Story perspectives

Study: Screen Time Doesn't Cause Teen Anxiety or Depression

1/14/2026

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Researchers Find No Link

University of Manchester researchers tracked over 25,000 adolescents and found no link between screen time from social media or gaming and rising anxiety or depression.
The study suggests mental health issues may precede increased digital use rather than result from it.
Girls who game more tend to use social media less, and boys with declining mental health reduce gaming.

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Researchers Assess Social Media

Amid a ban on platforms for under-16s, an Adelaide University study finds that moderate social media use improves mental health for older girls, while high usage worsens outcomes.
The study analyzed over 100,000 students across grades 4 to 12.
For boys, non-use is increasingly linked to poor mental health from grade 7 onward.
The Australian government promotes the ban as pioneering, attracting international attention as other countries consider similar actions.

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Researchers Find No Link

University of Manchester researchers tracked over 25,000 adolescents and found no link between screen time from social media or gaming and rising anxiety or depression.
The study suggests mental health issues may precede increased digital use rather than result from it.
Girls who game more tend to use social media less, and boys with declining mental health reduce gaming.

1 / 2