The Relationship Between Excessive Screen Time, Self-Harm, and Suicidal Behavior in Adolescents During the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Integrative Literature Review.
Mariane Inaraí Alves, Sérgio Alves Dias Junior, Thais Martins and 3 others
PMID 40244031WHAT IT FOUND
Heavy smartphone, internet, social media and video game use was associated with more suicidal thoughts, planning, self-harm and attempts in adolescents during the pandemic, across 18 studies.
These are associations, not proof screen time causes self-harm or suicide attempts.
Key findings
01Eighteen eligible studies included 1,236,385 adolescents aged 10 to 19.
02Adolescents spending more than 4 hours a day on smartphones were more likely to experience suicidal ideation, planning, or suicide attempts.
03Excessive internet, social media and video game use was associated with self-harm and suicidal behavior.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
Most included studies were cross-sectional descriptive studies, so they cannot show that screen time caused self-harm or suicidal behavior. The review included studies from several countries, but most were conducted in China and South Korea, so findings may not apply everywhere. Instruments and definitions for screen time, internet addiction, social media and video game use varied widely. The authors reported restricted use of databases and limited alternative terms in the search strategy. The studies were conducted during the pandemic, when social isolation and stress were also high, so screen use may be hard to separate from other pandemic effects. The review synthesized associations from observational studies, not tested clinical interventions, so it cannot show which nursing or school actions reduce risk.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that screen time causes self-harm or suicidal behavior. The review included mostly cross-sectional observational studies, so it reports associations, not proof of cause.