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Alexis Canzanese

Mrs.Perry

English 9 Honors

16 May, 2018

The Impact of the Increased Use of Screen Time on Children and Adolescents

Imagine walking down a crowded sidewalk in New York City. Millions of people are

rushing from one place to another. Now, imagine walking along a shopping center or into a

restaurant or cafe. What is almost every person holding in his or her hands? In present day

society, it is common for people to have a digital device with them wherever they go. Cell

phones, televisions, computers, laptops, tablets, video games, these are all familiar products that

are used in people’s daily lives. As the years progress, technology is advancing and incoming

generations are growing up surrounded by screens. The amount of time children and adolescents

spend engaging with digital devices has significantly increased and the numbers continue to rise

as new technologies are introduced into society. Many children and teens are using technology

on a daily basis. While many children and teens enjoy using technology, people are not aware of

how screens are affecting children’s health. The increase in screen time is causing mental health

issues to rise in children and adolescents. Multiple scientific studies have been conducted to

assess the negative health effects the increased use of screen time has on children and

adolescents. The digital media that was observed in the studies included television use, video

games, social media, and other digital activities involving screens. Consequently, the impact of

the increased use of digital media is a rising topic among scientists and is being encouraged to be

discussed among families to protect the mental health of children and teens. The increased use of
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screen time is detrimental to the health of children and adolescents by causing mental and

emotional health issues to rise, hurting academic performance, and increasing social isolation

among children and adolescents.

To begin, the increase in the amount of time children and adolescents are spending using

digital devices is negatively manipulating their mental and emotional health by causing

depression and suicide rates to rise and by altering the mindset that young girls have about their

body image. In the first place, adolescents are being exposed to various social media networks

more often because the amount of time they spend using their cellphones is consistently

increasing. A study conducted by the Pew Research Center reported, "by 2015 about 85 percent

of young adults had smartphones and were using their devices a lot more” (Chen). The increase

in the use of smartphones for teenagers is associated with an increase in the use of social media.

The increase in social media is consistently exposing teenagers to a wide variety of posts that are

putting them at a higher risk for depression and suicide. On social media, teenagers are scrolling

through posts that are lowering their self-esteem and causing them to feel excluded from their

friends. According to Twenge, a psychologist from San Diego State University, in a study,

teenagers who used social media daily were 13 percent more likely to report feeling depressed

than teenagers who did not use social media on a daily basis (Chen). In another study, Twenge

surveyed a group of 13 to 18-year old adolescents about their online media use habits and found

that “a third of teens who used devices at least two hours a day” had thoughts or plans to commit

suicide (Chen). The studies conducted by Twenge that assessed the increasing rates of depression

and suicide show how the increase in screen time is associated with harming the mental and

emotional health of teenagers. Point in fact, the rates of depression and suicide among

adolescents increased at the same time the use of smartphones and screen time increased.
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Not only is the increase in screen time manipulating the mental health of adolescents by

causing them to feel depressed and suicidal, but screen time is also negatively impacting the way

adolescent girls are perceiving their body image. Ever since screen time increased, more teenage

girls are being exposed to the negative messages the media is conveying about the body image of

women. Psychologists have evaluated how the media is portraying women and have concluded

that, “There is an overwhelming emphasis on the importance of physical beauty and

attractiveness in all forms of media, including television programs, films… the media mostly

portray a standard of beauty according to which a woman must be young, thin, and shapely”

(Khor). The evaluation of the media shows how as children and adolescents use digital media

more often, they are becoming more self-aware of their physical appearance towards others

because of the distorted messages the media posts about how women should look. As screen time

for adolescents continues to increase, adolescent girls are vulnerable to developing a poor self

esteem about their body image because of the rigid standards the media sets for a woman’s

physical appearance. Furthermore, according to a study, new television programs that

adolescents are watching place a strong emphasis on how physical appearance determines

success in life and how a major role of a woman is to “appear attractive to men; their appearance,

body size, and weight are continually the subject of comments” (Khor). Adolescent girls are

constantly being exposed to television programs that contain negative stereotypes about a

woman's physical appearance. The amount of time adolescents are viewing negative television

programs and using various forms of media is increasing and is detrimental to their emotional

health because of the focus the media puts on the physical appearance of women.

Pursuing this topic further, the increase in screen time is detrimental to the mental health

of children and adolescents because it is hurting their academic performance. The increase in
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technology use has caused the academic performance of young children to plummet by

negatively impacting their comprehension skills and cognitive development. First off, teachers

are using more digital devices as learning tools for students. Although, instead of helping

students learn more efficiently, the increase of technology in the classroom is leading to lower

test scores. Many students believe that they can multitask during class by engaging in off task

activities on their digital devices. A study was conducted that assessed a group of students who

either used a digital device during class or did not use a device at all. The results of the study

showed that the students who used mobile devices during class for off task purposes got lower

test scores than those who used their mobile devices for on task reasons or did not use a mobile

device at all (Kowalski). The results of the study are an example of how the increase of screen

time in the classroom has caused students to become distracted during class. Students tend to use

their digital devices to engage in off task activities rather than engage in the lesson that they are

being taught. By the same token, another study was conducted that surveyed how students are

using their digital devices in the classroom. In the study, one group of students were allowed to

either text or tweet a message about anything not related to the class lecture. The other group

could only text or tweet a message related to the class lecture. According to the study, the

students who sent a message related to the lecture did “70 percent better on the test than did

students that could text and tweet about anything and scored 50 percent higher on note-taking”

(Kowalski). The study acted as a simulation of what is now considered a typical classroom

setting and showed how students are using the increase of screen time in class. For example,

students are able to use digital devices for taking notes and other academic purposes. Although,

students are not taking advantage of the increase in technology and are using it in ways that

hinder their academic performance. As schools continue to introduce technology and the new
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digital learning style into their curriculums, more students are becoming preoccupied with off

task activities by using their devices during class. Correspondingly, the increase of screen time in

the classroom is associated with lower test grades and poorer study habits for students.

A third reason why the increase in screen time is harmful to the mental health of children

and adolescents is that screen time is causing social isolation and is decreasing face-to-face

communication. The number of children and adolescents who spend excessive amounts of time

using digital media is consistently increasing. Excessive media exposure is causing children to

become less socially active and more self-absorbed. For example, children are viewing television

programs more often than they are spending time interacting with their friends in person.

According to a psychological study, the increase in television viewing time among children is

causing a “vicious cycle” where children who are watching more television are becoming more

socially isolated (Khor). The social isolation that results from increased television viewing

causes children to increase their television viewing time even more in order to “compensate for

their lack of social interactions, which further increases their social isolation” (Khor). The

psychological evaluation of the increase in television viewing shows how screen time and social

isolation are increasing in a chain-like reaction. Social isolation increases as television viewing

increases. Moreover, the social isolation that is resulting from the increase in television viewing

is stopping children from developing successful social interaction skills. Multiple studies have

observed the effects of television viewing on mental health and discovered that “children

viewing a lot of television, especially programs with violent content, had increased antisocial

behavior and decreased positive social behaviors” (Khor). Overall, screen time continues to harm

the mental health of children and teenagers by hindering their social interaction skills and

preventing them from developing new and successful relationships with others.
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However, some people argue that the new technologies introduced by the increase in

screen time are beneficial to the mental health of children and adolescents. According to a teen

surveyed in a study, Aashima, the increase in screen time is beneficial for communicating and

explained, “The pros are connecting to your friends immediately and being able to talk to them

and share your ideas in a public way” (Chen). Other scientists also argue that the increase in

screen time is benefiting the mental development of children and adolescents, stating that

“regular gamers seem to perform better at tests of visual attention and spatial awareness”

(Phillips). Even though people consider the increase in screen time to be beneficial for

communication and brain development, the positive outcomes are associated with negative

outcomes. For example, the increase in technology has enabled teenagers to connect with their

friends easily and share their ideas publicly, but many teens are using their cell phones and

technology as their primary way of communicating. As a result, social interaction between teens

decreased and at the same time, depression and suicide rates increased. A scientist explained the

connection between screen time and depression and stated, "One of the biggest things happening

in society at exactly the time of the depression spike was a rapid proliferation of smartphones"

(Chen). In the same way, another study explained how “each additional hour/day spent watching

television or screen viewing in adolescence was associated with greater odds of prevalent

depression in young adulthood” (American College of Pediatrics). Not only is screen time

associated with social isolation and depressive mental health issues, but screen time is also

negatively influencing the academic performance of children and teens. To reiterate, screen time

has increased spatial awareness and improved the visual attention span of gamers. Although, as

spatial awareness and visual attention span increased, academic performance decreased.

Scientists have stated that students “appear to be doing much worse on practical tests of
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understanding space, volume and conservation of quantities” because digital learning techniques

have taken away the “physical games with sand and water that allow [students] to gain

experience of volumes and densities” (Phillips). People may consider the increase in screen time

beneficial for children and adolescents because it allows easy access to communication and has

introduced new digital games that help with cognitive development. Although, when the overall

effects of screen time are considered, screen time is negatively impacting children and teens

more often than positively impacting them. Above all, the increase in screen time is harmful for

children and adolescents.

In conclusion, the increase in screen time is hurting the mental health of children and

adolescents by increasing depression and suicide rates, hindering academic performance, and

decreasing face to face social interaction. Children and adolescents are using digital media more

often and are interacting less with others. The increase in screen time is also constantly exposing

children and adolescents to deleterious posts on social media and is becoming a distraction for

students. It is important to consider the harmful effects screen time has on children and

adolescents as the amount of time they spend using screens continues to increase and as digital

devices become a part of people’s daily lives.


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Works Cited

American College of Pediatrics. “The Impact of Media Use and Screen Time on

Children, Adolescents, and Families.” 9 Nov. 2016, American College of Pediatricians,

www.acpeds.org/the-college-speaks/position-statements/parenting-issues/the-impact-of-

media-use-and-screen-time-on-children-adolescents-and-families. Accessed 4 May. 2018.

Chen, Angus. “Social Notworking: Is Generation Smartphone Really More Prone to

Unhappiness? (Cover Story).” Scientific American Mind, vol. 29, no. 2, Mar. 2018, p. 18.

EBSCOhost,

search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip,shib&db=sch&AN=127976

607&site=ehost-live&custid=s5519304. Accessed 4 May. 2018.

Khor, Ing-Wei. “Media Exposure and Mental Health.” Psychology & Behavioral Health,

edited by Paul Moglia, Salem, 2015, Salem Online, online-salempress-

com.proxy1.athensams.net/articleDetails.do?bookId=723&articleName=PBH_0387&sear

chText=screen%20time%20and%20mental%20health&searchOperators=any&category=

Health&loginFailure=Username%20and%20Password%20does%20not%20match.%20Tr

y%20again. Accessed 4 May. 2018.

Kowalski, Kathiann. “Work and Grades Tend to Suffer When There Is Off-Task Use in

the Classroom.” Science News for Students, 03 Mar. 2016, p. 1. EBSCOhost,

search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip,shib&db=sch&AN=115744

401&site=ehost-live&custid=s5519304. Accessed 4 May. 2018.


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Phillips, Helen. “Mind-Altering Media. (Cover Story).” New Scientist, vol. 194, no. 2600,

21 Apr. 2007, p. 33. EBSCOhost,

search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip,shib&db=sch&AN=341604

21&site=ehost-live&custid=s5519304. Accessed 4 May. 2018.

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