Jonanne Talebloo Rose Hills
Associations Between Screen Use and Adolescent Depression and Anxiety
In recent years, adolescent screen time has increased tremendously, especially amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. A striking number of teens report constantly using social media. Other forms of screen use such as video games are also rising as the percentage of adolescents owning video game consoles continues to increase, even in low-income families. With more adolescents having access to technology like mobile phones and video game consoles than ever before, it is crucial that the adverse effects of screen use be well documented and understood. There is a lack of literature on the prospective associations between various forms of screen use and mental health diagnoses such as depression and anxiety in adolescents. Despite the ubiquity of, and rising trends in screen use among teens, significant knowledge gaps hamper the ability to provide evidence-based guidance for screen use in adolescence, particularly for the prevention of future mental illness. The findings of this study can inform more specific guidance for different modalities of screen use as advocated by the American Academy of Pediatrics and other professional organizations.
Message To Sponsor
I would like to thank my donors and the SURF program for their funding and support in my research this summer. Thank you for the opportunity to pursue my academic interests through this fellowship. Being a SURF fellow is a great honor, and I look forward to applying the skills I obtain this summer to my future career in science. I am beyond grateful!