Connected but Inactive: The Hidden Impact of Digitalization on Students' Physical and Mental Wellness

Background: The blistering development of digital technologies in Saudi institutions has led to the paradoxical situation where students are always connected to digital learning spaces but are increasingly disengaged with physical activity and are undergoing the so-called connected but inactive phenomenon. This paper discusses the correlations between the screen exposure habits, the levels of physical activity, sleep quality, and mental wellness measures in high school students with the Vision 2030 of Saudi Arabia. Methods: There was a survey of 443 high school students (51.5% male; 48.5% female) in urban and semi-urban Al-Ahsa province. The measures of screen exposure patterns (including passive consumption), physical activity (PAQ-A), sleep quality (PSQI-Ar), and mental wellness (DASS-21) were assessed using valid Arabic measures. Results: The reported mean amount of screen time that the students spent each day was 9.84 hours; 80 percent of them spent over 2 hours in a passive consumption of screen time. The physical activity levels were not high (PAQ-A M = 2.44), in particular, during discrete time periods. The episodes of sleep disruption were prevalent (84.9% rated PSQI > 5) and mental distress was prevalent (87.8% rated above moderate levels of DASS-21). Digital exposure was indirectly related to psychological distress. The mediation analysis revealed that embodied pathways, sleep disturbance (44-51), and physical inactivity (22-25) were the most dominant mediators. Conclusion: These cross-sectional findings suggest that the screen exposure-mental distress association is to a significant extent indirect and mediated by bad sleep and non-exercise rather than screen exposure itself.