Screen time and adolescents' mental health before and after the COVID-19 lockdown in Switzerland: A natural experiment.

ABSTRACT:

Background

During the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020, adolescents' mental health was largely undermined. A general increment in screen time was reported. However, the long-term effects of the latter on adolescents' mental health are still little explored.

Methods

In the present natural experiment, we investigated these effects using longitudinal data collected before and after the first lockdown in Switzerland. Data come from 674 Swiss adolescents (56.7% females, M_age = 14.45, SD_age = 0.50) during Spring 2019 (T1) and Autumn 2020 (T2) as part of the longitudinal MEDIATICINO study. Self-reported mental health measures included somatic symptoms, inattention, anxiety, irritability, anger, sleep problems, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, loneliness, and depression

SUBMITTER: Marciano L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9709147 | biostudies-literature | 2022

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature