Long-Term Trends in Screen Time Use Among Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review Including Pre- and Post-COVID Periods

Abstract

The rapid rise in internet access and smartphone use has significantly changed how children and adolescents engage in screen-based activities. To date, no systematic review has examined long-term trends in screen time use among children and adolescents that cover periods before and after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. This systematic review examined repeated cross-sectional studies to determine whether screen time use among children and adolescents changed over time. This systematic review was registered with PROSPERO (ID: CRD42021243869). The Web of Science, PubMed, Embase, and PsycINFO databases were searched to identify peer-reviewed studies that had been published in English, included data from at least two time points, and focused on children and adolescents between 0 and 19 years of age. The search was conducted without any restrictions on publication year. This systematic review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Study quality was assessed using the Quality Assessment Tool for Studies with Diverse Designs. A narrative synthesis was conducted following the Synthesis Without Meta-analysis guidelines. This review identified 60 studies covering the period 1991–2022. The findings indicate that traditional TV watching declined while the use of computers and video games grew. Screen time increased significantly over the years, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic started. The studies reviewed varied in how they defined and measured screen time. The review underscores the importance of continued research and evidence-based policies to guide responsible technology use in the lives of young people.