Addicted to Pixels: Understanding Screen Addiction and Strategies for Prevention
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.53819/81018102t7019Abstract
The study sought to define screen addiction and identify its different types, along with its global and regional prevalence, specifically in children and adolescents. By exploring the different causes of screen addiction, the study examined its consequences on physical health, mental health, and societal effects within these age groups. The efficacy of various interventions and treatments used to treat screen addiction was also investigated, and areas requiring future research were proposed. A qualitative literature search was conducted to explore different aspects of screen addiction in children and adolescents using databases such as Google Scholar, PubMed, and ScienceDirect. Peer-reviewed, free full articles relevant to the topic from 2014 to 2024 in English were selected. The findings indicated that screen addiction in children and adolescents, characterized by excessive use of digital devices, leads to significant physical, mental, and social outcomes. Prevalence rates varied, with higher rates observed among teenagers compared to younger children. Psychological factors such as anxiety, depression, and personality traits; social factors including peer influence and family dynamics; and technological factors such as device design and accessibility were identified as contributors to screen addiction. The physical health problems included sleep disturbances, eye strain, and reduced physical activity; mental health issues encompassed increased anxiety, depression, and attention deficits; while social impacts involved strained family relationships and academic challenges. Various interventions, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), mindfulness practices, screen time monitoring apps, and educational programs for parents and children, showed varying levels of efficacy. The study concludes that although technology offers many advantages, it also presents challenges like screen addiction in children and adolescents, leading to numerous physical, mental, and social problems. A more holistic approach is needed to increase the effectiveness of interventions in clinical practice. Further research, including longitudinal studies in diverse populations, is required to better understand and reduce the prevalence and impacts of screen addiction in young people.
Keywords: Screen addiction, children and adolescents, physical health, mental health, intervention strategies
References
Barros, V. F., Oliveira, R. A., Maia, R. B., Fernandes, N., & Almodin, E. M. (2021). Effects of the excessive use of electronic screens on vision and Emotional State. Revista Brasileira de Oftalmologia, 80(5). https://doi.org/10.37039/1982.8551.20210046
Blue Light has a dark side. Harvard Health. (2020, July 7). https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/blue-light-has-a-dark-side
Brien Gleeson, L. P. C. (2024, April 17). Addictive personality traits. Mayo Clinic Health System. https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/do-you-have-addictive-personality-traits-video
Carkaxhiu Bulut, G., & Gokce, S. (2023). Problematic social media use, digital gaming addiction and excessive screen time among Turkish adolescents during remote schooling: Implications on mental and academic well-being. Marmara Medical Journal, 36(1), 24-33. https://doi.org/10.5472/marumj.1244628
Celis-Morales, C. A., Lyall, D. M., Steell, L., et al. (2018). Associations of discretionary screen time with mortality, cardiovascular disease and cancer are attenuated by strength, fitness and physical activity: Findings from the UK Biobank study. BMC Medicine, 16, 77. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12916-018-1063-1
Chadha, Y., Patil, R., Toshniwal, S., & Sinha, N. (2024). Internet Addiction Management: A Comprehensive Review of Clinical Interventions and Modalities. Cureus, 16(3), e55466. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.55466
Cheng, C., & Li, A. Y. (2014). Internet addiction prevalence and quality of (real) life: a meta-analysis of 31 nations across seven world regions. Cyberpsychology, behavior and social networking, 17(12), 755–760. https://doi.org/10.1089/cyber.2014.0317
Clements, R. (2021, February 4). Dopamine, smartphones & you: A battle for your time. Science in the News. https://sitn.hms.harvard.edu/flash/2018/dopamine-smartphones-battle-time/
Cui, Z., Zou, P., Lin, Z., Cao, Y., & Luo, Y. (2022). Gender Differences in Excessive Screen Time among Chinese High School Students in Henan Province. International journal of environmental research and public health, 20(1), 721. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20010721
Faggella, D. (2024, May 16). Generative AI and human reward systems. Emerj Artificial Intelligence Research. https://emerj.com/ai-power/generative-ai-and-human-reward-systems/
Ivanova, V., & Dhingra, Dr. H. (2024, May 2). Internet addiction (IA) and relationships: Definition, signs, causes and Remedy. The Diamond Rehab Thailand. https://diamondrehabthailand.com/internet-addiction-and-relationships/#Can_spending_much_time_on_the_internet_lead_to_conflicts_in_relationships
kaur, M., Adarkar, S., Rao, S., & Gupta, V. (2022). A Cross-sectional comparative study of health concerns associated with screen addiction. Indian Journal of Psychiatry, 64(Suppl 3), S696–S697. https://doi.org/10.4103/0019-5545.342060
Kendra Cherry, Mse. (2023, November 8). Variable-ratio schedules for creating a high response rate. Verywell Mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-a-variable-ratio-schedule-2796012
Khalili-Mahani, N., Smyrnova, A., & Kakinami, L. (2019). To each stress its own screen: A cross-sectional survey of the patterns of stress and various screen uses in relation to self-admitted screen addiction. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 21(4). https://doi.org/10.2196/11485
Langøy, A., Smith, O.R.F., Wold, B. et al. Associations between family structure and young people’s physical activity and screen time behaviors. BMC Public Health 19, 433 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-019-6740-2
Lepp, A., Barkley, J., & Karpinski, A. C. (2015). The relationship between cell phone use and academic performance in a sample of U.S. college students. SAGE Open, 5(1), 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244015573169
Montagni, I., Guichard, E., & Kurth, T. (2016). Association of screen time with self-perceived attention problems and hyperactivity levels in French students: a cross-sectional study. BMJ open, 6(2), e009089. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2015-009089
Musale, P. U. (2023, October 9). How do culture and society impact screen addiction in children. Medium. https://medium.com/@transitionstogether/how-do-culture-and-society-impact-screen-addiction-in-children-67988b29c758
Mylona, I., Deres, E. S., Dere, G.-D. S., Tsinopoulos, I., & Glynatsis, M. (2020). The impact of internet and Videogaming Addiction on adolescent vision: A review of the literature. Frontiers in Public Health, 8. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2020.00063
Nagata, J. M., Singh, G., Sajjad, O. M., Ganson, K. T., Testa, A., Jackson, D. B., Assari, S., Murray, S. B., Bibbins-Domingo, K., & Baker, F. C. (2022). Social epidemiology of early adolescent problematic screen use in the United States. Pediatric Research, 92(5), 1443–1449. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41390-022-02176-8
Nakshine, V. S., Thute, P., Khatib, M. N., & Sarkar, B. (2022). Increased Screen Time as a Cause of Declining Physical, Psychological Health, and Sleep Patterns: A Literary Review. Cureus, 14(10), e30051. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.30051
Pandya, A., & Lodha, P. (2021). Social connectedness, excessive screen time during COVID-19 and mental health: A review of current evidence. Frontiers in Human Dynamics, 3. https://doi.org/10.3389/fhumd.2021.684137
Petrosyan, A. (2024, April 16). Users addiction from Digital Devices U.S. 2022. Statista. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1343695/us-users-addiction-digital-devices/
Primack, B. A., Shensa, A., Sidani, J. E., Whaite, E. O., Lin, L. Y., Rosen, D., Colditz, J. B., Radovic, A., & Miller, E. (2017). Social Media Use and Perceived Social Isolation Among Young Adults in the U.S. American journal of preventive medicine, 53(1), 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2017.01.010
Saikia, A. M., Das, J., Barman, P., & Bharali, M. D. (2019). Internet Addiction and its Relationships with Depression, Anxiety, and Stress in Urban Adolescents of Kamrup District, Assam. Journal of family & community medicine, 26(2), 108–112. https://doi.org/10.4103/jfcm.JFCM_93_18
Staples, A. D., Hoyniak, C., McQuillan, M. E., Molfese, V., & Bates, J. E. (2021). Screen use before bedtime: Consequences for nighttime sleep in young children. Infant behavior & development, 62, 101522. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.infbeh.2020.101522
Tajalli, F., & Zarnaghash, M. Effect of Family Communication Patterns on Internet Addiction. Journal of Practice in Clinical Psychology, 5(3), 159-166. https://doi.org/10.18869/acadpub.jpcp.5.3.159
Taylor, A. B. (2024, June 13). Screen addiction. Addiction Center. https://www.addictioncenter.com/drugs/screen-addiction/
Wang, J.-L., Sheng, J.-R., & Wang, H.-Z. (2019). The association between mobile game addiction and depression, social anxiety, and loneliness. Frontiers in Public Health, 7. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2019.00247