Exploring Screen Time and Its Effects on Children's Mental Health: A Cross-Sectional Study

Walaa Mulla; Wadeea Ahmed; Maryam Radhi; Huda Alaali; Ghufran Alwazeer; Fatema Yusuf; Ghaida Alsuhim; Atheer Al Suhaym; Walaa Alahmari; Mohamed Abdulla; Eman Yusuf

doi:10.7759/cureus.71215

Exploring Screen Time and Its Effects on Children's Mental Health: A Cross-Sectional Study

Cureus. 2024 Oct 10;16(10):e71215. doi: 10.7759/cureus.71215. eCollection 2024 Oct.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Psychiatry, Psychiatry Hospital, Manama, BHR.
² General Practice, Al Ghareeb Medical Center, Riffa, BHR.
³ College of Medicine, National University of Science and Technology, Muscat, OMN.
⁴ General Practice, Dr Suhair Al Saad Medical Centre, Sanad, BHR.
⁵ Medical Laboratories, Salmaniya Medical Complex, Manama, BHR.
⁶ College of Medicine, King Khalid University, Abha, SAU.
⁷ College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Zhejiang, CHN.

Abstract

Background The increasing prevalence of screen-based activities among children has raised concerns about potential mental health effects. This study investigates the relationship between screen time and mental health outcomes in children aged 6 to 14 years in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, focusing on emotional symptoms, conduct problems, hyperactivity, peer problems, and depressive symptoms. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted with 670 children recruited through stratified random sampling. Data were collected using self-reported questionnaires and parental surveys from January to June 2024. Screen time was assessed across four activities: TV viewing, smartphone usage, computer/tablet use, and video game playing, recorded separately for weekdays and weekends. Mental health was evaluated using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) and the Children's Depression Inventory (CDI). Descriptive statistics and Pearson correlation coefficients were used to analyze the data. Results Participants reported a mean total screen time of 7.25 ± 2.4 hours on weekdays and 8.4 ± 2.65 hours on weekends. Smartphone usage (2.75 ± 1.3 hours/day) was the most common activity. Emotional symptoms, conduct problems and depressive symptoms were significantly correlated with both weekday and weekend total screen time (weekday r = 0.43, r = 0.31, and r = 0.49, respectively, p < 0.001; weekend r = 0.47, r = 0.33, and r = 0.54, respectively, p < 0.001). Smartphone usage had the strongest association with depressive symptoms (r = 0.46, p < 0.001). Conclusion This study identifies a significant positive correlation between increased screen time and adverse mental health outcomes in children, particularly emotional symptoms and depressive symptoms. The findings emphasize the need for public health strategies to manage screen time and promote healthier digital habits to mitigate the potential negative effects on children's mental health.

Keywords: bahrain; children's depression inventory; children's mental health; conduct problems; cross-sectional study; depressive symptoms; emotional symptoms; saudi arabia; screen time; strengths and difficulties questionnaire.