Quantitative analysis of screen time usage among young adults (ages 18-28) during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study (Preprint)
Authors: Wiciak Michelle Teresa , Shazley Omar , Santhosh Daphne 
Published: April 2022

BACKGROUND

Little research exists on specified screen time (ST) use during the COVID-19 pandemic despite increasing evidence suggesting mental health is declining in people around the world. Since we know that ST has been tied to various wellness factors pre-pandemic, this study assesses ST for entertainment, social media (SM), and educational/professional in people ages 18-28 during COVID-19.

OBJECTIVE

To gain more insight into how much and what type of ST is correlated with various wellness measures during COVID-19 in young adults worldwide.

METHODS

An online, cross-sectional observational study was performed from September 2020-January 2021 with 183 eligible respondents. Data was collected on ST, trauma, anxiety, depression, substance use, BMI, and sleep.

RESULTS

The average total ST during COVID-19 was 23.26 hours/week (sd=16.19, n=179), entertainment was 7.98 hours (sd=6.45, n=180), SM was 6.79 hours (sd=6.41, n=180), and educational/professional purposes was 8.49 hours (sd=7.05, n=179). For all categories, the average ST during COVID-19 was statistically significant compared to before, p<0.001. There was a difference between gender for both the percent change COVID-19 in ST for entertainment (X2(2, n=167)=8.462, p=0.015) and SM (X2(2, n=172)=6.694, p=0.035). There was a difference between students and non-students for total ST (X2(6, n=178)=10.770, p=0.002), entertainment (X2(1, n=179)=5.958, p=0.015), change in total ST (t(176)=-2.774, p=0.006), change in entertainment (t(177)=-3.960, p<0.001), change in SM (t(177)=-2.594, p=0.010), percent change in total ST (t(175)=-2.031,p=0.044), percent change for SM(t(172)=-2.833, p=0.005), and percent change for education/profession uses (t(141)=-2.019, p=0.045). There was also a difference between continents for percent change of education/professional purposes(F(4,139)=[3.634], p=0.008). Increased WHO-5 scores during COVID-19 was correlated with greater change of total ST use (r(175)=0.191, p=0.011). Higher PSQI scores were associated with greater change in entertainment ST (r(99)=0.256, p=0.011). Longer sleep duration was also associated with greater change in entertainment ST (r(180)=0.164, p=0.028). Higher PHQ-9 scores were associated with amount of entertainment ST (F(1,166)=3.987, p=0.047) and greater percent change in SM (r(163)=0.212, p=0.007). Higher GAD-7 scores were associated with greater change in entertainment ST (r(175)=0.169, p=0.026) and greater percent change in SM (r(170)=0.235, p=0.002). Greater IES-R total scores were associated with amount of ST for educational/professional uses (F(1,150)=3.918, p=0.05), change in total ST (r(152)=0.221, p=0.006), change in entertainment ST (r(153)=0.204, p=0.011), and change for educational/professional uses (r(152)=0.185, p=0.023). Higher ASSIST tobacco scores were associated with greater change of total ST (r(32)=0.387, p=0.028) and higher pack years were associated with greater change in ST for SM (r(33)=0.460, p=0.007). Lastly, higher ASSIST alcohol scores (r(114)=0.264, p=0.004) and servings of alcohol per week (r(117)=0.269, p=0.003) were associated with greater change in entertainment ST.

CONCLUSIONS

ST has indefinite and varying effects, especially psychologically, on people during COVID-19, and it depends upon the type of ST and group of people.