Compulsive Use, Not Clock Time, Drives Mental Health Risk

A new study published on June 18 shows that U.S. youth aged 9-14 exhibiting signs of addictive digital behavior were two to three times more likely to report suicidal thoughts, attempts, anxiety, depression, and behavioral issues. The study was across 21 U.S. sites as part of the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study, and it contradicts findings suggesting that total screen time alone was correlated with mental health risks.

Addictive digital behavior is characterized by uncontrollable use, emotional dependence, and distress when unable to access devices.

Published by the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), research led by Weill Cornell, Columbia University, and UC Berkeley followed nearly 4,300 children beginning at ages 9 to 10. According to Weill Cornell Medicine, “Using machine learning and data from participant interviews, the researchers characterized three addictive use trajectories for social media and mobile phone usage and two for addictive use with video games. When graphed, these trajectories depicted relative levels of addictive behaviors.” The researchers identified distinct patterns of addictive behavior related to social media, mobile phone, and video game use. When they are graphed, these patterns showed different levels of addictive behavior. Weill Cornell Medicine also states, “By age 14, almost one in three participants had a high addictive use trajectory for social media and one in four for mobile phones. More than 40 percent of the youths had a high addictive use trajectory for video games.” These participants were more likely to report suicidal thoughts or behaviors, as well as mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, or behavioral issues.

The study, however, cannot prove that compulsive screen use causes mental health problems, as children who already have psychological problems may be more likely to turn to devices for distraction or comfort. According to The Times, “Experts who were not involved in the research said that the findings were a cause for concern. Professor Lisa Henderson, a psychologist at the University of York who was not involved in the study, called the results ‘alarming.’”

Experts who were not part of the research also stated the need for nuance.

The youth mental health crisis escalates – suicide rates among U.S. youth ages 10-24 have increased by 56% since 2014. This study offers a different point of view suggesting screen time is not the main problem, addiction is.

Sources:

https://news.weill.cornell.edu/news/2025/06/study-finds-addictive-screen-use-not-total-screen-time-linked-to-youth-suicide-risk

https://www.thetimes.com/uk/technology-uk/article/half-of-children-show-signs-of-phone-addiction-study-finds-bbxwwkxll