New research following US adolescents ages 11–12 shows that problematic use of mobile phones, social media, and video games was associated with higher risks of mental health problems, sleep disturbance, and suicidal behaviors one year later. The study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, published by Elsevier, reveals that the links between problematic screen use and mental health are stronger than those previously reported for overall screen time and highlights the risks of addictive use.
Screen use increases rapidly during early adolescence, which is also a critical window when mental health challenges, sleep problems, and substance use often begin to emerge. An estimated 49.5% of adolescents in the US have experienced mental illness.
While much of the prior research has focused on overall…