Less screen time and more extracurricular activities help kids’ mental health, says a new study.
Adolescents — especially girls — who spend more time in extracurricular activities and less than two hours of screen time after school have better mental health, according to a study from the University of British Columbia and published in the journal Preventive Medicine.
Both factors were associated with higher levels of life satisfaction and optimism and lower levels of anxiety and depression, the study said. Longer screen time was particularly harmful for girls, as researchers saw a “significantly more pronounced” association between more screen time and worse mental health, the study said.
But it’s not healthy for either gender: Screen time that went beyond the recommended limit of two hours was still significantly associated with lower satisfaction and optimism among boys and girls, the study said.
“Although we conducted this study before the COVID-19 pandemic, the findings are especially relevant now when teens may be spending more time in front of screens in their free time if access to extracurricular activities, like sports and arts programs is restricted due to COVID-19,” said Eva Oberle, lead author of the study, in a news release.
Oberle also noted that due to the pandemic, finding extracurricular activities isn’t as easy as it once was. Still, finding something safe for teens to do is important, she said.
“Our findings highlight extracurricular activities as an asset for teens’ mental wellbeing,” she said. “Finding safe ways for children and teens to continue to participate in these activities during current times may be a way to reduce screen time and promote mental health and wellbeing.”
Extracurricular activities were still significantly related to higher levels of optimism and life satisfaction — a trend that appeared across genders and independent of screen time, the study said.
“This finding confirmed our hypothesis and aligns with previous research and emphasizes that extracurricular activities are an asset for thriving in adolescence,” the study said. “While past studies have highlighted the importance of extracurricular activities for social, emotional and academic development, the present study emphasizes their importance for positive mental health outcomes.”
The findings come as thousands of kids and teens are staying at home more during the Covid-19 pandemic, which has limited in-person social opportunities and left extracurricular activities scarce. As teens cope with the public health crisis, studies have shown broader trends of elevated depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Culled from CNN
