Cutting Screen Use Boosts Mental Health in Children, Teens
By Lori Solomon HealthDay Reporter
WEDNESDAY, July 24, 2024 -- Short-term reduction in leisure-time screen media use within families positively affects psychological symptoms in children and adolescents, according to a study published online July 12 in JAMA Network Open.
Jesper Schmidt-Persson, Ph.D., from the Centre of Research in Childhood Health at the University of Southern Denmark in Odense, and colleagues investigated the effects of a two-week screen media reduction intervention on children's and adolescents' mental health. Analysis included 181 children and adolescents from 89 participating families.
The researchers found that there was a statistically significant mean difference in the total difficulties score, favoring the screen media reduction intervention (−1.67; Cohen d, 0.53). The greatest benefits were seen for internalizing symptoms (emotional symptoms and peer problems; between-group mean difference, −1.03) and prosocial behavior (between-group mean difference, 0.84).
"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," the authors write. "Moreover, more research is needed to confirm whether these effects are sustainable in the long term."
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.
© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted July 2024
Read this next
Chronic Exposure to Systemic Inflammation May Increase Risk for Affective Disorders
THURSDAY, July 3, 2025 -- For individuals with specific autoimmune conditions, there appears to be an increased risk for affective disorders, according to a study published online...
Late Childhood Screen Time May Lead to Developmental Changes in Brain
THURSDAY, July 3, 2025 -- Too much screen time in late childhood is associated with developmental changes in the brain, leading to more depressive symptoms in early adolescence...
ADHD Medications Remain Linked to Lower Risk for Real-World Adverse Outcomes
WEDNESDAY, July 2, 2025 -- Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medications remain associated with a reduced risk for various real-world outcomes, but the magnitude of...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.