Screen Time Usage and Mental well-being among adolescents: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Modern kids are exposed to a wide variety of gadgets and are surrounded by technological advances, including television, cell phones, laptops, and other devices. Young people now spend more time than ever before using electronic gadgets in their daily lives and participating in screen based activities. Aim: This study aims to examine screen time usage, mental well-being and its effect among adolescents. Methods: A cross-sectional study was done among 100 adolescents. Responses were collected by self-structured screen time usage, Warwick-Edinburg Mental well-being scale and self-structured screen time effects scale. Findings: The collected data were analysed by using SPSS version 20.0 and the findings revealed that 42% and 45% of adolescents were using smartphone for 1-3 hours on weekends and weekdays respectively. Forty six percent of adolescents were had low mental well-being. The excessive screen time use reported often feeling moods, headache, frustrated, poor concentration and problem in their eyes. The screen time usage were significantly associated with effects of screen usage (r= 0.27, p=0.04). Conclusion: The study concluded that the adolescents had higher screen time usage on weekends. Increased screen time use predominantly was associated with higher negative effects.