Specific Types of Screen-Based Sedentary Time and Depressive Symptoms in Adolescents

Abstract

Purpose: Screen-based sedentary behavior (SSB) has been identified as risk factor for mental disorders in most of adolescents. However, there is little literature pertaining to the specific kinds of SSB and its connections with depressive symptoms in most of adolescents. In the present study, we are going to find out the connections between specific types of SSB and depressive symptoms in Chinese adolescents. Methods: A cross-sectional data based on 996 study participants of middle school students in Guangdong Province. SSB was evaluated by distributing the questionnaire of Health Behavior in School-aged Children, while depressive symptoms were evaluated using Chinese version of Children’s Depressive symptoms Inventory (CDI). SSB was categorized into TV/movie time, video games time and other electronic devices-based time (e.g., mobile phone, computer use). Generalized linear models was used to explore the connections between specific kinds of SSB and depressive symptoms. Results: After controlling for variables of sex, ethnicity, grade, residence, siblings, perceived family affluence, father educational level, mother educational background, body mass index (BMI), physical exercise, duration of sleep, other electronic devices-based time was positively correlated with depressive symptoms in Chinese adolescents (B = 0.557%, 95%CI: 0.187–0.926, p = 0.003). This significant connection was also found in girls (B = 0.728%, 95%CI: 0.230–1.225, p = 0.004) instead of boys (p > 0.05). The other types of SSB were not significantly in relation to depressive symptoms in adolescents regardless of sex. Conclusion: This study suggested that it might be effective in reducing or preventing depressive symptoms through limiting electronic devices-based time, like computer use or mobile phone use time. This strategy would be particularly useful in girls. Future studies should negate or replicate the research results by introducing more improved study design, which is beneficial to better understand the connections between SSB and depressive symptoms as well as then design more efficient interventions in adolescents.