Can Turning Screens Off Help Mental Health? What a Family Screen-Time Break Revealed

We’ve heard it many times before: kids spend too much time on screens, and that it’s “bad” for mental health. But most research linking screen time to anxiety or depression in children and teens has been observational, making it hard to know if screen time causes problems—or just co-occurs with them. That’s why a recent study from JAMA Network Open is so intriguing: it’s based on a randomized clinical trial, the gold standard for establishing cause and effect.

The SCREENS Study: A Two-Week Family Challenge 📵

Led by Schmidt‑Persson and colleagues, the SCREENS trial randomly assigned 89 Danish families (181 kids, ages 6–17) to one of two groups. For two weeks, the intervention group limited leisure screen use (phones, tablets, computers, TV) to 3 hours per person per week—and handed over devices. The control group carried on as usual. Researchers then measured changes in mental health using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ)  .

What Happened in Just Two Weeks?

The results were striking:

• Total behavioral difficulties fell significantly in the screen-reduction group, with a Cohen’s d = 0.53, indicating a moderate effect  .
• The biggest gains were in:
  • Internalising symptoms (emotional issues and peer problems) — scores dropped by about 1 point.
  • Prosocial behavior — which increased by approximately 0.84 points  .

These aren’t tiny shifts—improvements often seen in comprehensive mental health programs.

Why Might Screen Breaks Help?

The study authors suggest a few possibilities:

1. More Face-to-Face Time: With devices out, families could spend more quality time together—building connections that protect mental health  .
2. Reduced Social Media Pressure: Stepping away from screens may relieve emotional stress tied to online comparison or cyberbullying.
3. Shared Routine Changes: Doing this as a family likely made the screen break more meaningful and sustainable  .

Not Just a Curious Experiment—But a Real Impact

This was the first experimental study to show that reducing leisure screen time can cause improvements in children’s mental well-being  . It moved beyond correlations to demonstrate causality. Unsurprisingly, compliance was strong: 97% of families stuck to the 3-hour limit  .

However, there are caveats:

• The trial was short—only two weeks—so we don’t know if improvements last.
• Families volunteered, so they may be more motivated than average.
• Parents filled out the questionnaires, which could introduce bias .

What This Means for Us

This trial gives families and clinicians evidence that a screen-free break can be emotionally powerful for kids, even in a short time. While it might be unrealistic to impose a 3-hour screen limit indefinitely, it shows that periodic digital detoxes—even just a weekend—might be beneficial.

More large-scale, long-term studies are needed to confirm these results—but for now, the message is clear: turning off screens and tuning into life may be a simple yet powerful step toward better mental health in children and teens.

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See the full article here: Schmidt-Persson et al., (2024) Screen Media Use and Mental Health of Children and Adolescents: A Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Clinical Trial.