Reducing screen time improves pediatric mental health

A recent analysis published in JAMA Network Open revealed that reducing leisure screen media use in pediatric patients resulted in statistically significant boosts to their mental health. The study was a prespecified secondary analysis of a randomized clinical trial focusing on 89 family units, including 181 children and adolescents.

Researchers randomized the families to one of two groups: the screen media reduction group and a control group. Families in the screen media reduction group were asked to turn in their smartphones and tablets and reduce their leisure screen media time to three hours per week or less per family member.

According to the publication, reducing screen time resulted in statistically significant improvements in mental health. For example, the between-group mean difference in the total difficulties score was –1.67, which indicated that the screen media reduction intervention significantly reduced total difficulties, including emotional symptoms, conduct problems, hyperactivity or inattention, and peer problems.

Additionally, the investigators divided the symptoms into internalizing and externalizing symptoms. Internalizing symptoms, which included emotional symptoms and peer problems, had a between-group mean difference of –1.03, indicating that a reduction in screen media time reduced these symptoms.

Beyond significant improvements in internalizing symptoms, the researchers also reported a between-group mean difference of 0.84 in prosocial behavior, suggesting that reducing screen media time can also increase prosocial behaviors.

“Taken together, the results of this secondary analysis of a randomized clinical trial show that when entire families — both parents, children, and adolescents — reduce their leisure-time screen media use for 2 weeks, it can positively affect children’s and adolescents’ behavioral strengths and difficulties. The intervention targeted an overall reduction in screen media use during leisure time, without pinpointing specific types of screen media activities,” concluded researchers in the study.

“Future research should explore the potential differential effects of various types of screen media use and look deeper into whether collective family participation in such interventions is a pivotal component for observed benefits. Moreover, more research is needed to confirm whether these effects are sustainable in the long term.”