The first systematic review to track long-term trends before and after the pandemic found a dramatic increase in screen use among children and adolescents.
Screen time among children and adolescents has increased significantly over the past 30 years, and has clearly increased since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, according to a new systematic review conducted at the University of Turku in Finland.
This review analyzes 60 peer-reviewed studies published between 1991 and 2022, and is the first to comprehensively examine long-term trends in screen time use among individuals aged 0 to 19 years, spanning both pre-pandemic and post-pandemic periods.
Co-lead author Yuko Mori, a postdoctoral researcher at the Child Psychiatry Research Center at the University of Turku in Finland, says the nature of screen use has changed dramatically, moving from traditional televisions to more interactive and personalized digital devices such as mobile phones and video games. Previous studies focused primarily on television viewing, but since the mid-2010s, new devices such as smartphones and tablets have also been included in research.
“Interestingly, TV viewing continued to decline during the pandemic,” Mori said.
School closures during pandemic have increased reliance on screens
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, studies presented a mixed picture, with most studies showing an increasing trend but with mixed results. The majority of studies conducted after the pandemic show that both total screen time and leisure screen time among children and adolescents have increased dramatically.
Across age groups, older children and adolescents generally report spending more time on screens than younger children.
“This may reflect developmental factors,” says co-author Sanju Silwal, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Turku. “Adolescence is a life stage in which peer relationships, online social interactions, and romantic relationships become increasingly central.”
Increases in screen time were observed across socio-economic groups, but were more pronounced among children from higher socio-economic backgrounds. The authors suggest that this may reflect increased access to personal digital devices.
The guidance you need for healthy screen use
The continued increase in screen exposure has raised concerns about its potential impact on physical health, mental health, sleep, and development. Beyond time spent on digital devices, the digital environment can expose young people to cyberbullying, inappropriate content, and unrealistic body image ideals.
In response to growing concerns about young people’s use of digital media, several countries have introduced regulatory measures. The authors emphasize that effective responses must be based on high-quality evidence.
Most studies focus on screen time rather than the quality, context, or content of digital activities. The authors call for future research that takes a more nuanced, multifaceted approach that examines not just how much time children spend on screens, but what they do online and how this impacts their well-being.
“Technology offers great opportunities, but it also comes with risks,” Silwal points out. “Ensuring children benefit from the digital environment requires continued research, evidence-based policy and a coordinated effort by families, schools, communities and governments.”
This systematic review was funded by the Finnish Research Council and the European Research Council’s INVEST Flagship Program under the European Union’s research and innovation program ‘Horizon 2020’.
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University of Turku
