Adolescents receiving four or more hours of screen time every day are more likely to live anxiety And depressionaccording to a new report from the National Center for Health Statistics.
In a brief shared by the agency on Wednesday, data shows that about half of adolescents aged 12 to 17 spent 4 hours or more of screen time per day between July 2021 and December 2023. 22.8% spent 3 hours a day in front of a screen, 17.8% spent 2 hours. , 6.1% had 1 hour and only 3% had less than 1 hour.
For the brief, teens reported their own use of screen time during a typical weekday, excluding time spent doing homework, the authors noted.
During the same period, approximately 1 in 4 adolescents who reported spending 4 hours or more per day in front of a screen experienced symptoms of anxiety (27.1%) or depression (25.9%) during the two previous weeks. Symptoms of anxiety and depression decreased significantly among adolescents who spent less than 4 hours per day in front of a screen, 12.3% and 9.5%, respectively.
“Studies like these show the true extent of the time our children spend in front of screens and the worrying consequences for their mental health and well-being,” Dr. Neha Chaudhary, psychiatrist at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School and chief medical officer. at Modern Health, told CBS News.
Chaudhary, who was not involved in preparing the report, said she saw first-hand the effects of technology on stress levels, anxiety and depression among the children and parents she worked with .
And while more and more research shows a correlation between social media and anxiety and depression, the reasons behind it are a bit more complex, she said.
“With online harassment, constant social comparisons, such as missing out on things others have or do, regularly seeking validation, and effects on body image — it’s no wonder that more time spent on social media may be linked to anxiety and depression,” she said. “At the same time, people who experience mental health issues might be more likely to try turning to social media to cope with their symptoms, hoping to find connection, validation or sometimes even a distraction.
Even organizations like the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend that teens be mindful of daily screen use, but note that “screen time” can include a range of content, including some that promote social connections or creativity.
This is why Chaudhary calls the technologist “the double-edged sword” of our generation.
“While some may find support and connections that help them feel better by finding communities they might not have had access to otherwise, many end up feeling worse or just as bad,” she said. -she declared. “The challenge for parents and children is how to balance it so that we can reap the benefits without sacrificing our mental health. »
While screen time was essentially equal between boys and girls in the latest report, black teens and those living in metropolitan areas were more likely to spend more than 4 hours per day in front of a screen than the other groups.
“As technology and screens continue to develop, their influence on children’s lives changes, making it increasingly important to broaden our understanding of screen time use patterns in general and among selected subgroups,” the authors wrote.
