EFFECT OF SCREEN TIME ON PHYSICAL & MENTAL WELLBEING 1

Understanding the effect of screen time on physical and mental wellbeing during the

COVID-19 pandemic

N Sindhu: 1930552

5 PSECO

Department of Psychology, CHRIST (Deemed to be University)

PSY551: Psychological Assessments & Research Methods II

Dr Aditi Arur

August 22, 2021

EFFECT OF SCREEN TIME ON PHYSICAL & MENTAL WELLBEING 2

Abstract

Research has claimed that excess screen time has resulted in a negative effect on physical

and mental well-being. The mandated lockdown has affected many parts of people's lives,

including normal workout activities of fitness enthusiasts, resulting in different psychological

difficulties and significant fitness and health concerns. The use of screens has ultimately

increased for various reasons as that was the only means to connect with those around us. Past

research has also proven the adverse effects of prolonged screen time on mental and physical

well-being. However, in this correlational study, I would like to focus on the impact on the two

variables: physical and mental well-being, caused by the extensive use of screens for almost all

the daily activities during the pandemic in the context of the Indian population. Factors such as

physical distancing, isolation resulted in excessive use of screens which impacted everyone in

terms of physical and mental well-being of emerging adults.

Keywords: Screen time, physical well-being, mental well-being, lockdown

EFFECT OF SCREEN TIME ON PHYSICAL & MENTAL WELLBEING 3

Introduction

The usage of digital technology has exploded in the previous two decades. It has

increased human exposure to long periods of screen time, which is a growing concern (Vizcaino

et al., 2020). Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, digital networks have become the only way for

individuals to retain social and emotional connections (Kanekar & Sharma, 2020). At the same

time, the use of screen time has lowered the amount of time spent on physical activities such as

walking, yoga, and other such activities. People who use digital and social media for a short

period were happier than those who do not use the internet at all, while those who spend the most

time online were the least happy (Qin et al., 2020). Checking email, doing assignments,

attending virtual classes and being interrupted by digital communications were associated with

higher levels of stress in working individuals, which also prevented them from engaging in

activities related to physical health.

The amount of time spent and the various online activities utilising digital devices are

referred to as screen time (DataReportal, 2020). Screen time, for example, includes both the use

of digital devices for labour and pleasure and amusement. Physical well being refers to the

capacity to maintain a good quality of life that allows us to get the most out of our everyday

activities while avoiding physical exhaustion or stress ( Well-Being & Support, 2020). Mental

wellbeing is a condition in which a person recognises their strengths, can cope with everyday

pressures, works effectively, and contributes to their community (Mental Health: Strengthening

Our Response, 2018). Both physical and mental wellbeing will be measured using the HRQOL

scale in the following study.

EFFECT OF SCREEN TIME ON PHYSICAL & MENTAL WELLBEING 4

The pandemic's constraints on social connections exacerbated the overuse of digital

gadgets for socialising, including virtual dating, virtual travel, virtual parties, and virtual family

reunions (Pandey & Pal, 2020). In particular, screen time may not be harmful to one's well-being

during social isolation because it is the only option to stay socially engaged. However, the

students were seen using the screen equally for personal and professional use. Before the

pandemic, as they were interacting face to face with their near and dear ones, they were not

wholly dependent on gadgets, but the current situation compels them to overuse them.

Furthermore, there happens to be a correlation between screen time, physical wellbeing

and mental wellbeing. When the screen time is higher, it is problematic to both physical and

mental well being. For example, during the pandemic, most of us are doing virtual education, so

the classes, assignments and other meetings related to education are done via gadgets. As a

result, once they complete all the professional tasks, they would engage in communication or

other fun activities with their friends again via gadgets as that is the only means of

communication during the pandemic. Therefore, the amount of time left for engaging in any

physical activity like eating healthy food well, emotional exhaustion, getting quality sleep and

others are very low. While on the other hand, the impact on mental well-being is seen in terms of

attention-deficit symptoms, poor emotional and social intelligence, mental disorders, including

depression and anxiety, and technological addictions (World Health Organization, 2020). Hence,

excessive screen time affects an individual’s physical and mental wellbeing, which would, in

turn, have a negative impact on their academic performance and productivity in general.

Though there have been several studies on how screen time for more than 7hr/day was

associated with lower mental and physical well-being, including less curiosity, lower

self-control, more distractibility, more difficulty making friends, less emotional stability, being
EFFECT OF SCREEN TIME ON PHYSICAL & MENTAL WELLBEING 5

more challenging to care for, and inability to finish tasks (Associations between Screen Time &

Lower Psychological Well-Being, 2018). The studies were primarily focused on countries like

East Asia, Taiwan, Singapore, United States, China and other countries. There has been very

little focus in India regarding the same. There should be a multipronged approach towards the

effects of screen time on individuals.

Rationale

During the pandemic, there has been an increase in the rates of people reporting to face

problems in terms of mental well-being and a sort of physical discomfort. As there is a rise in

vulnerability towards loneliness, depression, anxiety and stress, many are trying to use their

digital gadgets the most to stay in touch with their near and dear ones to attain a sense of

belongingness.

Many underestimate the after-effects of excess use of screens and especially its effect on

one’s well being. The influence of digital social connections on well-being has been studied and

shown to have both good and negative impacts. During the pandemic, the negative effects tend to

outweigh the positive impact on one’s well-being. This study explores the influence of screen

time on the perceived physical and mental wellbeing of individuals between the age of 18 to 25

years. Numerous research on the influence of COVID-19 on the general public's physical

activities has shown a substantial decline in physical activities and exercise patterns and its

negative consequences on physical and mental well-being. All of these investigations, however,

were done during the early stages of the pandemic. In the context of India, there is little research

looking at how individuals dealt with the issues caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and

subsequent lockdown/home confinement.

EFFECT OF SCREEN TIME ON PHYSICAL & MENTAL WELLBEING 6

Attention must be drawn to digital literacy and parental monitoring of children's digital

activities. In India, the increased usage of gadgets by teenagers is alarming. It is critical to

remember that digital habits must be balanced with non-digital activities. It is essential to

understand when you can rely on digital gadgets for convenience and betterment versus when

you need to take a break and unplug.

The study needs to be conducted as a correlational experiment to understand the effect of

the three variables: screen time as the independent variable and physical and mental well-being

as the dependent variables during this pandemic.

Research Questions

1. Is there a difference in the effect of screen time on the physical and mental well-being of

young adults among those who did virtual learning and those who did not do virtual

learning?

2. Is reducing just 1 hour of screen time an effective way to promote physical well-being in

situations like pandemic?

3. What are the alternative ways to increase physical and mental well-being in adults?

Hypothesis

Ho: There is no difference in physical and mental well-being due to excess use of screen

H1: There is a difference in physical and mental well-being due to excess use of screen
EFFECT OF SCREEN TIME ON PHYSICAL & MENTAL WELLBEING 7

References

Associations between screen time and lower psychological well-being among children and

adolescents: Evidence from a population-based study. (2018, December 1). PubMed

Central (PMC). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6214874/

George, M. J., Russell, M. A., Piontak, J. R., and Odgers, C. L. (2018). Concurrent and

Subsequent Associations Between Daily Digital Technology Use and High-Risk

Adolescents’ Mental Health Symptoms. Child. Dev. 89 (1), 78–88.

doi:10.1111/cdev.12819

Healthy Days Core Module: HRQOL-14 Measure | HRQOL | CDC. (2018). Centre for Disease

Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/hrqol/hrqol14_measure.htm

Mental health: strengthening our response. (2018, March 30). WHO.

https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/mental-health-strengthening-our-respo

nse

Pandya, A. (2021). Social Connectedness, Excessive Screen Time During COVID-19 and Mental

Health: A Review of Current Evidence. Frontiers.

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fhumd.2021.684137/full

Physical wellbeing. (2020, May 29). ANU.

EFFECT OF SCREEN TIME ON PHYSICAL & MENTAL WELLBEING 8

https://www.anu.edu.au/covid-19-advice/health-wellbeing/strategies-for-wellbeing-at-ho

me-or-on-campus/physical-wellbeing

Wellbeing & support. (2020, May 29). ANU.

https://www.anu.edu.au/covid-19-advice/health-wellbeing/strategies-for-wellbeing-at-ho

me-or-on-campus/physical-wellbeing

Winefield, H. R. (2012, June 25). Psychological well-being and psychological distress: is it

necessary to measure both? Psychology of Well-Being.

https://psywb.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/2211-1522-2-3