Screen time for teenagers has increased so much during the pandemic

Screen time was an issue long before the pandemic. Now, after a year of distance learning and social distancing measures, this has become inevitable as we have much more to worry about. A recent study of teenagers found that while screen time for schools has predictably increased, so has screen time for recreational purposes.

The study, published in JAMA Pediatrics, was conducted on children and adolescents aged 10 to 14 years. It found that screen time increased from 3.8 hours per day to 7.7 hours regardless of online school.

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The researchers used data to compare teenagers’ screen time from 2016 to 2020. The results showed that more screen time correlated with poorer mental health, increased stress levels, and poorer physical health. They theorize that the relationship between poor mental health and screen time is bidirectional, meaning that declining mental health leads to teens using more screens, which then leads to poorer mental health.

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While these results weren’t surprising to many, these results were shocking to health experts, who said that children put as much hours into their screens as adults into their work. “That’s a pretty insane phenomenon considering they were also on the screens 5 to 7 hours a day for school,” said Dr. Michael Rich told USA Today.

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While the use of social media was the main form of communication between friends and people who lived in different households during the pandemic, screen time was not used for this, according to the study. “More screen time was linked to poorer mental health and greater stress in teenagers,” said lead researcher Dr. Jason Nagata to CNN. Researchers suggest that this could be explained by “doomscrolling,” as more screen time prevented children from engaging in healthy online behavior.

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Researchers recommend setting screen time limits for children, especially since screen time usage is likely to stay at higher levels than in pre-pandemic times. Leading by example goes a long way in ensuring that devices are turned off for all family members during meals and family time. Still, a certain forbearance is required; As schools move into a personal format, there will likely be remote days and online activities.