Screen Media Overuse and Associated Physical, Cognitive, and Emotional/Behavioral Outcomes in Children and Adolescents: An Integrative Review

Introduction: Screen media overuse is seen as a public health concern because of its negative effects on child and adolescent health. This integrative literature review examines recent empirical evidence on the relationship between screen media overuse and physical, cognitive, and emotional/behavioral outcomes in children and adolescents.

Methods: Empirical research of experimental design, observational studies, and systematic reviews from several data sources was reviewed and synthesized to form the basis of this integrative review.

Results: Screen media overuse is associated with poor sleep quality, shorter sleep duration, greater likelihood for overweight/obesity, lower executive functioning, poorer academic performance, and increased internalizing and externalizing problems. Bidirectional associations may exist.

Discussion: Findings support the importance of understanding the impact of screen media use on health and wellbeing. Generating screen time guidelines and developing effective prevention/intervention strategies are critical to mitigating screen media overuse and its adverse outcomes in children and families.