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Is screen time associated with anxiety or depression in young people? Results from a UK birth cohort
Open accessAbstract
BACKGROUND: There is limited and conflicting evidence for associations between use of screen-based technology and anxiety and depression in young people. We examined associations between screen time measured at 16 years and anxiety and depression at 18. METHODS: Participants (n = 14,665; complete cases n = 1869) were from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children, a UK-based prospective cohort study. We assessed associations between various types of screen time (watching television, using a computer, and texting, all measured via questionnaire at 16y), both on weekdays and at weekends, and anxiety and depression (measured via the Revised Clinical Interview Schedule at 18y). Using ordinal logistic regression, we adjusted for multiple confounders, particularly focussing on activities that might have been replaced by screen time (for example exercising or playing outdoors). RESULTS: More time spent using a computer on weekdays was associated with a small increased risk of anxiety (OR for 1-2 h = 1.17, 95% CI: 1.01 to 1.35; OR for 3+ hours = 1.30, 95% CI: 1.10 to 1.55, both compared to < 1 h, p for linear trend = 0.003). We found a similar association between computer use at weekends and anxiety (OR for 1-2 h = 1.17, 95% CI: 0.94 to 1.46; OR for 3+ hours = 1.28, 95% CI: 1.03 to 1.48, p for linear trend = 0.03). Greater time spent using a computer on weekend days only was associated with a small increased risk in depression (OR for 1-2 h = 1.12, 95% CI: 0.93 to 1.35; OR for 3+ hours = 1.35, 95% CI: 1.10 to 1.65, p for linear trend = 0.003). Adjusting for time spent alone attenuated effects for anxiety but not depression. There was little evidence for associations with texting or watching television. CONCLUSIONS: We found associations between increased screen time, particularly computer use, and a small increased risk of anxiety and depression. Time spent alone was found to attenuate some associations, and further research should explore this.
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“Fourteen studies identified in this systematic scoping review measured both ST and GT [234–238, 242–250].”
From Psychological impacts of “screen time” and “green time” for children and adolescents: A systematic scoping review (2020) · cites this paper as [238]
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredThe source backs part of the claim, not all of it — or backs it for a different population, condition or comparison.
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“A Canadian study found a significant positive relationship between screen time and levels of anxiety and depression among students, particularly with computer use and video gaming, but not with television viewing (3).”
From Relationship of screen time with anxiety, depression, and sleep quality among adolescents: a cross-sectional study (2024) · cites this paper as [3]
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“There was a small positive association between computer use at age 16 and anxiety and depression two years later in one study [71].”
From The associations between screen time and mental health in adolescents: a systematic review (2023) · cites this paper as [71]
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“One study reported a small positive association between time spent using the computer (on both weekdays and weekend days) at baseline and subsequent anxiety symptoms (Khouja et al., 2019).”
From The relationship between screen time and mental health in young people: A systematic review of longitudinal studies (2021) · cites this paper as Khouja et al., 2019
In the citing paper
“One study reported no association between these variables (Khouja et al., 2019)”
From The relationship between screen time and mental health in young people: A systematic review of longitudinal studies (2021) · cites this paper as Khouja et al., 2019
In the citing paper
“However, this association was no longer significant when adjusting for time spent alone.”
From The relationship between screen time and mental health in young people: A systematic review of longitudinal studies (2021) · cites this paper as Khouja et al., 2019
In the citing paper
“Two studies found no association between television viewing and subsequent anxiety symptoms (Boers et al., 2020;Khouja et al., 2019).”
From The relationship between screen time and mental health in young people: A systematic review of longitudinal studies (2021) · cites this paper as Khouja et al., 2019
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Metadata
- Authors
- Khouja, J. N., Munafò, M. R., Tilling, K., Wiles, N. J., Joinson, C., Etchells, P. J., John, A., Hayes, F. M., Gage, S. H., & Cornish, R. P.
- Affiliations
- University of Bristol (GB)
- Bath Spa University (GB)
- Swansea University (GB)
- University of Liverpool (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Khouja, Jasmine N.
- ORCID
- Venue
- BMC Public Health
- Published
- 2019-01-17
- Volume
- 19
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 82-82
- ISSN
- 1471-2458 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC6337855
- OpenAlex
- W2914648011
- Cited by
- 161
- References
- 36
- Citations by year
- 2026: 12 · 2025: 11 · 2024: 33 · 2023: 19 · 2022: 32 · 2021: 25 · 2020: 24 · 2019: 4
- FWCI
- 42.69
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- BMC Public Health (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, other-oa)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Bristol Research (University of Bristol) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- Research Space (acceptedVersion)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
- Funders
- Medical Research Council (102215/2/13/2, MM_UU_12013/6)
- Wellcome Trust (102215/2/13/2, 105612/Z/14/Z)
- Elizabeth Blackwell Institute for Health Research (105612/Z/14/Z)
- University of Bristol (105612/Z/14/Z)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Impact of Technology on Adolescents
- Social Sciences › Education › Child Development and Digital Technology
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Physical Activity and Health
- Keywords
- screen time, computer use, anxiety, depression, youth, adolescents, television viewing, text messaging, time spent alone, Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children, mental health, sedentary behavior, digital technology use, self-esteem
- MeSH terms
- Screen Time, Adolescent, Anxiety, Computers, Depression, Female, United Kingdom, Humans, Male, Prospective Studies, Risk Factors, Time Factors
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