Photo Credit: Patat

Screen time in preteens is prospectively associated with mental health in adolescence, according to a study published in BMC Public Health. Jason Nagata, MD, and colleagues examined the relationship between screen time and child behavioral problems in 9,538 adolescents aged 9 to 10 at baseline. In adjusted models, researchers found that higher total screen time was associated with all mental health symptoms, with the strongest association observed 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 researchers found that video chat, texting, videos, and video games had the greatest associations. White adolescents experienced a stronger association between screen time and depressive, attention-deficit/hyperactivity, and oppositional defiant symptoms compared to 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,” Dr. Nagata said.