Addictive Screen Habits Harm Early Adolescent Mental Health

New investigation pursuing US adolescents ages 11–12 shows that problematic usage of mobile phones, societal media, and video games was associated pinch higher risks of intelligence wellness problems, slumber disturbance, and suicidal behaviors 1 twelvemonth later. The study successful nan American Journal of Preventive Medicine, published by Elsevier, reveals that nan links betwixt problematic surface usage and intelligence wellness are stronger than those antecedently reported for wide surface clip and highlights nan risks of addictive use.

Screen usage increases quickly during early adolescence, which is besides a captious model erstwhile intelligence wellness challenges, slumber problems, and constituent usage often statesman to emerge. An estimated 49.5% of adolescents successful nan US person knowledgeable intelligence illness.

While overmuch of nan anterior investigation has focused connected wide surface clip aliases older adolescents, this investigation focused connected problematic, addiction-like patterns of surface usage successful early adolescence and whether they are associated pinch later adverse wellness outcomes.

The researchers analyzed information from complete 8,000 participants successful nan Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study, nan largest semipermanent study of encephalon improvement and kid wellness successful nan US, pursuing younker from ages 11–12 to 1 twelvemonth later.

The study recovered that problematic mobile telephone and societal media usage were prospectively associated pinch higher depressive, somatic, attention/deficit, oppositional defiant, and behaviour problems scores; suicidal behaviors; slumber disturbance; and constituent initiation.

Problematic video crippled usage was associated pinch higher depressive, attention/deficit, and oppositional defiant scores; suicidal behaviors; and slumber disturbance.

This study addresses cardinal grounds gaps highlighted by nan US Surgeon General successful a 2023 Advisory connected Social Media and Youth Mental Health by utilizing a prospective design, focusing connected early adolescents, and examining problematic surface usage alternatively than surface clip alone.

Responding to ongoing concerns astir younker intelligence wellness and nan accelerated emergence of integer media usage astatine younger ages, this study's findings are poised to style early wellness argumentation and objective practice. The results underpin nan necessity of interventions specifically tailored to early adolescents, arsenic this is simply a captious play during which psychological vulnerabilities often first manifest.

Dr. Nagata points out, "Not each surface clip is harmful. The existent consequence comes erstwhile usage becomes addictive aliases problematic, erstwhile kids can't stop, consciousness stressed if they don't usage it, aliases it starts to disrupt sleep, mood, aliases regular life."

"Our findings propose that integer platforms and families alike should see ways to trim addictive features of apps and societal media, since these patterns of usage are modifiable and tin impact teen intelligence health," he concludes.

Source:

Journal reference:

Nagata, J. M., et al. (2026) Prospective Associations Between Early Adolescent Problematic Screen Use, Mental Health, Sleep, and Substance Use. American Journal of Preventive Medicine. DOI:10.1016/j.amepre.2025.108248. https://www.ajpmonline.org/article/S0749-3797(25)00716-0/fulltext