4+ hours of screen time linked to more anxiety, depression in teens, data shows

Teens getting 4 aliases much hours of screen time each time are much apt to acquisition anxiety and depression, according to a caller study from nan National Center for Health Statistics.

In a little shared by nan agency Wednesday, information showed astir half of teenagers aged 12 to 17 had 4 hr aliases much of regular surface clip betwixt July 2021 and December 2023. 22.8% had 3 hours of regular surface time, 17.8% had 2 hours, 6.1% had 1 hour, and only 3% had little than 1 hour.

For nan brief, teenagers reported their ain surface clip usage during a emblematic weekday, excluding clip spent doing schoolwork, nan authors noted.

During nan aforesaid clip frame, astir 1 successful 4 teens who reported 4 aliases much hours of regular surface clip knowledgeable worry (27.1%) aliases slump symptoms (25.9%) successful nan erstwhile 2 weeks. Anxiety and slump symptoms reduced importantly for teens who had little than 4 hours of regular surface time, 12.3% and 9.5%, respectively.  

"Studies for illustration these show nan existent grade of really overmuch clip our children are spending connected screens and nan worrying consequences to their intelligence wellness and well-being," Dr. Neha Chaudhary, psychiatrist astatine Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School and Chief Medical Officer astatine Modern Health, told CBS News. 

Chaudhary, who was not progressive successful preparing nan report, said she's seen firsthand nan effects of exertion connected accent levels, worry and slump successful children and parents she's worked with. 

And while there's a increasing assemblage of investigation that shows relationship betwixt societal media and worry and depression, nan reasons down it are a spot much complex, she said. 

"With online bullying, changeless societal comparison for illustration missing retired connected things others person aliases are doing, regularly looking for validation, and effects connected assemblage image — it's nary wonderment that much clip spent connected societal media tin beryllium tied to worry and depression," she said. "At nan aforesaid time, group who are struggling pinch their intelligence wellness mightiness beryllium much apt to effort to move to societal media successful bid to header pinch their symptoms, hoping to find connection, validation aliases sometimes moreover a distraction."

Even organizations for illustration nan American Academy of Pediatrics urge that teens beryllium mindful of regular surface usage, but statement "screen time" tin see a scope of content, including immoderate that support societal relationship aliases creativity. 

That's why Chaudhary calls technologist nan "double-edged sword" of our generation. 

"While immoderate mightiness beryllium capable to find support and relationship that helps them consciousness amended arsenic they are capable to find communities that they different whitethorn not person had entree to— galore extremity up emotion worse aliases conscionable arsenic bad," she said. "The situation for parents and children is how to equilibrium it truthful we tin reap nan benefits without sacrificing our intelligence health."

While surface times were mostly adjacent betwixt boys and girls successful nan latest report, achromatic teenagers and those surviving successful metropolitan areas were much apt to person 4-plus hours of regular surface clip than different groups.

"As exertion and screens proceed to develop, their power connected nan lives of children changes, making it progressively important to grow our knowing of nan patterns of surface clip usage wide and among selected subgroups," nan authors wrote. 

In:
• Teenagers