The relationships between screen time and mental health problems among Chinese adults

Background: This study aimed to examine the specific relationships between screen time and various mental health problems among community-dwelling adults in China.
Methods: Self-reports of weekday and weekend screen time (TV, computer use and cell phone/tablet use), symptoms of PTSD, depression, and ADHD, and psychotic-like experiences (PLEs) were completed by 7121 Chinese adults. Logistic regression was used to examine specific relationships between screen time and mental health problems with demographics, physical activity, drinking, smoking, and sleep duration as covariates.
Results: On weekdays, the participants spending at least three hours on watching TV, computer use and cell phone/tablet use respectively accounted for 6.8%, 15.9% and 45.9%. On weekends, the proportions were 15.5%, 12.1% and 50.0%. Computer use on weekends was associated with higher risk of PTSD (OR=1.81); Cell phone/tablet use on weekdays and weekends was related to increased depression (OR=1.38, OR=1.28, respectively), while only computer use on weekends was related to depression (OR=1.33); Cell phone/tablet use both on weekdays and weekends was also connected to ADHD (OR=1.56, OR=1.48, respectively); On weekdays and weekends, more time TV viewing (OR=1.76-1.79, OR=1.46-1.71, respectively) and less cell phone/tablet use (OR=0.66, OR=0.65, respectively) were associated with higher numbers of PLEs.
Conclusions: The relationships between different types of screen time and mental health problems are variant. Future longitudinal studies should subdivide screen time on the basis of content and explore the specific causal relationship between screen time and mental health problems.

背景：本研究旨在探讨中国居住成年人之间屏幕时间与各种心理健康问题之间的特定关系。方法：7121名中国成年人通过自我报告完成了工作日和周末的屏幕时间（电视观看、电脑使用及手机/平板电脑使用）、创伤后应激障碍（PTSD）、抑郁和注意力缺陷多动障碍（ADHD）的症状以及类似精神病体验（PLEs）。以人口统计学、身体活动、饮酒、吸烟和睡眠时长作为协变量，采用逻辑回归法分析屏幕时间与心理健康问题之间的特定关系。结果：在工作日，分别有6.8%、15.9%和45.9%的参与者花费至少三小时观看电视、使用电脑及手机/平板电脑。在周末，这些比例分别为15.5%、12.1%和50.0%。周末的电脑使用与PTSD的高风险相关（OR=1.81）；工作日和周末的手机/平板电脑使用与抑郁的增加相关（OR=1.38, OR=1.28，分别对应），而仅在周末的电脑使用与抑郁相关（OR=1.33）；工作日和周末的手机/平板电脑使用也与ADHD相关（OR=1.56, OR=1.48，分别对应）；在工作日和周末，更多时间观看电视（OR=1.76-1.79, OR=1.46-1.71，分别对应）以及更少的手机/平板电脑使用（OR=0.66, OR=0.65，分别对应）与PLEs的数量增加相关。结论：不同类型屏幕时间与心理健康问题之间的关系各异。未来的纵向研究应基于内容细分屏幕时间，并探讨屏幕时间与心理健康问题之间的具体因果关系。