Screen Time Associated With Depressive Symptoms, Study Finds

According to results from a recent study published in BMC Public Health, spending more time on screens increases the likelihood that children aged 9 and 10 years will develop mental illness symptoms. The effects were somewhat small, according to the study authors, but they were consistent.¹

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The investigators acknowledge that concerns regarding adolescents’ mental health have increased in recent years along with their screen time. According to the investigators, adolescents are approximately 50% more likely to experience a major depressive episode, and about 30% more likely to commit suicide in comparison to 20 years ago. Additionally, the average time spent on screens for non-educational purposes is about 5.5 hours per day for tweens and 8.5 for teens.¹

For this study, a total of 9538 adolescents aged 9 to 10 years at baseline were enrolled. Participants were assessed at a follow-up of 2 years from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study. The investigators used mixed-effects models to evaluate associations between baseline self-reported screen times and parent-reported mental health symptoms using the Child Behavior Checklist. Random effects were adjusted for age, sex, race or ethnicity, household income, parent education, and study site, and effect modification was tested by sex and race or ethnicity. Approximately 48.8% of participants were female and 47.6% were not White.²

“Screen use may replace time spent engaging in physical activity, sleep, socializing in-person and other behaviors that reduce depression and anxiety,” said the lead author Jason Nagata, MD, associate professor at Benioff Children’s Hospital’s Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine, University of California San Francisco, in a news release.¹

The findings show that a higher total screen time was associated with all mental health symptoms in adjusted models, with the association being strongest for depressive symptoms (B = 0.10, 95% CI 0.06, 0.13, p < 0.001). Although less severe, associations were also found in conduct (B = 0.07, 95% CI 0.03, 0.10, p < 0.001), somatic (B = 0.06, 95% CI 0.01, 0.11, p = 0.026), and attention-deficit/hyperactivity (ADHD) symptoms (B = 0.06, 95% CI 0.01, 0.10, p = 0.013). Additionally, the investigators observed that depressive symptoms were most associated with video chats, texting, videos, and video games.²

The associations between screen time and depressive, ADHD, and oppositional defiant symptoms were observed to be stronger among White adolescents compared with Black adolescents. Additionally, the association between screen time and depressive symptoms was strong among White adolescents compared with Asian adolescents. There were no differences observed between male and female adolescents.^1,2

“For minority adolescents, screens and social media may play a different role, serving as important platforms to connect with peers who share similar backgrounds and experiences,” said Nagata in the news release. “Rather than displacing in-person relationships, technology may help them expand their support networks beyond what’s accessible in their immediate environment.”¹

According to the investigators, limitations of the study include the following: research was based on self-reported screen time, which could be impacted by response, recall, and social desirability biases; limitations of available data from the ongoing ABCD study and could only follow adolescents for 2 years; and potential inverse causality when examining associations between screen time and mental health outcomes. In addition, the investigators note that effect sizes were relatively small when controlling for age, sex, race, and other factors. The authors suggest that further research should evaluate potential associations between child behavior problems and screen use.²

“The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends developing a Family Media Use Plan that considers the unique needs of each child,” said Nagata in the news release.¹

REFERENCES

1. University of California San Francisco. For Preteens, More Screen Time Is Tied to Depression, Anxiety Later. Nes release. October 2, 2024. Accessed October 7, 2024. https://www.ucsf.edu/news/2024/10/428581/preteens-more-screen-time-tied-depression-anxiety-later#:~:text=The%20study%20followed%20a%20diverse,effects%20were%20small%20but%20consistent

2. Nagata, JM, Al-Shoaibi, AA, Leong, AW, et al. Screen time and mental health: a prospective analysis of the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study. BMC Public Health 24, 2686 (2024) doi:10.1186/s12889-024-20102-x