Preteen Screen Time Can Affect Adolescent Mental Health

Associations appear to be stronger for White teens versus Black or Asian teens

By Lori Solomon HealthDay Reporter

THURSDAY, Oct. 10, 2024 (HealthDay News) — More screen time in preteens is prospectively associated with later mental health disorders in adolescence, according to a study published online Oct. 7 in BMC Public Health.

Jason M. Nagata, M.D., from the University of California, San Francisco, and colleagues used data from 9,538 adolescents (aged 9 to 10 years at baseline in 2016 to 2018 and followed for two years) participating in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study to examine the relationship between screen time and child behavioral problems.

The researchers found that higher total screen time was associated with all mental health symptoms in adjusted models, with the strongest association seen for depressive (B = 0.10), conduct (B = 0.07), somatic (B = 0.06), and attention-deficit/hyperactivity symptoms (B = 0.06). For depressive symptoms, the specific screen types with the greatest associations were video chat, texting, videos, and video games. The association between screen time and depressive, attention-deficit/hyperactivity, and oppositional defiant symptoms was stronger among White adolescents versus Black adolescents, while the association between screen time and depressive symptoms was stronger among White adolescents versus Asian adolescents.

“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,” Nagata said in a statement. “Rather than displacing in-person relationships, technology may help them expand their support networks beyond what’s accessible in their immediate environment.”