Child mental health and well-being have decreased globally, and a causal correlation with screens including smartphones and social media apps has been suggested. In this review, we provide an overview of the literature concerning the use of new screen devices, with an emphasis on smartphones and social media apps, and mental health outcomes. Most epidemiological studies, cross-sectional and longitudinal, show a correlation between high use and poor mental health, some bidirectional, particularly among teenage girls. Experimental design studies find improved well-being after interventions with screen time reduction.
Published under Open Access CC-BY-NC-BD 4.0. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/.