Previous research suggests that screen-based sedentary behaviors increase the risk of depressive symptoms among children and adolescents. However, the specific associations between various online screen sedentary behaviors and depressive symptoms remain unclear. Therefore, this study conducted a two-year nationwide cross-sectional survey to examine how different types of online screen behaviors affect depressive symptoms in children and adolescents. Method: Drawing on data from the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS), a total of 4,289 students aged 10–18 years (2,001 females) were surveyed in 2020 and 2022. Depressive symptoms were measured using the Centre for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D8). The frequency of online gaming, online shopping, online learning, short-video viewing, and WeChat use was assessed via questionnaires. Three generalized linear logistic regression models were established. Model 1 analyzed the effects of each online screen-based sedentary behavior on depressive symptoms independently. Model 2 controlled for gender, age, urban/rural residence, and school level. Model 3 further controlled for exercise frequency, academic stress, general health status, and interpersonal relationships. In Model 1, compared with those who never shopped online, children and adolescents who engaged in online shopping were at 24% higher of depressive symptoms (odds ratio OR = .24, 95% CI: .03–.45). Compared with those who never watched short videos, those who watched short videos daily were at 43% higher of depressive symptoms (OR = .43, 95% CI: .15–.70). After controlling for gender, age, urban/rural residence, and school level in Model 2, the effect of online shopping became nonsignificant. However, watching short videos daily remained a risk factor for depressive symptoms (OR = .40, 95% CI: .13–.68). Even occasional short-video viewing was associated with increased (OR = .27, 95% CI: .01–.53). In Model 3, after additionally controlling for exercise frequency, academic stress, general health status, and interpersonal relationships, daily short-video viewing continued to be significantly associated with higher of depressive symptoms (OR = .39, 95% CI: .10–.67). Watching short videos constitutes a significant risk factor for depressive symptoms among children and adolescents, whereas online gaming, online shopping, online learning, and WeChat use show no significant associations with depressive symptoms. Future mental health promotion efforts for children and adolescents should distinguish the effects of different screen-based sedentary behaviors on psychological well-being and prioritize limiting short-video viewing.
Guo et al. (Thu,) studied this question.