The relationship between screen time and mental health in young people: A systematic review of longitudinal studies

Abstract

An increase in time spent on screen-based technologies has been suggested to underlie recent increases in mental health problems among young people. However, this hypothesis has primarily been based on the findings of cross-sectional studies. The aim of the current review was to provide a comprehensive overview of longitudinal studies examining the relationship between screen time and internalising mental health symptoms. PsycINFO, PubMed/Medline and EMBASE were systematically searched for articles published up to August 2020. Thirty-five studies, with sample sizes ranging from 126 to 12,866 participants, met inclusion criteria. The association between screen time and subsequent depressive symptoms was found to be small to very small in size. There was limited evidence of any reverse association between depressive symptoms and subsequent screen time. The association between screen time and depressive symptoms varied between different devices and uses. In contrast to depressive symptoms, evidence to support longitudinal associations between screen time and other internalising mental health symptoms, including anxiety, self-esteem, and general internalising problems, was lacking. Together, these results suggest that the impact of increased screen time on the prevalence of mental health problems among young people is likely to be negligible or small. Further longitudinal studies that examine screen content and motivations underlying screen use are required to better discern any relationship between screen time and internalising mental health symptoms.

Keywords: Longitudinal studies; Mental health; Screen time; Systematic review; Young people.