Screen time and its association with psychological wellbeing and sleep quality: overview of the Fujian Adolescent Mental Wellness Study (FAMWeS)

Abstract

Background The objective of this cross-sectional observational study was to examine the structural associations between demographic, family-related, psychological, and sleep-related factors and screen time among adolescents in the Fujian Adolescent Mental Wellness Study (FAMWeS). Method A cross-sectional survey was conducted among secondary and high school students in Fujian Province, China, from May to July 2023. Primary outcomes included overall screen media use, emotional state (assessed by the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale for Youth, DASS-Y), and sleep quality (assessed by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, PSQI). Results Analysis of 48,432 complete responses revealed that 36.5% of participants reported a daily screen time of 30 min to 1 h, while 11.3% reported more than 4 h per day. The partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) indicated that screen time was positively associated with PSQI global score (β = 0.116, p < 0.001), depression (β = 0.047, p < 0.001) and stress (p = 0.075, p < 0.001) scales. Study grade exhibited a significant inverse relationship with screen time (β = −0.092, p < 0.001). Higher screen time was significantly correlated with older age (β = 0.069, p < 0.001) and male gender (β = −0.072, p < 0.001). Furthermore, both paternal (β = −0.056, p < 0.001) and maternal (β = −0.059, p < 0.001) education levels were significantly inversely related to screen time. Conclusion The study identified significant associations between higher screen time, poorer sleep quality, and elevated depression and stress levels, highlighting the importance of promoting healthy screen-use behaviors and supporting adolescents’ sleep quality and psychological well-being.