Screen time and well-being - Fact Sheet

“Digital technology can have both positive and negative effects on child well-being, depending on the activity and how much time is spent.”^[1]

• Very high levels of screen time are connected to poor mental well-being
• Very low levels are as well
• There’s a large middle ground with no direct connection to well-being ^[2]

“Screen time” is important…but not as important as what kids do with their screens:

• Video games can challenge minds, helping kids develop friendships and build their identities ^[3]
• Social networks can help teens build a wider circle of friends and deepen existing friendships ^[4]
• Social networks and video-chatting can help teens keep in touch with distant friends or family ^[5]
• The Internet can be used to explore news interests, connect with peers and mentors, and give and get feedback on creative projects ^[6]

What the research says: Screen use can hurt mental wellness

Screen time has the biggest direct impact on sleep:

• 29% of teen cellphone owners are often awakened by notifications ^[7]
• this means both less sleep and worse sleep, which can have effects on general mental wellness and on brain development ^[8]

Screen use can cause kids to have negative experiences that harm mental wellness, like:

• cyberbullying ^[9]
• unhealthy body image perceptions ^[10]

 Using screens can also make it harder for kids to manage their emotions:

• digital communication doesn’t provide emotional cues like facial expression and tone of voice
• kids sometimes use digital media to escape unpleasant situations

What the research says: Screen use and vulnerable children

The negative effects of screen use are more powerful on vulnerable children – but so are the positive ones.

Teens who report having low mental well-being are more likely to say they:

• feel bad if nobody likes or comments on their posts
• have felt left out after seeing friends’ posts
• have had negative experiences on social media

But they’re also more likely to say that social media:

• has an overall positive effect on them
• makes them feel better about themselves
• makes them feel less depressed ^[11]

Parents of vulnerable youth need to be especially closely involved in their kids’ digital lives and make sure they’re supporting the positive aspects while helping to handle the negative ones.

What the research says: Signs of problematic use

Because what kids do with screens is more important than how much time they’re spending with it, the most important question is whether it’s causing problems in other parts of their lives:

• have they lost interest in other activities?
• do you often have trouble getting them to stop screen activities?
• is screen use leading them to spend less time with family or friends?
• does your child get angry or upset when they can’t use screens at a time they expected to?
• is screen use the only thing that can cheer your child up when they’re feeling low? ^[12]

What kids say:

Screen use has its pros and cons but overall is more positive than negative

According to kids, screen use:

• makes them feel less lonely ^[13]
• helps them make new friends ^[14]
• lets them keep in touch with friends and family ^[15]
• connects them with support and health services ^[16]

But teens also say that screen use can have negative effects – especially on other kids ^[17]

• 54% say they spend too much time on their phones
• 41% say they spend too much time on social media
• 26% say they spend too much time on video games ^[18]

They aren’t the only ones with a screen time problem

51% of teens say their parents are sometimes distracted by their phones when talking to them ^[19]

When kids were asked what screen time rules parents should follow, they said:

• “Put down the phone when your child is trying to say something important.”
• “Don't post anything about me without asking me.”
• “Don't spend all your free time on this stuff.”
• “Practice what you preach.” ^[20]

For tips on how to take control of screen use, check out these tip sheets:

Four Tips for Managing Your Kids’ Screen Time  (for parents)

Dealing With Digital Stress (for kids)