Episode Summary:
Host Dr. Nicholas Chadi speaks with Dr. Emma Duerden about whether increased teen screen time is connected to rising anxiety and depression. Practical tips for identifying problematic use and managing screen use as a family are covered.

People:

Dr. Nicholas Chadi—host and paediatrician specialized in adolescent medicine
Dr. Emma Duerden—Canada Research Chair in Neuroscience and Learning Disorders at Western University

Key Takeaways:

Excessive screen use (more than 2-3 hours per day) is a risk factor for anxiety and depression in teens
Interrupted sleep and daily activities, and behavioural changes like increased irritability, aggression are red flags for problematic screen use
The issues around screen use and social media are beyond individual or family fixes. Increased digital literacy in schools, public health awareness and legislation, and safer products are all key to making screen use safer for kids and teens..

Additional Resources:

Canadian Pediatric Society’s Center for Healthy Screen Use: healthyscreenuse.cps.ca
Safer Online Spaces: An advocacy movement to make the Internet safer for kids
The Developing Brain Lab (Western University)
Blog post: Navigating tech with toddlers, kids, and teens
From Schoolyard to Screen: Bullying in a digital world

The Bottomless Scroll: Screen use and teen mental health