U.S. Adolescents’ Daily Screen Time Doubled During Pandemic

TUESDAY, Nov. 2, 2021 (HealthDay News) — As teenagers dramatically stepped up their display time throughout COVID-19 lockdowns, their well-being took a success, a brand new research reveals.

Recreational display time amongst U.S. teenagers doubled from earlier than the pandemic to almost eight hours per day in the course of the pandemic, in accordance with the report. And this estimate does not embrace time spent on screens for distant studying or schoolwork, so the entire was probably a lot larger, the researchers stated.

“More display time was linked to poorer psychological well being and better stress amongst teenagers,” stated lead researcher Dr. Jason Nagata, an assistant professor of pediatrics on the University of California, San Francisco.

“Although social media and video chat can be utilized to foster social connection, we discovered that teenagers reporting larger display use felt much less social assist in the course of the pandemic,” Nagata added.

The findings stem from a survey of greater than 5,000 U.S. adolescents, principally 12- and 13-year-olds.

Nagata’s workforce checked out time teenagers spent enjoying video games, texting, utilizing social media, video chatting, searching the web, and watching or streaming films, movies or tv reveals.

While display time elevated for all respondents, Black teenagers, Hispanic teenagers and people from lower-income households spent extra time on screens than others, the survey confirmed. Nagata stated that will owe to elements similar to lack of cash for different kinds of exercise or lack of entry to protected, out of doors areas.

Regardless of the explanations for the rise, dad and mom ought to stay watchful, Nagata stated.

“Although display time can have vital advantages for training in the course of the pandemic, dad and mom ought to attempt to mitigate opposed psychological well being dangers from extreme display time,” he stated.

Nagata steered dad and mom discuss to their teenagers typically about display time and develop a household media plan. This may embrace setting limits, encouraging screen-free time and avoiding screens earlier than bedtime.

“Parents ought to act as position fashions for his or her kids with their very own display time practices,” Nagata stated.

Still, he is not hopeful that display time will wane because the pandemic does.

“As the pandemic subsides, teenagers will have the ability to transition a few of their faculty and social actions from screens to in particular person,” Nagata stated. “However, due to the elevated availability of digital or hybrid choices, display utilization is more likely to stay larger than pre-pandemic ranges.”