Screen Time, Sleep-Interrupted Behaviors, and Depression in a Diverse Sample of Emerging Adults

This study examines associations between screen time, digital sleep-interrupted behaviors, and risk for major depressive episodes among emerging adults, with attention to the roles of personality traits, gender, and race. Data were drawn from 2,781 participants in the Future Families and Child Wellbeing Study. Results indicated that excessive screen time, particularly more than 6 hours per day, and the interaction between nighttime device co-sleeping and sleep-interrupted device checking were associated with higher likelihood of major depressive episodes. Individual differences were salient. Conscientiousness was linked to lower screen use and reduced risk of depression, whereas neuroticism showed the opposite pattern. Gender and racial differences further shaped these associations. The findings suggest that excessive screen engagement and sleep-disruptive device behaviors were related to adverse mental health outcomes in emerging adulthood. Prevention and intervention efforts should emphasize digital literacy, development of balanced media use habits, and culturally responsive strategies to promote psychological well-being.