-5. 5 ed. Washington, D.C.: American Psychiatric Publishing; 2013.
• 10. Stats IW. World Internet Users Statistics and World Population Stats 2013 [ http://www.internetworldstats.com/stats.htm .
• 11. Rideout VJR M. B. The common sense census: media use by tweens and teens. San Francisco, CA: Common Sense Media; 2019.
• 37. Tremblay L. The Ventral Striatum. Handbook of Reward and Decision Making: Academic Press; 2009.
• 57. Bhana A. Middle childhood and pre-adolescence. Promoting mental health in scarce-resource contexts: emerging evidence and practice. Cape Town: HSRC Press; 2010. p. 124–42.
• 65. Organization WH. Adolescent Health 2023 [ https://www.who.int/health-topics/adolescent-health#tab=tab_1 .

• Search Menu
• Sign in through your institution
• Advance articles
• Themed Collections
• Editor's Choice
• Ilona Kickbusch Award
• Supplements
• Author Guidelines
• Submission Online
• Open Access Option
• Self-Archiving Policy
• About Health Promotion International
• Editorial Board
• Advertising and Corporate Services
• Journals on Oxford Academic
• Books on Oxford Academic

Article Contents

Introduction, supplementary material, authorship contributions, acknowledgements, data availability.

• < Previous

Unleashing the potential of Health Promotion in primary care—a scoping literature review

• Article contents
• Figures & tables
• Supplementary Data

Adela Bisak, Martin Stafström, Unleashing the potential of Health Promotion in primary care—a scoping literature review, Health Promotion International , Volume 39, Issue 3, June 2024, daae044, https://doi.org/10.1093/heapro/daae044

• Permissions Icon Permissions

The purpose of this study is to gain a better understanding of the role and extent of health promotion lifestyle interventions targeting adults in primary care, and especially those who are considered overall healthy, i.e. to study the outcomes of research applying salutogenesis. We performed a literature review, with three specific aims. First, to identify studies that have targeted the healthy population in intervention within the primary health care field with health promotion activities. Second, to describe these interventions in terms of which health problems they have targeted and what the interventions have entailed. Third, to assess what these programs have resulted in, in terms of health outcomes. This scoping review of 42 studies, that applied salutogenesis in primary care interventions shows that health promotion targeting healthy individuals is relevant and effective. The PRISMA-ScR guidelines for reporting on scoping review were used. Most interventions were successful in reducing disease-related risks including CVD, CVD mortality, all-cause mortality, but even more importantly success in behavioural change, sustained at follow-up. Additionally, this review shows that health promotion lifestyle interventions can improve mental health, even when having different aims.

This article describes the importance of including healthy individuals in health promotion activities, applying salutogenesis, as there are significant positive health outcomes effects if they participate in health interventions.

The study amplifies that the prevention paradox should always be considered when designing health promotion interventions.

This article shows that the greatest effects when targeting healthy individuals are found in lower all-cause mortality and CVD risks, mainly because these programs manage to lead to long-lasting lifestyle changes.

Health Promotion is, according to Nutbeam and Muscat (2021 , p. 1580), ‘[…] the process of enabling people to increase control over, and to improve their health’. This process entails a comprehensive approach to change on all levels, from structures to individuals, improving health mainly through addressing the social determinants of health.

Whereas the most overarching processes are initiated on a structural level through global and national health policies ( Cross et al ., 2020 ), health promotion strategies are also widely employed in health interventions targeting individuals. It could entail smoking cessation programs, weight loss programs and adolescent alcohol use, just to mention some common health outcome target areas ( Green et al. , 2019 ). Even when deploying health promotion strategies at a national policy level, it is not uncommon that the programs designed to target individuals and groups are more inspired by pathogenesis, rather than salutogenesis ( Nutbeam and Muscat, 2021 ).

A widespread strategy in the latter programs is that individuals are screened for a need to receive an intervention, so-called secondary or indicated prevention programs, where those who report a riskier lifestyle, or test worse on psychometric or biometric indicators are eligible for receiving the intervention, and those not having the same risks are excluded from the program on the premise that they are, based on study protocol definitions, healthy individuals.

Based on the principles of salutogenesis, this is a somewhat inappropriate approach. Within the strategy of health promotion, it is assumed that all people, no matter their level of risk, would find feedback on their health valuable. Those in need of change should receive the necessary resources and tools to change, whereas those who do not have to change should have their lifestyles positively reinforced. In addition, the prevention paradox ( Rose, 1981 ) postulates that it is important to address the majority, as there will be plenty of adverse health outcomes stemming from them. In conventional indicated prevention programs, attention to those who are non-eligible for interventions is, thus, often completely disregarded.

One common arena for such programs is primary health care. There is a wide range of evidence-based programs that have shown efficacy in reducing the health risks among those who have the riskiest lifestyles in relation to, e.g. alcohol use ( Beyer et al ., 2019 ), smoking ( Cantera et al ., 2015 ), depression ( Bortolotti et al ., 2008 ), diabetes ( Galaviz et al ., 2018 ) and cardiovascular diseases ( Álvarez-Bueno et al. , 2015 ). The at-risk groups vary across the different diseases, but a vast majority of patients targeted in the above studies were identified after screening as non-eligible to participate in the intervention in question. From this follows that a large number of individuals do not receive any substantial health information, nor are their health outcomes measured as they are not included in the intervention. From a health promotion perspective, this seems like a lost opportunity. Additionally, this raises the question of whether a healthy population is systematically disadvantaged compared to those individuals at high risk, which might point to some less-known health inequities or disparities ( Braveman, 2006 ) present in primary care.

In order to gain a better understanding of the effects of health promotion as an overall approach, and to understand the implications of the prevention paradox, it would be pertinent to include the non-eligible group in both the feedback loop—mainly offering them structured positive reinforcement—and to subsequently measure their health and attributed lifestyles.

The purpose of this study is to gain a better understanding of the role and extent of health promotion lifestyle interventions targeting adults in primary care, especially those who are considered overall healthy. More precisely we aim to assess to what extent health promotion practices in primary care address healthy individuals, not only those who need to undergo a lifestyle change. In order to do so, we performed a literature review, with three specific aims. First, to identify studies that have only targeted the healthy population, or healthy population in addition to high-risk group in intervention within the primary health care field with health promotion activities. Second, to describe these interventions in terms of which health problems they have targeted and what the interventions have entailed. Third, to assess what the initiatives published in the research literature have resulted in terms of health outcomes.

Due to the width of the topic and study designs we chose to perform a scoping review, with the aim of summarizing and disseminating previous research and identifying research gaps in the literature ( Arksey and O’Malley, 2005 ). The search process was iterative and non-linear, reflecting upon the results from the literature search at each stage and then repeating steps where necessary to cover the literature more comprehensively ( Arksey and O’Malley, 2005 ).

A few terms demand some further definition within the scope of this review . Healthy individual is a fluid term varying across different studies and contexts, yet it is a key concept in this particular study. The term involves those without chronic disease, who are indicated as not being of an elevated risk of developing a disease linked to the health outcome they have been screened for, but they could very well be at risk for diseases beyond the scope of the study they have been examined within. Primary health care may in this review indicates different types of settings from the most common one relating to general practitioners and family doctors to occupational medicine or periodical work-related health check-ups but also dental health care. Health promotion interventions in this study are understood as interventions that aim to keep people healthy longer, by providing positive feedback in relation to current and new health behaviours, rather than controlling health status by medication use.

Search strategy

The search was done across two databases PubMed and Embase, by combining different strings related to keywords ‘health promotion’ and ‘primary care’, while the rest of the strings varied, more specific search queries are available in Supplementary Appendix A . The search was conducted during June and July 2023 and consisted of publications dated between July 2008 and July 2023 (i.e. the last 15 years). Additional studies were identified manually from references of the included articles and by ‘See all similar articles’ option in PubMed and ‘similar records’ in Embase. The article titles were scanned from databases, followed by screening titles and abstracts through the Covidence software, and then finally the full articles were read. Results were filtered for adult humans, defined as age 18–75, abstracts being available and the studies were authored in English.

Articles were included if (i) the population consisted of working-age adults, (ii) the population included those screened as healthy within a whole sample followed by an intervention or interventions ideally at follow-up, (iii) the study focused on primary prevention (iv) the study focused on lifestyle interventions, (v) the study examined lifestyle-related behaviours. Exclusion criteria for papers were (i) focused on children—below the age of 18 or elderly, (ii) addiction behaviours, (iii) excluding healthy individuals from intervention after screening or using them exclusively in the control group, (iv) using only high-risk population as healthy, (v) promoting only mental health, (vi) secondary prevention, (vii) screening is the only intervention, (viii) reviews and study protocols.

After full-text screening, the data charting process for reviewing, sorting and documenting information ( Arksey and O’Malley, 2005 ) was done using Covidence, Data Extraction version 2 recommended for scoping reviews. The Data Extraction Template included columns for article title, author, country in which the study was conducted, methods (aim, design, population description, inclusion and exclusion criteria) intervention description, outcome measures, relevant results, follow-up (yes/no), study setting (primary care, worksite/occupational, population-based), study category (lifestyle, physical activity and diet, cardiovascular disease, alcohol consumption) and a field for additional notes where needed.

Due to great inconsistencies between studies in the design, populations and outcomes, critical appraisal of individual sources of evidence—an optional step in PRISMA-ScR ( Tricco et al ., 2018 ) guideline list was not done, although concerning research aim it would be useful for assessing the quality of evidence. Although exclusion/inclusion criteria were respected, what was considered as ‘healthy’, ‘middle-’ or ‘high-risk population’ differed significantly in studies, due to differences in definition of terms. Moreover, this decision was made as the AMSTAR tool would not be an adequate choice due to the inclusion of a non-randomized design, and although the AMSTAR 2 tool could potentially be used, this review also included several economic evaluations and follow-ups ( Supplementary Table S1 for more details), or indicators differing highly across studies.

For the synthesis of results ( Tricco et al ., 2018 ), the studies were grouped by the type of the outcome—disease, i.e. CVD or lifestyle/behaviour: physical activity and diet or alcohol consumption. Furthermore, the studies were summarized by setting, risk group and follow-up. None of the systematic reviews with similar research aims were detected during the search.

The selection of sources of evidence ( Tricco et al ., 2018 ) was done as described: 353 references were imported for screening, 72 duplicates were removed, 268 studies were screened against title and abstract during which 198 studies were excluded while 69 studies were assessed for full-text eligibility, when 27 studies were excluded: 12 for wrong intervention, 8 for wrong patient population, 4 for wrong study design 1 was not in English, 1 for wrong indication and 1 for wrong setting, after which 42 studies were included. PRISMA of full screening is found in Figure 1 .

PRISMA of full screening strategy.

Lifestyle interventions

A summary of the study setting, samples and the main outcomes of the 42 studies analysed in this scoping review is presented in Supplementary Table S1 .

In general, the intervention studies analysed here had different main strategies, including: individually tailored programs ( Doumas and Hannah, 2008 ; Gram et al ., 2012 ; Watson et al ., 2015 ) risk-based, group-based ( Recio-Rodriguez et al ., 2016 ) or mixed variants ( Matano et al ., 2007 ; Matzer et al ., 2018 ).

Cardiovascular health

We found several different lifestyle interventions targeting CVD risk. There were a set of programs that addressed physical activity in the workplace, which significantly reduced the CVD risk in healthy participants adhering to the program ( Gram et al ., 2012 ; Dalager et al ., 2016 ; Eng et al ., 2016 ; Biffi et al ., 2018 ). In primary care, an observational study by Journath et al . (2020) , showed an association between healthy participant participation in a CVD prevention programme promoting physical activity and a healthy lifestyle with lower risk of CV events (12%), CV mortality (21%) and all-cause mortality (17%) after 20 years of follow-up.

Similarly, we found interventions in primary care settings that led to changes in physical activity and dietary patterns among all participants—not only those at high risk of CVD morbidity and mortality. These studies described generally decreased CVD risks ( Richardson et al ., 2008 ; Buckland et al ., 2009 ; Nguyen et al ., 2012 ; Gibson et al ., 2014 ; Bo et al ., 2016 ; Lidin et al ., 2018 ; Lingfors and Persson, 2019 ), CVD-related mortality ( Blomstedt et al ., 2011 ; Persson et al ., 2015 ; Jeong et al ., 2019 ) and all-cause mortality ( Blomstedt et al ., 2015 ; Bo et al ., 2016 ; Bonaccio et al ., 2019 ).

In a prospective observational study on healthy individuals and those with CVD conducted by Lidin et al . (2018) , the prevalence within the sample at risk of CVD decreased significantly at 12-month follow-up by 15%. In several studies, the changes in health behaviours among the participants showed to be sustained in follow-ups conducted after intervention discontinuation ( Buckland et al ., 2009 ; Gibson et al ., 2014 ; Baumann et al ., 2015 ; Blomstedt et al ., 2015 ; Lidin et al ., 2018 ), while some cardiovascular risk factors, such as salty diets and smoking, showed evidence of significant decrease in a relatively short period ( Nguyen et al ., 2012 ).

Physical activity and diet

In interventions addressing physical activity and diet, it was evident that healthy individuals were more likely to adhere to physical activity interventions ( Dalager et al ., 2016 ; Biffi et al ., 2018 ; Jeong et al ., 2019 ) compared to those with a disease. One community-based walking intervention ( Yang and Kim, 2022 ) affected not only the level of physical activity significantly but also a positive overall change towards a health-promoting lifestyle and decreased perceived stress. Similarly, several mental health measures including general mental health ( Oude Hengel et al ., 2014 ), anxiety and depression ( Gibson et al ., 2014 ) and stress ( Lingfors et al ., 2009 ; Matzer et al ., 2018 ) in participants improved during interventions and at follow-up when targeting physical activity and diet.

Additionally, concerning physical activity and diet outcomes, there were a higher feasibility of uptake among participants in health promotion programs compared to those only receiving standard care in primary care ( Lingfors et al ., 2009 ; Zabaleta-Del-Olmo et al ., 2021 ). Anokye et al. (2014) argued that brief advice intervention was more effective—leading to 466 QALYs gained, compared to standard care—implying greater cost-effectiveness.

Healthier lifestyles were also maintained at the follow-up. Reduction in risk factors was found to be sustained in follow-ups at 12 months ( Gibson et al ., 2014 ) or improvements in dietary outcomes over 5 years ( Baumann et al ., 2015 ), and sustained lower blood pressure over 6 years ( Eng et al ., 2016 ).

Several interventions promoting physical activity in primary care settings showed significant results in increasing it in all patients, not only in those with chronic disease diagnosis ( Robroek et al ., 2010 ; Gram et al ., 2012 ; Hardcastle et al ., 2012 ; Viester et al ., 2015 ; Byrne et al ., 2016 ; Dalager et al ., 2016 ; Eng et al ., 2016 ; Recio-Rodriguez et al ., 2016 ; Biffi et al ., 2018 ; Matzer et al ., 2018 ; Yang and Kim, 2022 ), and similar patterns were also found concerning a change towards a healthier diet ( Lingfors et al ., 2009 ; Wendel-Vos et al ., 2009 ; Robroek et al ., 2010 ; Baumann et al ., 2015 ; Viester et al ., 2015 ; Bo et al ., 2016 ; Byrne et al ., 2016 ; Kosendiak et al ., 2021 ).

There was disagreement among the above studies in relation to the effectiveness of these interventions among healthy individuals. For example, in the case of implementing a Mediterranean diet, one report argued that a healthy diet should be prioritized, indicating significant hazard ratios (HR) of attaining a Mediterranean diet for all-cause mortality (HR = 0.83), CV mortality (HR = 0.75) and CV events (HR = 0.79) among low-risk individuals ( Bo et al ., 2016 ). Others, however, claimed that there was no evidence of healthier participants being more susceptible to changes in physical activity and diet ( Robroek et al ., 2010 ).

Alcohol consumption

Interventions aimed at decreasing alcohol consumption were divided between those being most effective in high-risk drinkers ( Doumas and Hannah, 2008 ; Kirkman et al ., 2018 ), and both moderate and low-risk drinkers ( Matano et al ., 2007 ). These interventions were, at large, seen as cost-saving ( Watson et al ., 2015 ) and feasible in primary care ( Neuner-Jehle et al ., 2013 ). Some studies found a sustained decrease in alcohol consumption in those adhering to the interventions, compared to the control groups at 1 ( Pemberton et al ., 2011 ) and 4 months after the intervention ( Kirkman et al ., 2018 ), whereas others failed to find a significant difference between groups.

Intervention setting

The interventions took place in primary care settings, though these were either in community-based or occupational settings. The findings suggested that there were some discrepancies between these different settings.

When it comes to a community-based setting, the difference is made between interventions conducted on a sample of those visiting primary health care or a sample representative for a population of one community—town, or region. Primary care community-based studies tended to either include participants who were primary care visitors with a long follow-up period, or interventions conducted in primary care clinic centres with a shorter follow-up period, most often using experimental design, sampling individuals living in the community that did not necessarily had an intention to seek care ( Richardson et al ., 2008 ; Hardcastle et al ., 2012 ; Nguyen et al ., 2012 ; Grunfeld et al ., 2013 ; Baumann et al ., 2015 ; Bo et al ., 2016 ; Lidin et al ., 2018 ; Zabaleta-Del-Olmo et al ., 2021 ).

Overall, the community-based studies were conducted on a sample representative for a population of a smaller community ( Kosendiak et al ., 2021 ; Yang and Kim, 2022 ), region ( Lingfors et al ., 2009 ; Wendel-Vos et al ., 2009 ; Gibson et al ., 2014 ; Persson et al ., 2015 ; Bonaccio et al ., 2019 ; Jeong et al ., 2019 ; Lingfors and Persson, 2019 ; Journath et al ., 2020 ) or a country ( Buckland et al ., 2009 ; Blomstedt et al ., 2011 ; Neuner-Jehle et al ., 2013 ), often followed by a longer follow-up period. Finally, some studies were evaluations of previous interventions ( Richardson et al ., 2008 ; Anokye et al ., 2014 ).

Worksite interventions comprised of different occupational roles, often including several of those in the same sample ( Eng et al ., 2016 ), or segmenting based on how physically active the occupation was, e.g. office workers ( Dalager et al ., 2016 ), construction workers ( Gram et al ., 2012 ; Oude Hengel et al ., 2014 ; Viester et al ., 2015 ), sailors ( Hjarnoe and Leppin, 2013 ), farmers ( van Doorn et al ., 2019 ) or simply more active individuals ( Biffi et al ., 2018 ). This had the implication that approaches to intervention differed widely across the studies.

Several interventions were conducted online using a web-based interface, while others were in a professional setting ( Matano et al ., 2007 ; Doumas and Hannah, 2008 ; Robroek et al ., 2010 ; Pemberton et al ., 2011 ; Khadjesari et al ., 2014 ) or in some cases community-based ( Recio-Rodriguez et al ., 2016 ; Kirkman et al ., 2018 ).

Categorization of risk among participants

Many studies applied specific risk criteria based on the participants’ morbidity risks: including groups of low, middle, high risk ( Persson et al ., 2015 ; Bo et al ., 2016 ; Lingfors and Persson, 2019 ), low and high risk ( Baumann et al ., 2015 ), middle and high risk ( Gibson et al ., 2014 ). While some did not distinguish between risk groups ( Wendel-Vos et al ., 2009 ; Blomstedt et al ., 2011 ; Byrne et al ., 2016 ; Journath et al ., 2020 ). In some studies, however, the protocol included mixed populations of those who were healthy and those who had a chronic disease ( Anokye et al ., 2014 ; Bonaccio et al ., 2019 ). Finally, different studies came up with their own meaning of ‘healthy individual’ or ‘healthy population’ based on the health problem they addressed, i.e. having a sedentary lifestyle or high alcohol consumption. Other criteria for being a part of a healthy population were having a high risk for a disease, one or several risks but not the disease itself, or being above a reference value without having a diagnosis.

Ethical implications of healthy controls

Some interventions were screening-result-based, meaning that there was a difference in the treatment of those with good health and those with some complications. In other words, although not excluding healthy individuals, the study protocol included healthy individuals partially receiving full treatment, in the intervention. Studies that excluded those who were healthy from the sample after screening or used them as a control group were excluded from this review. However, some included studies had a healthy control group. Overall, the studies included in this review did not discuss the ethical implications of including healthy populations as controls, or when that was the case, the ethical impact of excluding healthy participants from an intervention.

This scoping review speaks not only of the role and extent of health promotion for healthy individuals in primary care but also of the importance and effects it has on population health. The results showing the association of lifestyle interventions with CVD risk show great implications for future use in primary care, different contexts and feasibility. Physical activity interventions were additionally found to be related to some improvements in mental health.

Interventions aimed at alcohol consumption were found successful in decreasing the amount of drinking sustainably, while the main discussion was based on whether they should be aimed at high-risk only, or at middle- and low-risk drinkers as well, due to mixed results in said groups. The majority of interventions were based in a worksite setting, meaning that this context might be useful for tackling the issue. This approach showed that outcomes might be beneficial even when not reaching the primary goal. Examples of this are findings showing that although not reducing CVD risk, changes in health behaviours were sustained in follow-up ( Baumann et al ., 2015 ), less drastic changes decreasing CVD risk in the healthy population ( Buckland et al ., 2009 ) and beneficial effects of physical activity intervention on worker’s health without an overall increase in physical activity ( McEachan et al ., 2011 ). Finally, in most cases, as mentioned, changes in health behaviours were associated with changes in CVD risk.

Some interventions showed that health promotion benefits could be even bigger ( Bo et al ., 2016 ) or that adherence is higher in healthy participants ( Dalager et al ., 2016 ; Biffi et al ., 2018 ; Jeong et al ., 2019 ), while other authors disagree ( Robroek et al ., 2010 ). This could be traced to the topic of prioritising primary care for healthy, versus only those at high risk/ already with a disease—secondary care approach according to this review definitions. Designing interventions only for high-risk can make them less successful in healthy participants, as displayed in a study by Blomstedt et al . (2011) where self-rated health decreased in 21% of the good baseline health participants at the 10-year follow-up. Furthermore, from the Rose’s (1981) term of prevention paradox—a great benefit for the population can be almost non-existent for an individual, while if we only focus on high-risk cases, many individuals at low-risk can mean worse health outcomes compared to a small number at high-risk ( Rose, 2001 ). In other words, by focusing only on high-risk population, the downsides are care that can be less efficient, less feasible, more expensive and lead to worse health outcomes. This choice should not be exclusive, as excluding either populations can cause ethical concerns. However, this article gives priority to early prevention, by health promotion for healthy individuals in primary care. Additionally, if it is shown that ‘ Systems based on primary care have better population health, health equity, and health care quality, and lower health care expenditure… ’ ( Stange et al. , 2023 ), different treatment of those who are currently healthy presents an obstacle worth mentioning for achieving health equity in primary care. Furthermore, the role of promoting health to healthy populations and their inclusion in interventions is crucial for improving population health in the future.

Articles focusing on smoking cessation, alcoholism, substance misuse interventions were excluded from this scoping review as they represent addictions and are therefore different from lifestyle interventions. Originally, oral health and dental care interventions were to be included, but there were not enough studies matching the scoping review inclusion requirements.

As expected, the process of finding articles appropriate for inclusion was challenging. Even when the inclusion criteria, at first glance, were satisfied, most studies we came across had excluded healthy participants from the sample after screening for being asymptomatic or not having enough risk factors. They were, however, often a part of a control group, and usually received standard care or no care at all. This approach puts healthy individuals in a vulnerable position, by not addressing their needs to change lifestyles that eventually could contribute to an early death or becoming unwell. Our findings suggest that interventions that include healthy individuals could improve quality of life and health status both at the population and individual levels.

Due to studies using different risk criteria, as well as including many study designs and topics, it was hard to make general conclusions. Nevertheless, as a scoping review, we mapped the area of research by identifying the gaps in the evidence base, and summarizing and disseminating research findings ( Arksey and O’Malley, 2005 ), instead of appraising the quality of evidence in different studies.

Concerning the above, a big research gap was detected in studies focusing on, or even including healthy populations. Furthermore, there is a lack of a coherent or comprehensive methodology in assessing the effects of what is considered health promotion, which calls for a more specific approach and a clear definition of the term. Additionally, the question of intervention staff skills should be raised. Is it necessary that health promotion interventions should be conducted by clinically trained professionals or, innovatively, by staff trained in the topic at hand when possible? Another aspect that is important to problematize is whether it is ethical to exclude healthy individuals in health promotion intervention studies even if they would benefit from participating if included? Furthermore, if healthy individuals are systematically discriminated ( Braveman, 2006 ), receive worse treatment and have the risk of worse health outcomes in the future, it is critical to include them in interventions for achieving better health of populations. This has great practical implications for primary care. Similarly, from a cost-benefit perspective, research should address if excluding healthy individuals might affect the cost-effectiveness of health promotion interventions.

An apparent limitation within this review is the culturally uniform sample of studies. Most studies that we were able to identify were a result of research in the global north, with a strong emphasis on either North America or the EU. Only two studies were from less affluent settings in Southeast Asia ( Nguyen et al ., 2012 ; Bo et al ., 2016 ). Given that the findings suggest that these interventions are cost-effective and do not require substantial investments, these programs could have great potential in low-resource settings if more systematically researched.

This scoping review of 42 studies applying salutogenesis in primary care interventions shows that health promotion targeting healthy individuals is relevant and effective. Most interventions were successful in reducing disease-related risks including CVD, CVD mortality, all-cause mortality, but even more importantly success in behavioural change, sustained at follow-up. Additionally, this review shows that health promotion lifestyle interventions can improve mental health, even when having different aims.

Supplementary material is available at Health Promotion International online.

A.B. performed the literature search, performed most of the data analysis and was the major contributor in writing the Methods and Results sections of the manuscript. M.S. formulated the research questions and scope of the study. He gave considerable input to the data analysis, gave input on all sections of the study—including writing and editing—and was the main author of the Introduction and Discussion. Both authors read and approved the final manuscript.

We would like to express our gratitude to Maria Björklund, librarian, at the Faculty of Medicine Library, Lund University at CRC in Malmö, who assisted us in the literature search.

A.B.’s contribution was in part funded by a scholarship she received from the Faculty of Medicine and in part by internal funds at the Division of Social Medicine and Global Health, Lund University, the latter also funded M.S.’s contribution.

The data underlying this article are available in the article and in its online supplementary material.

Álvarez-Bueno , C. , Cavero-Redondo , I. , Martínez-Andrés , M. , Arias-Palencia , N. , Ramos-Blanes , R. and Salcedo-Aguilar , F. ( 2015 ) Effectiveness of multifactorial interventions in primary health care settings for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease: a systematic review of systematic reviews . Preventive Medicine , 76 , S68 – S75 .

Google Scholar

Anokye , N. K. , Lord , J. and Fox-Rushby , J. ( 2014 ) Is brief advice in primary care a cost-effective way to promote physical activity ? British Journal of Sports Medicine , 48 , 202 – 206 .

Arksey , H. and O’Malley , L. ( 2005 ) Scoping studies: towards a methodological framework . International Journal of Social Research Methodology , 8 , 19 – 32 .

Baumann , S. , Toft , U. , Aadahl , M. , Jørgensen , T. and Pisinger , C. ( 2015 ) The long-term effect of screening and lifestyle counseling on changes in physical activity and diet: the Inter99 Study—a randomized controlled trial . The International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity , 12 , 33 .

Beyer , F. R. , Campbell , F. , Bertholet , N. , Daeppen , J. B. , Saunders , J. B. , Pienaar , E. D. et al. . ( 2019 ) The Cochrane 2018 review on brief interventions in primary care for hazardous and harmful alcohol consumption: a distillation for clinicians and policy makers . Alcohol and Alcoholism (Oxford, Oxfordshire) , 54 , 417 – 427 .

Biffi , A. , Fernando , F. , Adami , P. E. , Messina , M. , Sirico , F. , Di Paolo , F. et al. . ( 2018 ) Ferrari corporate wellness program: results of a pilot analysis and the ‘Drag’ impact in the workplace . High Blood Pressure & Cardiovascular Prevention , 25 , 261 – 266 .

Blomstedt , Y. , Emmelin , M. and Weinehall , L. ( 2011 ) What about healthy participants? The improvement and deterioration of self-reported health at a 10-year follow-up of the Västerbotten Intervention Programme . Global Health Action , 4 , 5435 .

Blomstedt , Y. , Norberg , M. , Stenlund , H. , Nyström , L. , Lönnberg , G. , Boman , K. et al. . ( 2015 ) Impact of a combined community and primary care prevention strategy on all-cause and cardiovascular mortality: a cohort analysis based on 1 million person-years of follow-up in Västerbotten County, Sweden, during 1990-2006 . BMJ Open , 5 , e009651 .

Bo , S. , Ponzo , V. , Goitre , I. , Fadda , M. , Pezzana , A. , Beccuti , G. et al. . ( 2016 ) Predictive role of the Mediterranean diet on mortality in individuals at low cardiovascular risk: a 12-year follow-up population-based cohort study . Journal of Translational Medicine , 14 , 91 .

Bonaccio , M. , Di Castelnuovo , A. , Costanzo , S. , De Curtis , A. , Persichillo , M. , Cerletti , C. et al. ; Moli-sani Study Investigators . ( 2019 ) Impact of combined healthy lifestyle factors on survival in an adult general population and in high-risk groups: prospective results from the Moli-sani Study . Journal of Internal Medicine , 286 , 207 – 220 .

Bortolotti , B. , Menchetti , M. , Bellini , F. , Montaguti , M. B. and Berardi , D. ( 2008 ) Psychological interventions for major depression in primary care: a meta-analytic review of randomized controlled trials . General Hospital Psychiatry , 30 , 293 – 302 .

Braveman , P. ( 2006 ) Health disparities and health equity: concepts and measurement . Annual Review of Public Health , 27 , 167 – 194 .

Buckland , G. , González , C. A. , Agudo , A. , Vilardell , M. , Berenguer , A. , Amiano , P. et al. . ( 2009 ) Adherence to the Mediterranean diet and risk of coronary heart disease in the Spanish EPIC cohort study . American Journal of Epidemiology , 170 , 1518 – 1529 .

Byrne , D. W. , Rolando , L. A. , Aliyu , M. H. , McGown , P. W. , Connor , L. R. , Awalt , B. M. et al. . ( 2016 ) Modifiable healthy lifestyle behaviors: 10-year health outcomes from a health promotion program . American Journal of Preventive Medicine , 51 , 1027 – 1037 .

Cantera , C. M. , Puigdomènech , E. , Ballvé , J. L. , Arias , O. L. , Clemente , L. , Casas , R. et al. . ( 2015 ) Effectiveness of multicomponent interventions in primary healthcare settings to promote continuous smoking cessation in adults: a systematic review . BMJ Open , 5 , e008807 .

Cross , R. , Foster , S. , O’Neil , I. , Rowlands , S. , Warwick-Booth , L. and Woodall , J . ( 2020 ) Health Promotion: Global Principles and Practice . CABI , Wallingford .

Google Preview

Dalager , T. , Justesen , J. B. , Murray , M. , Boyle , E. and Sjøgaard , G. ( 2016 ) Implementing intelligent physical exercise training at the workplace: health effects among office workers—a randomized controlled trial . European Journal of Applied Physiology , 116 , 1433 – 1442 .

Doumas , D. M. and Hannah , E. ( 2008 ) Preventing high-risk drinking in youth in the workplace: a web-based normative feedback program . Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment , 34 , 263 – 271 .

Eng , J. Y. , Moy , F. M. and Bulgiba , A. ( 2016 ) Impact of a workplace health promotion program on employees’ blood pressure in a public university . PLoS One , 11 , e0148307 .

Galaviz , K. I. , Weber , M. B. , Straus , A. , Haw , J. S. , Narayan , K. V. and Ali , M. K. ( 2018 ) Global diabetes prevention interventions: a systematic review and network meta-analysis of the real-world impact on incidence, weight, and glucose . Diabetes Care , 41 , 1526 – 1534 .

Gibson , I. , Flaherty , G. , Cormican , S. , Jones , J. , Kerins , C. , Walsh , A. M. et al. . ( 2014 ) Translating guidelines to practice: findings from a multidisciplinary preventive cardiology programme in the west of Ireland . European Journal of Preventive Cardiology , 21 , 366 – 376 .

Gram , B. , Holtermann , A. , Søgaard , K. and Sjøgaard , G. ( 2012 ) Effect of individualized worksite exercise training on aerobic capacity and muscle strength among construction workers—a randomized controlled intervention study . Scandinavian Journal of Work Environment & Health , 38 , 467 – 475 .

Green , J. , Cross , R. , Woodall , J. and Tones , K. ( 2019 ) Health Promotion: Planning & Strategies , 4th edition. Sage , London .

Grunfeld , E. , Manca , D. , Moineddin , R. , Thorpe , K. E. , Hoch , J. S. , Campbell-Scherer , D. et al. ; BETTER Trial Investigators . ( 2013 ) Improving chronic disease prevention and screening in primary care: results of the BETTER pragmatic cluster randomized controlled trial . BMC Family Practice , 14 , 175 .

Hardcastle , S. , Blake , N. and Hagger , M. S. ( 2012 ) The effectiveness of a motivational interviewing primary-care based intervention on physical activity and predictors of change in a disadvantaged community . Journal of Behavioral Medicine , 35 , 318 – 333 .

Hjarnoe , L. and Leppin , A. ( 2013 ) Health promotion in the Danish maritime setting: challenges and possibilities for changing lifestyle behavior and health among seafarers . BMC Public Health , 13 , 1 – 12 .

Jeong , S. W. , Kim , S. H. , Kang , S. H. , Kim , H. J. , Yoon , C. H. , Youn , T. J. et al. . ( 2019 ) Mortality reduction with physical activity in patients with and without cardiovascular disease . European Heart Journal , 40 , 3547 – 3555 .

Journath , G. , Hammar , N. , Vikström , M. , Linnersjö , A. , Walldius , G. , Krakau , I. et al. . ( 2020 ) A Swedish primary healthcare prevention programme focusing on promotion of physical activity and a healthy lifestyle reduced cardiovascular events and mortality: 22-year follow-up of 5761 study participants and a reference group . British Journal of Sports Medicine , 54 , 1294 – 1299 .

Khadjesari , Z. , Freemantle , N. , Linke , S. , Hunter , R. and Murray , E. ( 2014 ) Health on the web: randomised controlled trial of online screening and brief alcohol intervention delivered in a workplace setting . PLoS One , 9 , e112553 .

Kirkman , J. J. L. , Leo , B. and Moore , J. C. ( 2018 ) Alcohol consumption reduction among a web-based supportive community using the hello Sunday morning blog platform: observational study . Journal of Medical Internet Research , 20 , e196 .

Kosendiak , A. , Felińczak , A. and Szymańska-Chabowska , A. ( 2021 ) The role of physical training in the prevention of cardiovascular disease in a population of healthy people . The Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness , 61 , 844 – 850 .

Lidin , M. , Hellénius , M. L. , Rydell-Karlsson , M. and Ekblom-Bak , E. ( 2018 ) Long-term effects on cardiovascular risk of a structured multidisciplinary lifestyle program in clinical practice . BMC Cardiovascular Disorders , 18 , 59 .

Lingfors , H. and Persson , L. -G. ( 2019 ) All-cause mortality among young men 24–26 years after a lifestyle health dialogue in a Swedish primary care setting: a longitudinal follow-up register study . BMJ Open , 9 , e022474 .

Lingfors , H. , Persson , L. G. , Lindström , K. , Bengtsson , C. and Lissner , L. ( 2009 ) Effects of a global health and risk assessment tool for prevention of ischemic heart disease in an individual health dialogue compared with a community health strategy only results from the Live for Life health promotion programme . Preventive Medicine , 48 , 20 – 24 .

Matano , R. A. , Koopman , C. , Wanat , S. F. , Winzelberg , A. J. , Whitsell , S. D. , Westrup , D. et al. . ( 2007 ) A pilot study of an interactive web site in the workplace for reducing alcohol consumption . Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment , 32 , 71 – 80 .

Matzer , F. , Nagele , E. , Lerch , N. , Vajda , C. and Fazekas , C. ( 2018 ) Combining walking and relaxation for stress reduction—a randomized cross-over trial in healthy adults . Stress and Health , 34 , 266 – 277 .

McEachan , R. R. C. , Lawton , R. J. , Jackson , C. , Conner , M. , Meads , D. M. and West , R. M. ( 2011 ) Testing a workplace physical activity intervention: a cluster randomized controlled trial . International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity , 8 , 29 .

Neuner-Jehle , S. , Schmid , M. and Grüninger , U. ( 2013 ) The ‘Health Coaching’ programme: a new patient-centred and visually supported approach for health behaviour change in primary care . BMC Family Practice , 14 , 100 .

Nguyen , Q. N. , Pham , S. T. , Nguyen , V. L. , Weinehall , L. , Wall , S. , Bonita , R. et al. . ( 2012 ) Effectiveness of community-based comprehensive healthy lifestyle promotion on cardiovascular disease risk factors in a rural Vietnamese population: a quasi-experimental study . BMC Cardiovascular Disorders , 12 , 56 .

Nutbeam , D. and Muscat , D. M. ( 2021 ) Health promotion glossary 2021 . Health Promotion International , 36 , 1578 – 1598 .

Oude Hengel , K. M. , Bosmans , J. E. , Van Dongen , J. M. , Bongers , P. M. , Van der Beek , A. J. and Blatter , B. M. ( 2014 ) Prevention program at construction worksites aimed at improving health and work ability is cost-saving to the employer: results from an RCT . American Journal of Industrial Medicine , 57 , 56 – 68 .

Pemberton , M. R. , Williams , J. , Herman-Stahl , M. , Calvin , S. L. , Bradshaw , M. R. , Bray , R. M. et al. . ( 2011 ) Evaluation of two web-based alcohol interventions in the U.S. military . Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs , 72 , 480 – 489 .

Persson , L. G. , Lingfors , H. , Nilsson , M. and Mölstad , S. ( 2015 ) The possibility of lifestyle and biological risk markers to predict morbidity and mortality in a cohort of young men after 26 years follow-up . BMJ Open , 5 , e006798 .

Recio-Rodriguez , J. I. , Agudo-Conde , C. , Martin-Cantera , C. , González-Viejo , M. N. , Fernandez-Alonso , M. D. C. , Arietaleanizbeaskoa , M. S. et al. ; EVIDENT Investigators . ( 2016 ) Short-term effectiveness of a mobile phone app for increasing physical activity and adherence to the Mediterranean diet in primary care: a randomized controlled trial (EVIDENT II study) . Journal of Medical Internet Research , 18 , e331 .

Richardson , G. , van Woerden , H. C. , Morgan , L. , Edwards , R. , Harries , M. , Hancock , E. et al. . ( 2008 ) Healthy hearts—a community-based primary prevention programme to reduce coronary heart disease . BMC Cardiovascular Disorders , 8 , 18 .

Robroek , S. J. , Brouwer , W. , Lindeboom , D. , Oenema , A. and Burdorf , A. ( 2010 ) Demographic, behavioral, and psychosocial correlates of using the website component of a worksite physical activity and healthy nutrition promotion program: a longitudinal study . Journal of Medical Internet Research , 12 , e44 .

Rose , G. ( 1981 ) Strategy of prevention: lessons from cardiovascular disease . British Medical Journal , 282 , 1847 – 1851 .

Rose , G. ( 2001 ) Sick individuals and sick populations . International Journal of Epidemiology , 30 , 427 – 432; discussion 433 .

Stange , K. C. , Miller , W. L. and Etz , R. S. ( 2023 ) The role of primary care in improving population health . The Milbank Quarterly , 101 , 795 – 840 .

Tricco , A. C. , Lillie , E. , Zarin , W. , O’Brien , K. K. , Colquhoun , H. , Levac , D. et al. . ( 2018 ) PRISMA extension for scoping reviews (PRISMA-ScR): checklist and explanation . Annals of Internal Medicine , 169 , 467 – 473 .

van Doorn , D. , Richardson , N. , Osborne , A. and Blake , C. ( 2019 ) The impact of a workplace cardiovascular health screening programme ‘Farmers have hearts’ on health behaviour change among Irish farmers . Work , 63 , 113 – 123 .

Viester , L. , Verhagen , E. A. , Bongers , P. M. and van der Beek , A. J. ( 2015 ) The effect of a health promotion intervention for construction workers on work-related outcomes: results from a randomized controlled trial . International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health , 88 , 789 – 798 .

Watson , H. , Godfrey , C. , McFadyen , A. , McArthur , K. , Stevenson , M. and Holloway , A. ( 2015 ) Screening and brief intervention delivery in the workplace to reduce alcohol-related harm: a pilot randomized controlled trial . International Journal of Nursing Studies , 52 , 39 – 48 .

Wendel-Vos , G. C. , Dutman , A. E. , Verschuren , W. M. , Ronckers , E. T. , Ament , A. , van Assema , P. et al. . ( 2009 ) Lifestyle factors of a five-year community-intervention program: the Hartslag Limburg intervention . American Journal of Preventive Medicine , 37 , 50 – 56 .

Yang , S. and Kim , H. ( 2022 ) Effects of a walking exercise-focused health promotion program for middle-aged women in the Korean community . International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health , 19 , 14947 .

Zabaleta-Del-Olmo , E. , Casajuana-Closas , M. , López-Jiménez , T. , Pombo , H. , Pons-Vigués , M. , Pujol-Ribera , E. et al. . ( 2021 ) Multiple health behaviour change primary care intervention for smoking cessation, physical activity and healthy diet in adults 45 to 75 years old (EIRA study): a hybrid effectiveness-implementation cluster randomised trial . BMC Public Health , 21 , 2208 .

Supplementary data

Email alerts

Citing articles via.

• Recommend to Your Librarian
• Journals Career Network

Affiliations

• Online ISSN 1460-2245
• Print ISSN 0957-4824
• Copyright © 2024 Oxford University Press
• About Oxford Academic
• Publish journals with us
• University press partners
• What we publish
• New features  
• Open access
• Institutional account management
• Rights and permissions
• Get help with access
• Accessibility
• Advertising
• Media enquiries
• Oxford University Press
• Oxford Languages
• University of Oxford

Oxford University Press is a department of the University of Oxford. It furthers the University's objective of excellence in research, scholarship, and education by publishing worldwide

• Copyright © 2024 Oxford University Press
• Cookie settings
• Cookie policy
• Privacy policy
• Legal notice

This Feature Is Available To Subscribers Only

Sign In or Create an Account

This PDF is available to Subscribers Only

For full access to this pdf, sign in to an existing account, or purchase an annual subscription.

• UWF Libraries

Literature Review: Conducting & Writing

• Sample Literature Reviews
• Steps for Conducting a Lit Review
• Finding "The Literature"
• Organizing/Writing
• APA Style This link opens in a new window
• Chicago: Notes Bibliography This link opens in a new window
• MLA Style This link opens in a new window

Sample Lit Reviews from Communication Arts

Have an exemplary literature review.

• Literature Review Sample 1
• Literature Review Sample 2
• Literature Review Sample 3

Have you written a stellar literature review you care to share for teaching purposes?

Are you an instructor who has received an exemplary literature review and have permission from the student to post?

Please contact Britt McGowan at [email protected] for inclusion in this guide. All disciplines welcome and encouraged.

• << Previous: MLA Style
• Next: Get Help! >>
• Last Updated: Mar 22, 2024 9:37 AM
• URL: https://libguides.uwf.edu/litreview

• How we work

Easy Writing an Abstract for a Literature Review With Expert Help

BEST GUARANTEES FOR LITERATURE REVIEW ABSTRACT

Quick delivery

Whether it is days or hours before your task is due, we will help you meet the deadline. Our experts are the wizards of speedy and timely writing.

Custom topics

We have authors across 50+ subjects. Whatever your lit review abstract topic, be sure to get quality work that follows all of your instructions.

Plagiarism-free

A strict anti-plagiarism policy protects your order, ensuring a mandatory exclusiveness of delivered content. We produce original papers only.

100% security

Your confidence starts with these safety guarantees:

Full privacy

Our service respects your confidentiality and never requests private data. Communicate with us on a no-name basis.

No distribution

We do not re-sell or publish delivered orders. If required, your review can be deleted from our database.

Credible sources

We use only verified and up-to-date sources so that your literature review is quality and relevant.

High quality

Our writers work with editors to ensure a paper comes with proper formatting and is mistake-free.

Free revisions

Have anything to correct in your review? You can get free unlimited edits for 14 days after delivery.

24/7 support

Supportive customer service is ready to help you in a convenient live chat all day & night.

WRITING AN ABSTRACT FOR A LITERATURE REVIEW WITH EXTRA BENEFITS

Customers about our abstract literature review help.

They have already found the needed help with the literature review abstract. Here's what they think about it.

OUR SAMPLES WITH GOOD LIT REVIEW ABSTRACT

First-Timer?

Let us welcome you with a special discount on your first order!

What Is an Abstract in a Literature Review in a Few Words

Think of your work as a movie. Did you imagine it? So, a literature review abstract is kind of like a trailer. In it, you summarize the plot and show the main characters. In this case, the story is the content of the lit overview. The main characters are the objectives, methods, and themes. In the abstract, you indicate which aspects of the literature will be overviewed and what issues or topics will be covered.

It is important to make the text very brief and informative. So that your readers should not have any questions. You must give a clear picture of your work right away, dot all the dots at the very beginning. If you manage to do this, you can have no doubts about success. Further, we describe all the necessary nuances and details.

The Nuances of Creating a Literature Review Abstract

What is an abstract ? Generally, it’s a summary of a topic. Most often, abstracts are used in large-scale scientific articles. Research papers are also impossible without them. And this is the main reason why students often get confused about what is an abstract in a literature review.

This type of paper can be mistaken for an introduction or a lit analysis in general. An additional question may arise: does a literature review have an abstract? Let’s answer the two main questions that arise when preparing.

Is abstract and literature review the same?

The answer is definite. No, they are not the same thing. However, both are part of a research paper or study. An abstract is a summary of the key aspects of the whole paper. It’s like a guide. It helps to assess the content of the work quickly. It also helps understand whether it corresponds to the stated topic.

What is the difference between a literature review abstract and introduction?

The difference lies in the purpose of each part of the paper.

• The abstract is a summary of the topic. This is a description of the methods and conclusions regarding the literature overview.
• The introduction is the introductory part of the paper. It is not a list or an outline. It is a brief description of the entire paper. The introduction describes the aims and objectives. The introduction is an introductory part of the work, preparing the reader for a broader dive into the topic.
• The literature analysis is a separate section of the research paper. It describes previous studies. In it, the author refers to other studies. Depending on the focus, it can be a critique or an expansion of existing knowledge.

Thus, the abstract provides a summary of the entire paper. The introduction and literature overview focus on the context, objectives, and previous research.

Proper Filling and Structuring Abstract for Literature Review

Every academic paper is subject to rules, and the literature overview abstract is no exception. To succeed with this task, you need to play by these rules. They say the paper must have a clear literature review outline involving 5 structural parts. The text itself should be short and adequately formatted.

• Introduction. This part gives the research background and purpose and justifies its significance. Here, you should convince the reader of the relevance and importance of the work.
• Methodology. This section describes the methods used to conduct the research, including data collection and analysis.
• Results. Here, you need to present the outcomes. Key scientific and practical conclusions should be stated clearly and concisely.
• Discussion. This section discusses options for applying the knowledge gained in practice and future research.
• Conclusion. This section summarizes all the results of the work. Some assignments may also require sharing recommendations and suggestions for further research.

How to Write an Abstract for a Literature Review Step by Step

To answer the question “How to write an abstract for a literature review?” you must first answer another question. Namely, when should you start writing an abstract? The fact is that the scheme “in order” does not work here. Preparing an abstract is easier when the main work is already finished, and you have all the information to use.

First, you assess the literature, formulate theses, and conduct research. After that, you write the conclusion with the results. Only after that, you will have all the introductory information. This makes writing an abstract much easier, faster, and, most importantly, more effective and efficient. Additionally, we recommend following these steps when writing an abstract for a literature review:

• Start by describing the purpose of your literature analysis. Then, move on to the methodology, briefly listing all the methods used. It is not necessary to describe each of them in detail.
• After that, address the main themes. Identify the key points in your work, highlight a few important emphases, and support them with facts. This will create a strong impression and help listeners immerse themselves in the topic.
• The next step is to move on to the discussion. You need to crystallize the main research findings and provide options for their further implications.

The abstract for a literature review ends, like a full-fledged paper, with conclusions. Unlike a full-fledged research paper, you don’t need to support each of your arguments. Just list them. The reader will find all of your main arguments in the paper.

Create an Excellent Paper With Experts’ Help

The very last step is sometimes the hardest to take. There may simply be no energy left for the abstract for literature review. In this case, our service can help. Here, you will find comprehensive assistance. We can help you create an abstract at any stage of your work. Experienced writers with academic degrees will delve into your topic and help you create a perfectly structured paper. You can bring your draft or ask to create a solid abstract from scratch.

Do not waste your time. We are on call 24/7 and ready to help you achieve your academic goals!

Information

• Author Services

Initiatives

You are accessing a machine-readable page. In order to be human-readable, please install an RSS reader.

All articles published by MDPI are made immediately available worldwide under an open access license. No special permission is required to reuse all or part of the article published by MDPI, including figures and tables. For articles published under an open access Creative Common CC BY license, any part of the article may be reused without permission provided that the original article is clearly cited. For more information, please refer to https://www.mdpi.com/openaccess .

Feature papers represent the most advanced research with significant potential for high impact in the field. A Feature Paper should be a substantial original Article that involves several techniques or approaches, provides an outlook for future research directions and describes possible research applications.

Feature papers are submitted upon individual invitation or recommendation by the scientific editors and must receive positive feedback from the reviewers.

Editor’s Choice articles are based on recommendations by the scientific editors of MDPI journals from around the world. Editors select a small number of articles recently published in the journal that they believe will be particularly interesting to readers, or important in the respective research area. The aim is to provide a snapshot of some of the most exciting work published in the various research areas of the journal.

Original Submission Date Received: .

• Active Journals
• Find a Journal
• Proceedings Series
• For Authors
• For Reviewers
• For Editors
• For Librarians
• For Publishers
• For Societies
• For Conference Organizers
• Open Access Policy
• Institutional Open Access Program
• Special Issues Guidelines
• Editorial Process
• Research and Publication Ethics
• Article Processing Charges
• Testimonials
• Preprints.org
• SciProfiles
• Encyclopedia

Article Menu

• Subscribe SciFeed
• Author Biographies
• Google Scholar
• on Google Scholar
• Table of Contents

Find support for a specific problem in the support section of our website.

Please let us know what you think of our products and services.

Visit our dedicated information section to learn more about MDPI.

JSmol Viewer

Voices from the north: exploring sámi people’s perspectives on environmental change and mental well-being: a systematic literature review  †.

1. Introduction

Research objectives.

• To explore Circumpolar Indigenous People’s perspectives, as described in published peer-reviewed scientific literature, on the interconnection between environmental change and mental well-being, with a special focus on their perspectives on protective factors and factors promoting resilience.
• To explore Sámi People’s perspectives, as described in published peer-reviewed scientific literature, on the interconnection between environmental change and mental well-being, with a special focus on their perspectives on protective factors and factors promoting resilience.
• To compare the findings of the first and second objectives.

2. Materials and Methods

• What are Circumpolar Indigenous People’s perspectives on the interconnection between environmental change and mental well-being, as described in published peer-reviewed scientific literature?
• What are Sámi People’s perspectives on the interconnection between environmental change and mental well-being, as described in the published peer-reviewed scientific literature?

2.1. Study Population: The Sámi

2.2. search strategy, 2.3. eligibility criteria, 2.4. databases, 2.5. search concepts, 2.6. study selection, 2.7. quality assessment, 2.8. data analysis, 2.9. ethical considerations, 3.1. summary of results, 3.2. study characteristics, 3.3. quality assessment, 3.4. thematic analysis, 3.4.1. encounters with environmental changes, 3.4.2. interrelation between environmental change and mental well-being, layered burden on mental well-being, worries and mental stress, feeling ignored and threatened, community norms and the impact on identity, 3.4.3. protective factors, strong family ties and community participation, interconnection with the environment and traditional knowledge, traditional practices and cultural identity, involvement in reindeer herding and physical activity, 3.4.4. factors promoting resilience, adaptation strategies and active engagement, 3.5. summary of findings, 4. discussion, 4.1. limitations, 4.2. conclusions, supplementary materials, author contributions, data availability statement, acknowledgments, conflicts of interest.

• Pörtner, H.O.; Roberts, D.C.; Poloczanska, E.S.; Mintenbeck, K.; Tignor, M.; Alegría, A.; Craig, M.; Langsdorf, S.; Löschke, S.; Möller, V.; et al. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Summary for Policymakers. In Climate Change 2022—Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability: Working Group II Contribution to the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change ; Cambridge University Press: Cambridge, UK, 2023; pp. 3–34. [ Google Scholar ]
• Bourque, F.; Willox, A.C. Climate change: The next challenge for public mental health? Int. Rev. Psychiatry 2014 , 26 , 415–422. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ] [ PubMed ]
• Clayton, S. Climate Change and Mental Health. Curr. Environ. Health Rep. 2021 , 8 , 1–6. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ] [ PubMed ]
• Charlson, F.; Ali, S.; Benmarhnia, T.; Pearl, M.; Massazza, A.; Augustinavicius, J.; Scott, J.G. Climate Change and Mental Health: A Scoping Review. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021 , 18 , 4486. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ] [ PubMed ]
• Masson-Delmotte, V.; Zhai, P.; Pirani, A.; Connors, S.L.; Péan, C.; Berger, S.; Caud, N.; Chen, Y.; Goldfarb, L.; Gomis, M.I.; et al. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Summary for Policymakers. In Climate Change 2021: The Physical Science Basis. Contribution of Working Group I to the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change ; Cambridge University Press: Cambridge, UK, 2023; Available online: https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg1/downloads/report/IPCC_AR6_WGI_SPM_final.pdf (accessed on 21 June 2022).
• Berry, H.L.; Bowen, K.; Kjellstrom, T. Climate change and mental health: A causal pathways framework. Int. J. Public Health 2010 , 55 , 123–132. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ] [ PubMed ]
• Charlson, F.; Ali, S.; Augustinavicius, J.; Benmarhnia, T.; Birch, S.; Clayton, S.; Fielding, K.; Jones, L.; Juma, D.; Snider, L.; et al. Global priorities for climate change and mental health research. Environ. Int. 2022 , 158 , 106984. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ] [ PubMed ]
• Cianconi, P.; Betro, S.; Janiri, L. The Impact of Climate Change on Mental Health: A Systematic Descriptive Review. Front. Psychiatr. 2020 , 11 , 74. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ] [ PubMed ]
• Albrecht, G.A. Earth emotions. In New Words for a New World ; Cornell University Press: Ithaca, NY, USA, 2019. [ Google Scholar ]
• Albrecht, G.; Sartore, G.M.; Connor, L.; Higginbotham, N.; Freeman, S.; Kelly, B.; Stain, H.; Tonna, A.; Pollard, G. Solastalgia: The Distress Caused by Environmental Change. Australas. Psychiatry 2007 , 15 (Suppl. S1), S95–S98. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ] [ PubMed ]
• Clayton, S.; Karazsia, B.T. Development and validation of a measure of climate change anxiety. J. Environ. Psychol. 2020 , 69 , 101434. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Ágoston, C.; Csaba, B.; Nagy, B.; Kőváry, Z.; Dúll, A.; Rácz, J.; Demetrovics, Z. Identifying types of eco-anxiety, eco-guilt, eco-grief, and eco-coping in a climate-sensitive population: A qualitative study. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022 , 19 , 2461. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Hickman, C.; Marks, E.; Pihkala, P.; Clayton, S.; Lewandowski, R.E.; Mayall, E.E.; Wray, B.; Mellor, C.; Van Susteren, L. Climate anxiety in children and young people and their beliefs about government responses to climate change: A global survey. Lancet Planet Health 2021 , 5 , e863–e873. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• MacDonald, J.P.; Willox, A.C.; Ford, J.D.; Shiwak, I.; Wood, M.; Government, R.I.C.; IMHACC Team. Protective factors for mental health and well-being in a changing climate: Perspectives from Inuit youth in Nunatsiavut, Labrador. Soc. Sci. Med. 2015 , 141 , 133–141. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Kirmayer, L.J.; Brass, G.M.; Tait, C.L. The mental health of Aboriginal peoples: Transformations of identity and community. Can. J. Psychiatry 2000 , 45 , 607–616. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ] [ PubMed ]
• Kelman, I.; Gaillard, J.C.; Lewis, J.; Mercer, J. Learning from the history of disaster vulnerability and resilience research and practice for climate change. Nat. Hazards 2016 , 82 , 129–143. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Bonanno, G.A.; Brewin, C.R.; Kaniasty, K.; Greca, A.M.L. Weighing the costs of disaster: Consequences, risks, and resilience in individuals, families, and communities. Psychol. Sci. Public Interest 2010 , 11 , 1–49. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ] [ PubMed ]
• Wood, L.; Kamper, D.; Swanson, K. Spaces of hope? Youth perspectives on health and wellness in indigenous communities. Health Place 2018 , 50 , 137–145. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ] [ PubMed ]
• Thiessen, K.; Haworth-Brockman, M.; Stout, R.; Moffitt, P.; Gelowitz, J.; Schneider, J.; Demczuk, L. Indigenous perspectives on wellness and health in Canada: Study protocol for a scoping review. Syst. Rev. 2020 , 9 , 177. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Nelson, V.; Derrett, S.; Wyeth, E. Indigenous perspectives on concepts and determinants of flourishing in a health and well-being context: A scoping review protocol. BMJ Open 2021 , 11 , e045893. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ] [ PubMed ]
• Stephens, C.; Nettleton, C.; Porter, J.; Willis, R.; Clark, S. Indigenous peoples’ health—Why are they behind everyone, everywhere? Lancet 2005 , 366 , 10–13. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ] [ PubMed ]
• Stephens, C.; Porter, J.; Nettleton, C.; Willis, R. Disappearing, displaced, and undervalued: A call to action for Indigenous health worldwide. Lancet 2006 , 367 , 2019–2028. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Backholer, K.; Baum, F.; Finlay, S.M.; Friel, S.; Giles-Corti, B.; Jones, A.; Patrick, R.; Shill, J.; Townsend, B.; Armstrong, F.; et al. Australia in 2030: What is our path to health for all? Med. J. Aust. 2021 , 214 , S5–S40. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Barnes, P.M.; Adams, P.F.; Powell-Griner, E. Health Characteristics of the American Indian or Alaska Native Adult Population: United States, 2004–2008 ; National Health Statistics Reports; US Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics: Hyattsville, MD, USA, 2010; pp. 1–22.
• King, M.; Smith, A.; Gracey, M. Indigenous health part 2: The underlying causes of the health gap. Lancet 2009 , 374 , 76–85. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ] [ PubMed ]
• Warne, D.; Kelliher, A.; Roth, G.; Parker, M. Indigenous Determinants of Health in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. 2023. Available online: https://digitallibrary.un.org/record/4004608 (accessed on 22 June 2022).
• Jones, R. Climate change and Indigenous Health Promotion. Glob. Health Promot. 2019 , 26 (Suppl. S3), 73–81. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ] [ PubMed ]
• Greenwood, M.; Lindsay, N.M. A commentary on land, health, and Indigenous knowledge(s). Glob. Health Promot. 2019 , 26 (Suppl. S3), 82–86. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ] [ PubMed ]
• Ford, J.D.; King, N.; Galappaththi, E.K.; Pearce, T.; McDowell, G.; Harper, S.L. The Resilience of Indigenous Peoples to Environmental Change. One Earth 2020 , 2 , 532–543. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Kuoljok, S.; Utsi, J.E.; Rutschman, T.; Dahl-Sandling, M.; Karlsson, S. The Sámi: People of the Sun and Wind ; Ajtte, Swedish Mountain and Sámi Museum: Jokkmokk, Sweden, 1993. [ Google Scholar ]
• Oskal, A.; Turi, J.M.; Mathiesen, S.D.; Burgess, P. Ealát. Reindeer Herders’ Voice: Reindeer Herding, Traditional Knowledge and Adaptation to Climate Change and Loss of Grazing Land, Arctic Council’s Sustainable Development Working Group ; International Centre for Reindeer Husbandry: Kautokeino, Norway, 2009. [ Google Scholar ]
• Lemet, J.; Näkkäläjärvi, K. Perspective of Saami reindeer herders on the impact of climate change and related research. In Climate Change and Arctic Sustainable Development: Scientific, Social, Cultural and Educational Challenges ; UNESCO: London, UK, 2009; pp. 131–143. [ Google Scholar ]
• United Nations (UN). Leaving No One Behind. Indigenous Peoples and the Call for a New Social Contract. 2020. Available online: https://www.un.org/en/observances/indigenous-day (accessed on 21 March 2023).
• United Nations (UN). Who Are Indigenous Peoples? Factsheet. Available online: https://www.un.org/esa/socdev/unpfii/documents/5session_factsheet1.pdf (accessed on 15 June 2022).
• Cardinal, L. What is an Indigenous Perspective? Can. J. Nativ. Educ. 2001 , 25 , 180–182. [ Google Scholar ]
• Cochran, P.; Huntington, O.H.; Pungowiyi, C.; Tom, S.; Chapin, F.S.; Huntington, H.P.; Maynard, N.G.; Trainor, S.F. Indigenous frameworks for observing and responding to climate change in Alaska. Clim. Chang. 2013 , 120 , 557–567. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Redvers, N.; Celidwen, Y.; Schultz, C.; Horn, O.; Githaiga, C.; Vera, M.; Perdrisat, M.; Plume, L.M.; Kobei, D.; Kain, M.C.; et al. The determinants of planetary health: An Indigenous consensus perspective. Lancet Planet. Health 2022 , 6 , e156–e163. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ] [ PubMed ]
• Ahenakew, C. The birth of the ‘Windigo’: The construction of aboriginal health in biomedical and traditional indigenous models of medicine. Crit. Lit. Theor. Pract. 2011 , 5 , 14–26. [ Google Scholar ]
• Kent, N. The Sámi Peoples of the North: A Social and Cultural History ; Oxford University Press: Oxford, UK, 2019. [ Google Scholar ]
• MacDonald, J.P.; Ford, J.D.; Willox, A.C.; Ross, N.A. A review of protective factors and causal mechanisms that enhance the mental health of Indigenous Circumpolar youth. Int. J. Circumpolar Health 2013 , 72 , 21775. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Nystad, K.; Spein, A.R.; Ingstad, B. Community resilience factors among indigenous Sámi adolescents: A qualitative study in Northern Norway. Transcult Psychiatry 2014 , 51 , 651–672. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Mistry, J.; Berardi, A. Bridging indigenous and scientific knowledge. Science 2016 , 352 , 1274–1275. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ] [ PubMed ]
• Hill, R.; Adem, Ç.; Alangui, W.V.; Molnár, Z.; Aumeeruddy-Thomas, Y.; Bridgewater, P.; Tengö, M.; Thaman, R.; Yao, C.Y.A.; Berkes, F.; et al. Working with indigenous, local and scientific knowledge in assessments of nature and nature’s linkages with people. In Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability ; Indigenous conceptualizations of sustainability; Elsevier: Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 2019; pp. 8–20. [ Google Scholar ]
• Cameron, L.; Courchene, D.; Ijaz, S.; Mauro, I. ‘A change of heart’: Indigenous perspectives from the Onjisay Aki Summit on climate change. Clim. Chang. 2021 , 164 , 43. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ] [ PubMed ]
• Ford, J.D.; Cameron, L.; Rubis, J.; Maillet, M.; Nakashima, D.; Willox, A.C.; Pearce, T. Including indigenous knowledge and experience in IPCC assessment reports. Nat. Clim. Chang. 2016 , 6 , 349–353. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Abate, R.S.; Kronk Warner, E.A. Climate Change and Indigenous Peoples: The Search for Legal Remedies ; Edward Elgar Pub: Northampton, MA, USA, 2013. [ Google Scholar ]
• Tervo, H.; Müller-Wille, L.; Nikkonen, M. Health culture within the context of the northern environment. Int. J. Circumpolar Health 2003 , 62 , 167–181. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ] [ PubMed ]
• Cunsolo Willox, A.; Harper, S.L.; Ford, J.D.; Landman, K.; Houle, K.; Edge, V.L. ‘From this place and of this place’: Climate change, sense of place, and health in Nunatsiavut, Canada. Soc. Sci. Med. 2012 , 75 , 538–547. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ] [ PubMed ]
• Lebel, L.; Paquin, V.; Kenny, T.A.; Fletcher, C.; Nadeau, L.; Chachamovich, E.; Lemire, M. Climate change and Indigenous mental health in the Circumpolar North: A systematic review to inform clinical practice. Transcult. Psychiatry 2022 , 59 , 312–336. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Hassol, S.J.; Corell, R.W. Arctic climate impact assessment. Avoid. Danger. Clim. Chang. 2006 , 21 , 205–213. [ Google Scholar ]
• Lee, H.; Calvin, K.; Dasgupta, D.; Krinner, G.; Mukherji, A.; Thorne, P.; Trisos, C.; Romero, J.; Aldunce, P.; Ruane, A.C. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Summary for policymakers. In Climate Change 2023 Synthesis Report. Contribution of Working Groups I, II and III to the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change ; IPCC: Geneva, Switzerland, 2023; pp. 1–34. Available online: https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/syr/downloads/report/IPCC_AR6_SYR_SPM.pdf (accessed on 10 January 2024).
• Snodgrass, J.J. Health of indigenous circumpolar populations. Annu. Rev. Anthropol. 2013 , 42 , 69–87. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Chatwood, S.; Paulette, F.; Baker, G.R.; Eriksen, A.M.A.; Hansen, K.L.; Eriksen, H.; Hiratsuka, V.; Lavoie, J.; Lou, W.; Mauro, I.; et al. Indigenous Values and Health Systems Stewardship in Circumpolar Countries. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2017 , 14 , 1462. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Lehti, V.; Niemela, S.; Hoven, C.; Mandell, D.; Sourander, A. Mental health, substance use and suicidal behaviour among young indigenous people in the Arctic: A systematic review. Soc. Sci. Med. 2009 , 69 , 1194–1203. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Jaakkola, J.J.K.; Juntunen, S.; Näkkäläjärvi, K. The Holistic Effects of Climate Change on the Culture, Well-Being, and Health of the Saami, the Only Indigenous People in the European Union. Curr. Environ. Health Rep. 2018 , 5 , 401–417. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ] [ PubMed ]
• Page, M.J.; Bossuyt, P.M.; Boutron, I.; Hoffmann, T.C.; Mulrow, C.D.; Shamseer, L.; Tetzlaff, J.M.; Akl, E.A.; Brennan, S.E.; Chou, R.; et al. The PRISMA 2020 statement: An updated guideline for reporting systematic reviews. BMJ 2021 , 372 , n71. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ] [ PubMed ]
• City University of London. Doing Postdoctoral Research: Using a Framework to Structure Your Question. 2022. Available online: https://libguides.city.ac.uk/systematic-reviews/search-strategy (accessed on 23 July 2022).
• Aveyard, H. Doing a Literature Review in Health and Social Care: A Practical Guide , 4th ed.; McGraw-Hill: London, UK, 2018. [ Google Scholar ]
• Ridley, D. The Literature Review. A Step-by Step Guide for Students ; Sage: London, UK, 2012. [ Google Scholar ]
• Petticrew, M.; Roberts, H. Systematic Reviews in the Social Sciences: A Practical Guide ; John Wiley & Sons, Incorporated: Williston, UK, 2005. [ Google Scholar ]
• Hämäläinen, S.; Musial, F.; Salamonsen, A.; Graff, O.; Olsen, T.A. Sami yoik, Sami history, Sami health: A narrative review. Int. J. Circumpolar Health 2018 , 77 , 1454784. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ] [ PubMed ]
• Kowalczewski, E.; Klein, J. Sámi youth health, the role of climate change, and unique health-seeking behaviour. Int. J. Circumpolar Health 2018 , 77 , 1454785. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ] [ PubMed ]
• Cunsolo Willox, A.; Stephenson, E.; Allen, J.; Bourque, F.; Drossos, A.; Elgarøy, S.; Kral, M.J.; Mauro, I.; Moses, J.; Pearce, T.; et al. Examining relationships between climate change and mental health in the Circumpolar North. Reg. Environ. Chang. 2015 , 15 , 169–182. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Morris, K. Loss of land could threaten health of Sámi people. Lancet 2009 , 374 , 15–16. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ] [ PubMed ]
• Ulturgasheva, O.; Rasmus, S.; Wexler, L.; Nystad, K.; Kral, M. Arctic indigenous youth resilience and vulnerability: Comparative analysis of adolescent experiences across five circumpolar communities. Transcult. Psychiatry 2014 , 51 , 735–756. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ] [ PubMed ]
• San Sebastián, M.; Stoor, J.P. The self-reported health of the Sámi in Sweden: The SámiHET study. Eur. J. Public Health 2023 , 33 , 366–371. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Thomas, J.; Harden, A. Methods for the thematic synthesis of qualitative research in systematic reviews. BMC Med. Res. Methodol. 2008 , 8 , 45. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Steffen, W.; Richardson, K.; Rockstrom, J.; Cornell, S.E.; Fetzer, I.; Bennett, E.M.; Biggs, R.; Carpenter, S.R.; de Vries, W.; de Wit, C.A.; et al. Sustainability. Planetary boundaries: Guiding human development on a changing planet. Science 2015 , 347 , 1259855. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• LSHTM Library Guide. Databases A-Z. 2022. Available online: https://www.lshtm.ac.uk/research/library-archive-open-research-services/resources (accessed on 22 June 2022).
• Lowe, H.J.; Barnett, G.O. Understanding and using the medical subject headings (MeSH) vocabulary to perform literature searches. Jama 1994 , 271 , 1103–1108. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ] [ PubMed ]
• Greenhalgh, T.; Peacock, R. Effectiveness and efficiency of search methods in systematic reviews of complex evidence: Audit of primary sources. BMJ 2005 , 331 , 1064–1065. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ] [ PubMed ]
• Critical Appraisal Skills Programme. CASP (Systematic Review and Qualitative Studies) Checklist. 2022. Available online: https://casp-uk.net/casp-tools-checklists/ (accessed on 3 March 2023).
• Huria, T.; Palmer, S.C.; Pitama, S.; Beckert, L.; Lacey, C.; Ewen, S.; Smith, L.T. Consolidated criteria for strengthening reporting of health research involving indigenous peoples: The CONSIDER statement. BMC Med. Res. Methodol. 2019 , 19 , 173. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ] [ PubMed ]
• Britten, N.; Campbell, R.; Pope, C.; Donovan, J.; Morgan, M.; Pill, R. Using meta ethnography to synthesise qualitative research: A worked example. J. Health Serv. Res. Policy 2002 , 7 , 209–215. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ] [ PubMed ]
• Furberg, M.; Evengård, B.; Nilsson, M. Facing the limit of resilience: Perceptions of climate change among reindeer herding Sami in Sweden. Glob. Health Action 2011 , 4 , 8417. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ] [ PubMed ]
• Kaiser, N.; Ruong, T.; Renberg, E.S. Experiences of being a young male Sami reindeer herder: A qualitative study in perspective of mental health. Int. J. Circumpolar Health 2013 , 72 , 20926. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ] [ PubMed ]
• Heikkinen, H.I.; Kasanen, M.; Lépy, É. Resilience, vulnerability and adaptation in reindeer herding communities in the Finnish-Swedish border area. Nord. Geogr. Publ. 2012 , 41 , 107–121. [ Google Scholar ]
• Omma, L.M.; Holmgren, L.E.; Jacobsson, L.H. Being a young sami in Sweden: Living conditions, identity and life satisfaction. J. North. Stud. 2011 , 5 , 9–28. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Tervo, H.; Nikkonen, M. «In the Mountains One Feels like a Dog off the Leash»—Sámi Perceptions of Welfare and its Influencing Factors. Vård I Nord. 2010 , 30 , 9–14. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Omma, L.; Jacobsson, L.H.; Petersen, S. The health of young Swedish Sami with special reference to mental health. Int. J. Circumpolar Health 2012 , 71 , 18381. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Kaiser, N.; Sjölander, P.; Liljegren, A.E.; Jacobsson, L.; Renberg, E.S. Depression and anxiety in the reindeer-herding Sami population of Sweden. Int. J. Circumpolar Health 2010 , 69 , 383–393. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ] [ PubMed ]
• Martens, P.; Van de Goor, M. Sacred Nature: Non-Western Voices about Animals, People, and Climate ; Independent Publisher: Chicago, IL, USA, 2023. [ Google Scholar ]
• Allen, J.; Hopper, K.; Wexler, L.; Kral, M.; Rasmus, S.; Nystad, K. Mapping resilience pathways of Indigenous youth in five circumpolar communities. Transcult. Psychiatry 2014 , 51 , 601–631. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ] [ PubMed ]
• Cueva, K.; Akearok, G.H.; Guistini, S.; Kanayurak, N.; Larsen, C.V.L.; Lavoie, J.; Rink, E.; Stoor, J.P.A. Where are the people? A scoping review on the use of the term “resilience” in Arctic health research and its relevance to community expressions of well-being. Elem.-Sci. Anthr. 2021 , 9 , 00077. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Berg-Nordlie, M. ‘Sámi in the Heart’: Kinship, Culture, and Community as Foundations for Indigenous Sámi Identity in Norway. Ethnopolitics 2022 , 21 , 450–472. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]

Share and Cite

Venhof, V.S.M.; Stephens, C.; Martens, P. Voices from the North: Exploring Sámi People’s Perspectives on Environmental Change and Mental Well-Being: A Systematic Literature Review. Challenges 2024 , 15 , 30. https://doi.org/10.3390/challe15020030

Venhof VSM, Stephens C, Martens P. Voices from the North: Exploring Sámi People’s Perspectives on Environmental Change and Mental Well-Being: A Systematic Literature Review. Challenges . 2024; 15(2):30. https://doi.org/10.3390/challe15020030

Venhof, Valesca S. M., Carolyn Stephens, and Pim Martens. 2024. "Voices from the North: Exploring Sámi People’s Perspectives on Environmental Change and Mental Well-Being: A Systematic Literature Review" Challenges 15, no. 2: 30. https://doi.org/10.3390/challe15020030

Article Metrics

Article access statistics, supplementary material.

ZIP-Document (ZIP, 1660 KiB)

Further Information

Mdpi initiatives, follow mdpi.

Subscribe to receive issue release notifications and newsletters from MDPI journals

Have a language expert improve your writing

Run a free plagiarism check in 10 minutes, generate accurate citations for free.

• Knowledge Base
• Dissertation
• How to Write an Abstract | Steps & Examples

How to Write an Abstract | Steps & Examples

Published on February 28, 2019 by Shona McCombes . Revised on July 18, 2023 by Eoghan Ryan.

An abstract is a short summary of a longer work (such as a thesis ,  dissertation or research paper ). The abstract concisely reports the aims and outcomes of your research, so that readers know exactly what your paper is about.

Although the structure may vary slightly depending on your discipline, your abstract should describe the purpose of your work, the methods you’ve used, and the conclusions you’ve drawn.

One common way to structure your abstract is to use the IMRaD structure. This stands for:

• Introduction

Abstracts are usually around 100–300 words, but there’s often a strict word limit, so make sure to check the relevant requirements.

In a dissertation or thesis , include the abstract on a separate page, after the title page and acknowledgements but before the table of contents .

Instantly correct all language mistakes in your text

Upload your document to correct all your mistakes in minutes

Table of contents

Abstract example, when to write an abstract, step 1: introduction, step 2: methods, step 3: results, step 4: discussion, tips for writing an abstract, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about abstracts.

Hover over the different parts of the abstract to see how it is constructed.

This paper examines the role of silent movies as a mode of shared experience in the US during the early twentieth century. At this time, high immigration rates resulted in a significant percentage of non-English-speaking citizens. These immigrants faced numerous economic and social obstacles, including exclusion from public entertainment and modes of discourse (newspapers, theater, radio).

Incorporating evidence from reviews, personal correspondence, and diaries, this study demonstrates that silent films were an affordable and inclusive source of entertainment. It argues for the accessible economic and representational nature of early cinema. These concerns are particularly evident in the low price of admission and in the democratic nature of the actors’ exaggerated gestures, which allowed the plots and action to be easily grasped by a diverse audience despite language barriers.

Keywords: silent movies, immigration, public discourse, entertainment, early cinema, language barriers.

Receive feedback on language, structure, and formatting

Professional editors proofread and edit your paper by focusing on:

• Academic style
• Vague sentences
• Style consistency

See an example

You will almost always have to include an abstract when:

• Completing a thesis or dissertation
• Submitting a research paper to an academic journal
• Writing a book or research proposal
• Applying for research grants

It’s easiest to write your abstract last, right before the proofreading stage, because it’s a summary of the work you’ve already done. Your abstract should:

• Be a self-contained text, not an excerpt from your paper
• Be fully understandable on its own
• Reflect the structure of your larger work

Start by clearly defining the purpose of your research. What practical or theoretical problem does the research respond to, or what research question did you aim to answer?

You can include some brief context on the social or academic relevance of your dissertation topic , but don’t go into detailed background information. If your abstract uses specialized terms that would be unfamiliar to the average academic reader or that have various different meanings, give a concise definition.

After identifying the problem, state the objective of your research. Use verbs like “investigate,” “test,” “analyze,” or “evaluate” to describe exactly what you set out to do.

This part of the abstract can be written in the present or past simple tense  but should never refer to the future, as the research is already complete.

• This study will investigate the relationship between coffee consumption and productivity.
• This study investigates the relationship between coffee consumption and productivity.

Next, indicate the research methods that you used to answer your question. This part should be a straightforward description of what you did in one or two sentences. It is usually written in the past simple tense, as it refers to completed actions.

• Structured interviews will be conducted with 25 participants.
• Structured interviews were conducted with 25 participants.

Don’t evaluate validity or obstacles here — the goal is not to give an account of the methodology’s strengths and weaknesses, but to give the reader a quick insight into the overall approach and procedures you used.

Next, summarize the main research results . This part of the abstract can be in the present or past simple tense.

• Our analysis has shown a strong correlation between coffee consumption and productivity.
• Our analysis shows a strong correlation between coffee consumption and productivity.
• Our analysis showed a strong correlation between coffee consumption and productivity.

Depending on how long and complex your research is, you may not be able to include all results here. Try to highlight only the most important findings that will allow the reader to understand your conclusions.

Finally, you should discuss the main conclusions of your research : what is your answer to the problem or question? The reader should finish with a clear understanding of the central point that your research has proved or argued. Conclusions are usually written in the present simple tense.

• We concluded that coffee consumption increases productivity.
• We conclude that coffee consumption increases productivity.

If there are important limitations to your research (for example, related to your sample size or methods), you should mention them briefly in the abstract. This allows the reader to accurately assess the credibility and generalizability of your research.

If your aim was to solve a practical problem, your discussion might include recommendations for implementation. If relevant, you can briefly make suggestions for further research.

If your paper will be published, you might have to add a list of keywords at the end of the abstract. These keywords should reference the most important elements of the research to help potential readers find your paper during their own literature searches.

Be aware that some publication manuals, such as APA Style , have specific formatting requirements for these keywords.

It can be a real challenge to condense your whole work into just a couple of hundred words, but the abstract will be the first (and sometimes only) part that people read, so it’s important to get it right. These strategies can help you get started.

Read other abstracts

The best way to learn the conventions of writing an abstract in your discipline is to read other people’s. You probably already read lots of journal article abstracts while conducting your literature review —try using them as a framework for structure and style.

You can also find lots of dissertation abstract examples in thesis and dissertation databases .

Reverse outline

Not all abstracts will contain precisely the same elements. For longer works, you can write your abstract through a process of reverse outlining.

For each chapter or section, list keywords and draft one to two sentences that summarize the central point or argument. This will give you a framework of your abstract’s structure. Next, revise the sentences to make connections and show how the argument develops.

Write clearly and concisely

A good abstract is short but impactful, so make sure every word counts. Each sentence should clearly communicate one main point.

To keep your abstract or summary short and clear:

• Avoid passive sentences: Passive constructions are often unnecessarily long. You can easily make them shorter and clearer by using the active voice.
• Avoid long sentences: Substitute longer expressions for concise expressions or single words (e.g., “In order to” for “To”).
• Avoid obscure jargon: The abstract should be understandable to readers who are not familiar with your topic.
• Avoid repetition and filler words: Replace nouns with pronouns when possible and eliminate unnecessary words.
• Avoid detailed descriptions: An abstract is not expected to provide detailed definitions, background information, or discussions of other scholars’ work. Instead, include this information in the body of your thesis or paper.

If you’re struggling to edit down to the required length, you can get help from expert editors with Scribbr’s professional proofreading services or use the paraphrasing tool .

Check your formatting

If you are writing a thesis or dissertation or submitting to a journal, there are often specific formatting requirements for the abstract—make sure to check the guidelines and format your work correctly. For APA research papers you can follow the APA abstract format .

Checklist: Abstract

The word count is within the required length, or a maximum of one page.

The abstract appears after the title page and acknowledgements and before the table of contents .

I have clearly stated my research problem and objectives.

I have briefly described my methodology .

I have summarized the most important results .

I have stated my main conclusions .

I have mentioned any important limitations and recommendations.

The abstract can be understood by someone without prior knowledge of the topic.

You've written a great abstract! Use the other checklists to continue improving your thesis or dissertation.

If you want to know more about AI for academic writing, AI tools, or research bias, make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

Research bias

• Anchoring bias
• Halo effect
• The Baader–Meinhof phenomenon
• The placebo effect
• Nonresponse bias
• Deep learning
• Generative AI
• Machine learning
• Reinforcement learning
• Supervised vs. unsupervised learning

 (AI) Tools

• Grammar Checker
• Paraphrasing Tool
• Text Summarizer
• AI Detector
• Plagiarism Checker
• Citation Generator

An abstract is a concise summary of an academic text (such as a journal article or dissertation ). It serves two main purposes:

• To help potential readers determine the relevance of your paper for their own research.
• To communicate your key findings to those who don’t have time to read the whole paper.

Abstracts are often indexed along with keywords on academic databases, so they make your work more easily findable. Since the abstract is the first thing any reader sees, it’s important that it clearly and accurately summarizes the contents of your paper.

An abstract for a thesis or dissertation is usually around 200–300 words. There’s often a strict word limit, so make sure to check your university’s requirements.

The abstract is the very last thing you write. You should only write it after your research is complete, so that you can accurately summarize the entirety of your thesis , dissertation or research paper .

Avoid citing sources in your abstract . There are two reasons for this:

• The abstract should focus on your original research, not on the work of others.
• The abstract should be self-contained and fully understandable without reference to other sources.

There are some circumstances where you might need to mention other sources in an abstract: for example, if your research responds directly to another study or focuses on the work of a single theorist. In general, though, don’t include citations unless absolutely necessary.

The abstract appears on its own page in the thesis or dissertation , after the title page and acknowledgements but before the table of contents .

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

McCombes, S. (2023, July 18). How to Write an Abstract | Steps & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved June 7, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/dissertation/abstract/

Is this article helpful?

Shona McCombes

Other students also liked, how to write a thesis or dissertation introduction, shorten your abstract or summary, how to write a literature review | guide, examples, & templates, get unlimited documents corrected.

✔ Free APA citation check included ✔ Unlimited document corrections ✔ Specialized in correcting academic texts

A Literature Review and Taxonomy of In-VR Questionnaire User Interfaces

• Safikhani, Saeed
• Nacke, Lennart
• Pirker, Johanna

Previous research demonstrates that the interruption of immersive experiences may lead to a bias in the results of questionnaires. Thus, the traditional way of presenting questionnaires, paper-based or web-based, may not be compatible with evaluating VR experiences. Recent research has shown the positive impact of embedding questionnaires contextually into the virtual environment. However, a comprehensive overview of the available VR questionnaire solutions is currently missing. Furthermore, no clear taxonomy exists for these different solutions in the literature. To address this, we present a literature review of VR questionnaire user interfaces (UI) following PRISMA guidelines. Our search returned 1.109 initial results, which were screened for eligibility, resulting in a corpus of 25 papers. This paper contributes to HCI and games research with a literature review of embedded questionnaires in VR, discussing the advantages and disadvantages and introducing a taxonomy of in-VR questionnaire UIs.

• Computer Science - Human-Computer Interaction