We are witnessing a generation of children and teens struggling with unprecedented rates of depression, anxiety, and self-harm. The U.S. Surgeon General, Vivek Murthy, M.D., has declared that we are in the midst of a mental health crisis among teens (Office of the U.S. Surgeon General, 2021).
In 2023, two in five high school students reported persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness. Alarmingly, young people ages 10 to 24 now account for 15 percent of all suicides—a 52 percent increase since 2000. Suicide is now the second leading cause of death for this age group (CDC, 2024). Although school attendance has started to improve in some states, chronic absenteeism remains 75 percent higher than pre-pandemic levels (Germaine et al., 2024).
Research on the root causes of the childhood mental health epidemic provides insight into why so many children and teens are suffering. More importantly, it offers clear guidance on what parents can do to help.
In this series of articles, I will outline what I see as the primary causes of this crisis and provide parents with concrete, research-based strategies to protect their children from developing a mental health condition or keep an existing mental health problem from getting worse. I strongly believe that the mental health epidemic is reversible and that parents, rather than therapists or schools, hold the greatest power to effect change, starting within their own families.
The Role of Screens in Youth Mental Health
While some research has questioned whether smartphones and other digital devices are as harmful as many fear (Orben et al. 2019), the scientific consensus largely suggests screens play a significant role in the childhood mental health crisis. Many parents assume that social media is the primary culprit, but several lesser-known aspects of screen use are likely to be equally problematic.
1. The Dose-Related Effect
The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (2020) reports that adolescents spend up to nine hours per day on smartphones and other devices. A 2016 report by Common Sense Media found that 50 percent of teens felt “addicted” to their phones, and 59 percent of parents believed their children were “addicted” as well. It’s likely these numbers have only worsened since then.
A critical study by Mingli Liu and colleagues found a dose-related effect regarding screen time: For each additional hour spent on social media, the risk of depression increased by 13 percent (Liu et al., 2022).
2. The Crowding-Out Effect
The sheer number of hours children and teens spend on screens is likely problematic in another way: it crowds out essential wellness-promoting activities. Digital devices are so engaging that they can displace time spent on family interactions, physical activity, going outdoors and getting exposed to sunlight, reading, drawing, and so on.
Smartphones, tablets, and gaming systems are so appealing to kids that for some, nearly any other activity pales in comparison. This can create an ongoing struggle for parents, who often find themselves in daily battles to get their children out of their bedrooms.
3. Sleep Deprivation
Many children and teenagers are chronically sleep-deprived. The CDC recommends that school-age children get 9-12 hours of sleep per night, and teenagers need 8-10 hours (CDC, 2024).
Jean Twenge and her colleagues examined adolescents’ self-reported sleep duration and screen time (Twenge et al., 2017). Their study found that between 2009 and 2015, adolescents’ sleep duration declined as screen use increased. Those who spent five or more hours per day on devices were 50 percent more likely to sleep less than seven hours per night compared to those who spent only an hour a day on screens. The CDC further reported that in 2021, 77 percent of high school students experienced insufficient sleep (CDC, 2024).
Sleep deprivation in children leads to mood swings, depression, anxiety, poor attention and concentration, impulsivity, academic struggles, school absenteeism, and more. Every adult has experienced the effects of a poor night’s sleep—imagine feeling that way day after day. This is the reality for many children and teens, and it has a corrosive effect on their mental health.
Common-Sense (and Doable) Ways to Reduce the Negative Effects of Screens
1. Reduce Overall Screen Time
Since increased screen time correlates with a higher risk of mental health issues, reducing daily usage is a logical goal. However, there is currently no identified “safe” amount of screen time. Instead of focusing solely on total hours, parents should prioritize mitigating the crowding-out effect—ensuring that screen time doesn’t displace wellness-enhancing activities.
A simple yet effective habit is having children place their phones and devices on the kitchen counter for a while when they come home from school. Most kids are highly motivated to get their phones back, making this an ideal time to do homework or chores, get some exercise, and interact with family before allowing screen use.
2. Implement Daily “Family Time”
One strategy I often recommend to families in my practice is a daily two-hour “family time” period, usually around dinner, where everyone—parents included—unplugs from screens. In my experience, once screens are set aside, kids will often naturally wander out of their rooms looking for something to do, which frequently results in spending time with family.
3. No Screens an Hour Before Bed and No Devices in Bedrooms at Night
Children need time to unwind before bed, and getting off screens at least an hour before their bedtime significantly improves sleep quality. Additionally, it is essential to remove devices from bedrooms overnight—they are simply too tempting. Many children and teens will continue using their screens late into the night if the devices remain accessible.
4. Expect Resistance—But Stick With It
Most children and teens will initially resist these changes. However, kids are creatures of habit, and in my experience, it takes about two weeks for these new routines to become the norm.
Of course, if you have an older, well-adjusted teen who isn’t exhibiting signs of a mental health struggle, you can pick and choose among these interventions or even forgo them altogether.
The impact of screens on mental health extends beyond what I’ve covered here. In Part Two of this series, I will explore additional contributing factors: social and emotional contagion.
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