Studies show that teens with problematic smartphone use are twice as likely to experience anxiety

PSU (problematic smartphone use) describes a pattern of smartphone-related behaviors, thoughts, and feelings that may resemble an addiction. Examples include becoming panicky or upset when the phone is unavailable, having difficulty controlling the amount of time spent on the phone, using the phone for longer periods of time without satisfaction, and using the phone at the expense of other enjoyable or meaningful activities.

Researchers from the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) at King’s College London conducted two school-based studies to investigate the link between PSU and mental health in young people. One study involved young people aged 16-18 and the other involved 13-16 year-olds. These studies are among the first to evaluate PSU and mental health outcomes in adolescents.

Problematic smartphone use linked to mental health

Overall, 18.7% of 16- to 18-year-olds and 14.5% of 13- to 16-year-olds self-reported PSU, with a higher prevalence among girls.

Findings published in Acta Pediatrics Research has found that 16- to 18-year-olds who reported PSU were twice as likely to experience anxiety and nearly three times as likely to experience depression, compared to those who did not report PSU.

Findings published in BMJ Mental Health revealed that almost half of 13-16 year olds with PSU reported symptoms of anxiety (44.4%) compared to 26.4% without PSU. Over half of 13-16 year olds with PSU reported symptoms of depression (55.6%) compared to 35.8% without PSU.

This study also examined whether PSU was associated with mental health over time, finding that increases in PSU scores over a four-week period were associated with increases in self-reported anxiety, depression, and insomnia.

In the first study, conducted from January 31 to March 8, 2020, 657 16-18 year olds completed assessments of PSU, anxiety, depression, and insomnia. In the second study, researchers measured PSU and changes in anxiety, depression, and insomnia in 69 13-16 year olds over a four-week period in 2022.

Many young people want to reduce the time they spend on smartphones

Both studies also found that many young people want to spend less time on their phones. Nearly two-thirds of 16-18 year-olds said they had tried to reduce their smartphone use, and one in eight said they wanted help to reduce their use. Those with PSU were five times more likely to say they wanted help to reduce their smartphone use compared to their peers without PSU.

Nearly 90% of 13- to 16-year-olds said they had tried at least one strategy to limit their smartphone use, including silencing their phone or turning off notifications.

According to the researchers, the findings show that adolescents are aware of the need to manage their smartphone use and are open to the idea of ​​boundaries around use.

“Adolescent smartphone use is a major concern for parents and carers. We found that problematic smartphone use was associated with anxiety, depression and insomnia in two separate adolescent age groups using two different research methods,” said Professor Ben Carter.

“By highlighting the link between problematic smartphone use and poorer mental health, and demonstrating that young people are aware of this issue and are keen to manage their smartphone use, these studies highlight the need for evidence-based interventions to help adolescents who are struggling with challenging behaviours around their smartphone use.”

Sixteen- to eighteen-year-olds were recruited from five secondary schools in London, the East Midlands and South West England; 13- to sixteen-year-olds were recruited from two secondary schools in London.

Distinguishing between smartphone use and screen time

In the first study, researchers also found that TikTok and Instagram use was higher among 16-18 year olds who reported PSU, compared to those who did not. There was little difference in WhatsApp use, general gaming, or general internet use.

The study highlighted a distinction between PSU and screen time, described as the number of minutes spent on the smartphone rather than problematic behaviors surrounding its use. They found that screen time was not associated with anxiety or depression in 16-18 year olds, although it was directly linked to increased insomnia.

Strategies to Reduce Smartphone Usage

Further analyses, also published by the researchers in Acta PediatricsResearch has shown that setting your smartphone to “do not disturb,” turning off notifications, and leaving your smartphone in another room before bed are the most effective strategies for reducing energy use.

In contrast, restricting access to specific apps, using a locked box while studying, and enabling grayscale were considered the least effective strategies.

“The good news is that adolescents are reflective and insightful about their use: they understand that smartphones have both disadvantages and advantages. Many of the youth in our studies used reduction strategies, which shows that they are already taking active steps to manage their smartphone use,” says Dr. Nicola Kalk.

“They found silent mode, removing notifications, and putting the phone in another room before bed to be the most effective. These are the same strategies that university students found helpful in reducing smartphone use.

“We hope these findings encourage parents and caregivers to have conversations with their adolescents about their smartphone use to recognize both the benefits and harms, explore why their adolescent might want to reduce their use, and identify the most effective tools to help them do so.”