Am J Prev Med

Red flags in screen use: Early habits linked to mental health and sleep issues in teens

February 13, 2026

In a prospective study of more than 8,100 adolescents, problematic use of mobile phones and social media at ages 11 to 12 was associated one year later with higher depressive, somatic, attention/deficit, oppositional defiant, and conduct problem scores, as well as suicidal behaviors, sleep disturbance, and substance initiation. Problematic video game use showed similar but slightly narrower associations, including higher depressive and attention/deficit symptoms, suicidal behaviors, and sleep disturbance. The findings extend prior cross-sectional research and suggest that the pattern of screen use—not just duration—may signal heightened risk for later mental and behavioral health concerns.

Clinical takeaway: Consider screening for problematic, addiction-like screen behaviors and discussing family media plans with adolescents and caregivers.

Source:

Nagata JM, et al. (2026, February 12). Am J Prev Med. Prospective Associations Between Early Adolescent Problematic Screen Use, Mental Health, Sleep, and Substance Use. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41677479/