Is screen time associated with anxiety or depression in young people? Results from a UK birth cohort
Khouja JN, Munafò MR, Tilling K, Wiles NJ, Joinson C, Etchells PJ, John A, Hayes FM, Gage SH, Cornish RP
BMC public health · 73 citations
Review labels
Neutral facts our review recorded about how this study was done. They describe method, never whether we like the result.
How it was studied
- Design
- Cohort study (indexed by PubMed)
- Studied in
- People
- Main outcome
- Health markers and function
Who paid for it
- Funding
- Independent funding
- Nonprofit
- Wellcome Trust
- Nonprofit
- MQ: Transforming Mental Health
- University or hospital
- University of Bristol
- University or hospital
- Elizabeth Blackwell Institute for Health Research, University of Bristol
- Government
- Medical Research Council
- University or hospital
- Elizabeth Blackwell Institute for Health Research
- Nonprofit
- MQ Mental Health Research
- Authors
- At least one author declares a financial tie to industry
- Grants
- Medical Research Council (MC_UU_00011/7); Wellcome Trust (102215/2/13/2)); Elizabeth Blackwell Institute for Health Research, University of Bristol (105612/Z/14/Z); Wellcome Trust (105612/Z/14/Z); Medical Research Council (102215/2/13/2); Medical Research Council (MM_UU_12013/6); University of Bristol (105612/Z/14/Z); Medical Research Council (MC_PC_15018); MQ: Transforming Mental Health (MQBF/3); Medical Research Council (MC_PC_19009)
Based on 7 listed funder(s) and full-text disclosure statement.
Publication
- Published
- 2019-01-17 · BMC Public Health · vol. 19 · issue 1 · p. 82
- Publisher
- BioMed Central
- Cited
- 162 citations · more than 100% of similar papers · 55.6× the field average
- Impact
- Top 10% most cited in its field
- References
- 36 works
- Access
- Open access (journal) · CC-BY
- Research areas
- Child Development and Digital Technology · Impact of Technology on Adolescents · Ergonomics and Musculoskeletal Disorders
- 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
- humans, risk factors, prospective studies, depression, anxiety, time factors, computers, adolescent, female, male, united kingdom, screen time
10 authors
From GB
- Jasmine Natalie Khouja · correspondingUniversity of Bristol; MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit
- Marcus Robert MunafoUniversity of Bristol; MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit
- Kate M. TillingUniversity of Bristol
- Nicola WilesUniversity of Bristol
- Carol J. JoinsonUniversity of Bristol
- Peter James EtchellsBath Spa University
Abstract
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.
Abstract via Europe PMC. Copyright remains with the authors or publisher (CC BY).
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