ArticleJournal of behavioral addictions2025
Beyond screen time: The core influences of problematic screen use on adolescent development networks.
Article in Journal of behavioral addictions, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.
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5 citing papers in PubMed.
- From school climate to brain development: What the ABCD study reveals about the educational context of adolescence.Developmental cognitive neuroscience · 2026Review
- Smartphone and Internet Addictive Behaviors Are Differentially Associated with Mediterranean Diet Adherence in Young Adults: The EVA-Adic Study.Nutrients · 2026Article
- Impact of the Interaction Between Screen Time and Activity Interests on Adolescent Depression Risk: Construction of a Predictive Model Based on Machine Learning.Actas espanolas de psiquiatria · 2026Article
- What we have learned about adolescent mental health and where we are going after a decade with the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study.Developmental cognitive neuroscience · 2026Review
- Digital media use and cognitive networks in medical students: linking screen time with intelligence and academic performance.Frontiers in medicine · 2026Article
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Abstract
BACKGROUND AND
aimsWith surges in digital technologies, concerns over adolescents' screen use have intensified. Previous studies often relied on self-reported screen time, neglecting the experiential and motivational aspects of different screen activities (e.g. social media, gaming, and smartphones), possibly leading to heterogeneous associations. This study aimed to examine whether the severity of problematic screen use, conceptualized as a continuous measure of screen-related functional impairment, plays a more central role in development than self-reported screen time or phone-checking frequency, and to explore its influence within the broader adolescent ecosystem (i.e. family conflict, peer involvement, and school participation).
methodsCohort data were obtained from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study Release 5.1. Screen use was obtained from self-report questionnaires, capturing both activity time and functional impairments. Among cross-sectional networks derived from 9,054 youth (4,272 girls, 47.18%) at 2-year follow-up (T2, ages 11-12 years) and 4,007 youth (1,896 girls, 47.32%) at 4-year follow-up (T4, ages 13-14 years), problematic use showed higher centrality than screen time and checking behavior, owing to stronger connections with behavioral tendencies. Cross-lagged-panel-network analyses of problematic use included 3,954 youth (1,863 girls, 47.12%).
resultsProblematic use exhibited high out-strength, which was associated with worsening psychopathologies and environmental conditions. Conversely, problematic use at T4 appeared less influenced by factors at T2.
conclusionThis study underscores the pivotal role of problematic screen use, which showed greater centrality and stronger predictive effects on adolescent well-being than self-reported screen time, highlighting the need for policies and interventions addressing screen-related functional impairments to promote healthier screen habits in developing youth.
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