Research has shown that race and socioeconomic class are associated with overall screen time. Younger demographics and individuals who self-identified as Black and "Other" were associated with above-average screen use.[6] Additionally, Black and Latino Americans had longer screen times because of less access to desktop computers, which thus leads to more time on phones.[6] In children, the divide is much larger. On average in 2011, White children spent 8.5 hours a day with digital media, and Black and Latino children spent about 13 hours a day on screens.[12] Black and Latino children were also more likely to have TVs in their rooms, which contributed to their increased use of screen time.[12]
The discrepancy in the amount of screen time can also be attributed to a difference in income.In more affluent private schools, there has been a larger push to remove screens from education in order to limit the negative impacts that have been found from screen time.[13] However, in public schools there is more push for the use of technology with some public schools advertising free iPads and laptops to students.[13] Additionally, affluent families can afford nannies and extracurriculars that can limit the need for entertainment from screens.[14]
Effects of COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 increased screen time as people stayed indoors, adding to concerns about the effects of excessive screen time. Specialists called for limiting screen time and for living a more active lifestyle.[15][16]
Studies have shown that even after children returned to school following a period of online schooling, which significantly increased daily screen time, their level of physical activity has remained low, while screen time has increased.[17] Due to the increase in screen time, many children gained weight during this time.[18]
Increased use of screens in children has also been shown to have an association with adverse effects on the quality of sleep in children.[24] A 2010 review concluded that "the use of electronic media by children and adolescents does have a negative impact on their sleep, although the precise effects and mechanisms remain unclear", with the most consistent results associating excessive media use with shorter sleep duration and delayed bed times.[25] A 2016 meta-analysis found that "Bedtime access and use of media devices was significantly associated with inadequate sleep quantity; poor sleep quality; and excessive daytime sleepiness".[26] This relationship is because much of the time spent on screens for children is at night, which can cause them to go to sleep later in addition to the blue light from the screens making it more difficult to sleep.[24] However, the relationship between screen use and sleep may not be the same across neurotypical and neurodivergent children. There are reasons to believe that autistic children, for example, may be more interested in screens than their neurotypical peers, and less able to disengage from them.[27] A 2025 systematic review found that a causal link between screen-time use and sleep in autistic children could not be established based on available research findings at the time.[28]
Night-time use of screens is common for Americans ages 12–18: A 2018 nationally representative survey found that 70% use their mobile device within 30 minutes of going to sleep.[29] Data suggests those who had spent more time on their screens were more likely to wake in the night from notifications on their phone, or experience disruptive sleep.[30] In a series of nationally representative surveys, 36% of Americans age 12–18[29] and 35% of Mexican teens age 13–18[31] woke up during the night before to check their mobile device. For American children and teens, 54% of those did so because of getting a notification and 51% did so because of the desire to check social media.[29] Content that stirs emotions has been linked with a delay in the onset of sleep.[30]
1 2 Rideout, Vicky; Lauricella, Alexis; Wartella, Ellen (2011). "Children, Media, and Race: Media Use Among White, Black, Hispanic, and Asian American Children" . Described and Captioned Media Program . 2020年8月7日のオリジナルからアーカイブ済み。 2019年11月9日取得。
↑ Cuddihy, Aoife M.; McCormack, David; Cross, Jenny; Craig, Saskia N.; Fosker, Tim (2025年6月12日). "自閉症児および青年におけるスクリーンベースのメディア機器の使用と睡眠結果との関連性に関する系統的レビュー" . Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders . doi : 10.1007/s40489-025-00513-1 . ISSN 2195-7185 .
1 2 3 Robb, Michael B. (2018). 「新しい常識:アメリカ合衆国における親、ティーンエイジャー、スクリーン、そして睡眠」 . Common Sense Media .
1 2 Foerster, Milena; Henneke, Andrea; Chetty-Mhlanga, Shala; Röösli, Martin (2019年2月12日). 「青少年のスクリーンタイムと夜間の携帯電話関連の覚醒が睡眠と一般的な健康症状に及ぼす影響:前向きコホート研究」 . International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health . 16 (3): 518. doi : 10.3390/ijerph16030518 . PMC 6388165 . PMID 30759792 .
↑ Robb, Michael B.; Bay, Willow; Vennegaard, Tina (2019). "The new normal: Parents, teens, and mobile devices in Mexico" . Common Sense Media .
↑ Banks, Emily; Jorm, Louisa; Rogers, Kris; Clements, Mark; Bauman, Adrian (2010年4月22日). "スクリーンタイム、肥満、加齢、障害:45歳以上の研究に参加した91,266人の調査結果" . Public Health Nutrition . 14 (1): 34– 43. doi : 10.1017/S1368980010000674 . hdl : 1885/33646 . PMID 20409356 .
1 2 Boone, Janne E; Gordon-Larsen, Penny ; Adair, Linda S; Popkin, Barry M (2007). "思春期のスクリーンタイムと身体活動:若年成人期の肥満に対する縦断的影響" . International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity . 4 (1): 26. doi : 10.1186/1479-5868-4-26 . PMC 1906831 . PMID 17559668 .
↑ Celis-Morales, Carlos A.; Lyall, Donald M.; Steell, Lewis; Gray, Stuart R.; Iliodromiti, Stamatina; Anderson, Jana; Mackay, Daniel F.; Welsh, Paul; Yates, Thomas; Pell, Jill P.; Sattar, Naveed; Gill, Jason MR (2018 年 5 月 24 日). "裁量的なスクリーン タイムと死亡率、心血管疾患、がんとの関連性は、筋力、体力、身体活動によって弱められる: UK バイオバンク研究の結果" . BMC Medicine . 16 (1): 77. doi : 10.1186/s12916-018-1063-1 . ISSN 1741-7015 . PMC 5966877 . PMID 29792209 .
↑ Peck, Travis; Scharf, Rebecca J.; Conaway, Mark R.; DeBoer, Mark D. (2015). "毎日わずか1時間のテレビ視聴でも、幼稚園から小学校1年生までのBMIの変化が大きいことと関連している". Obesity . 23 (8): 1680– 1686. doi : 10.1002/oby.21132 . ISSN 1930-739X . PMID 26179163 . S2CID 22305164 .
1 2 Sisson, Susan B.; Broyles, Stephanie T.; Baker, Birgitta L.; Katzmarzyk, Peter T. (2010年9月)「米国の若者のスクリーンタイム、身体活動、および過体重:2003年全国児童健康調査」Journal of Adolescent Health . 47 (3): 309–311 . doi : 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2010.02.016 . PMID 20708572 .