Preteen Screen Time Can Affect Adolescent Mental Health
By Lori Solomon HealthDay Reporter
THURSDAY, Oct. 10, 2024 -- 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."
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.
© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted October 2024
Read this next
Almost One-Quarter of U.S. Firearm Suicides May Occur Outside the Home
WEDNESDAY, June 11, 2025 -- A growing number of firearm suicides in the United States occur outside the home, most commonly in motor vehicles, according to a study published...
Mailed Self-Collection Kits Increase Rates of Cervical Cancer Screening
WEDNESDAY, June 11, 2025 -- Mailed self-collection (SC) kits may increase participation in cervical cancer screening, according to a study published online June 6 in JAMA...
Attrition Rates High Among Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual Medical Students
WEDNESDAY, June 11, 2025 -- Medical school attrition rates are high among lesbian, gay, or bisexual (LGB) medical students, according to a research letter published online June 10...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.