A new study from UC San Francisco reveals that more screen time increases the chances of developing symptoms of mental illness in 9- and 10-year-olds.
The study, published in BMC Public Health, followed a diverse group of children for two years and found that more time spent on screens was linked to more severe symptoms of depression, anxiety, attention issues, and aggression.
The study showed that kids who spent more time texting, video chatting, watching videos, or playing video games were more likely to experience symptoms of depression.
Dr. Jason Nagata, the study’s lead author and an associate professor at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital, explained that too much screen time may reduce activities like physical exercise, sleep, and in-person socializing, which can help prevent depression and anxiety.
Interestingly, the study found differences in how screen time affected kids of different racial backgrounds.
White children showed stronger links between screen time and symptoms of depression, ADHD, and other behavioral issues compared to Black children.
The connection between screen time and depression was also stronger for White children compared to Asian peers.
However, there were no significant differences in these effects between boys and girls.
Dr. Nagata mentioned that for minority children, technology might be a helpful way to connect with others who share similar backgrounds. In this way, screens and social media could help build support networks for kids who might not have many friends in their immediate environment.
As screen use has increased over the years, concern for children’s mental health has grown.
Adolescents today are 50% more likely to experience a major depressive episode and 30% more likely to commit suicide than they were 20 years ago.
Kids now spend an average of 5.5 hours on screens each day for non-educational reasons.
To help reduce the negative effects of excessive screen time, Dr. Nagata suggests that parents follow the American Academy of Pediatrics’ recommendation to create a Family Media Use Plan tailored to each child’s needs.
If you care about mental health, please read studies about how dairy foods may influence depression risk, and 6 foods you can eat to improve mental health.
For more mental health information, please see recent studies about top foods to tame your stress, and Omega-3 fats may help reduce depression.
