- Increased social media browsing and screen time predicted reduced cognitive control, which subsequently predicted greater depressive symptoms across genders.
- Among females, higher baseline screen time predicted increased depressive symptoms at two years, which then predicted greater screen time and anxiety at four years.
- Multi-wave study of 9,747 ABCD participants used random intercept cross-lagged panel models and performance-based cognitive control measures (Flanker, Stop Signal).
J Adolesc Health. 2026 Sep 30:S1054-139X(26)00339-3. doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2026.07.025. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: Most longitudinal studies lack multi-wave measures and rarely consider cognitive mechanisms, such as cognitive control, that may shape both the development of mental health and social media use. This study examined dynamic within-person relations and stable between-person correlations linking social media browsing (SMB), overall screen time, cognitive control, and depressive and anxiety symptoms across early- to mid-adolescence.
METHODS: Participants were from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development study (N = 9,747, 52.3% female) assessed at baseline, 2-year, and 4-year follow-ups. Primary measures included self-reported SMB and overall screen time, parent-reported depressive and anxiety symptoms, and performance-based cognitive control from the Flanker and Stop Signal tasks. Random intercept cross-lagged panel models estimated within-person time-lagged associations and between-person correlations. Gender was examined as a moderator.
RESULTS: The within-person results revealed a cognitive pathway across genders and screen time types. When adolescents increased SMB (and overall screen time) at baseline, this predicted reduced cognitive control 2 years later (β = -.06, p = .020), which in turn predicted increased depressive symptoms at the 4-year follow-up (β = -.06, p = .010). Additionally, females with more baseline screen time had increased depressive symptoms 2 years later (β = .05, p = .016), which subsequently predicted increased screen time and anxiety symptoms at the 4-year follow-up (βs = .09 to .13, p’s < .050).
DISCUSSION: Reduced cognitive control may be a general mechanism linking adolescent screen use and SMB to later depressive symptoms across genders, whereas changes in affect may be a gender-specific pathway in females.
PMID:42814079 | DOI:10.1016/j.jadohealth.2026.07.025
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