Screen Time and Youth Well-being: A Canadian Study

Statistics Canada has published an unprecedented longitudinal study on screen time and the well-being of Canadian youth, following a cohort aged 12 to 17 in 2019, and then 16 to 21 in 2023.

Key Findings

Only 14% of young people met the Canadian Paediatric Society's recommendations (a maximum of two hours of recreational screen time per day) during both years studied. Conversely, 37% exceeded them during both periods. Median screen time increased from less than two hours per day in 2019 to five hours in 2023, a rise partly attributable to the pandemic.

Men and boys, people with disabilities, and urban residents are more likely to exceed the recommendations. Young people who follow the guidelines show better results on several well-being indicators: excellent or very good mental health (58% vs. 38%), low stress levels (37% vs. 25%), high life satisfaction (89% vs. 78%), and higher academic averages (94% vs. 88% with a general grade of at least 70%).

Screens, Sleep, and Physical Activity

Screen use before bed is widespread: 90% of 17-year-olds do it. This habit is linked to insufficient sleep duration and difficulty falling asleep. Young people who adhere to screen time guidelines are 1.5 times more likely to also meet physical activity recommendations.

The study reveals that physical activity alone does not fully compensate for the associations between excessive screen time and diminished well-being, although it mitigates some effects on stress and general health.

Gender Differences

The benefits of adhering to guidelines are observed in both genders, but with nuances. For girls and women, adhering to limits is associated with a lower prevalence of suicidal thoughts (93% vs. 79%). For boys and men, the link is more pronounced with academic averages.

Researchers emphasize that this analysis does not establish causality and call for future research distinguishing the quality and type of screen use (scholastic, recreational, social).

For a complete reading of the study and its detailed tables, consult the original article on the Statistics Canada website.

Source: Does screen time affect young people? Longitudinal study on screen time and well-being

This summary aims to be transparent and neutral. Disconnecto intervenes here as an observer of the digital landscape, without taking a stance. We invite you to consult the original source for a complete reading.