Introduction
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has released a new analysis indicating that spending more than five hours per day in front of personal screens is associated with poorer well-being in a group of countries, including Mexico. This analysis does not claim direct causality but sets a threshold of five hours daily, beyond which the likelihood of reporting mental distress, low life satisfaction, and loss of purpose or meaning increases significantly.
Key Findings
- Screen Time Threshold: The report estimates the probability of poor well-being based on screen time levels, controlling for demographic variables and lifestyle factors.
- Personal Screen Time: The analysis focuses on personal screen use (leisure), excluding time spent at school or work, and includes computers, laptops, tablets, mobile phones, television, and video game consoles.
- Comparison Groups: The report compares those using screens for one to three hours daily (reference group) with other levels, finding that those spending more than five hours significantly increase their chances of negative outcomes.
- Non-linear Relationship: The report warns that the link is not linear; even low screen use (zero to one hour) can result in worse outcomes in some metrics.
Socioeconomic Factors and Lifestyle
The OECD emphasizes that screen time alone does not explain everything. Socioeconomic and lifestyle factors predict poor well-being more strongly, particularly sleep deprivation, financial difficulties, and low physical activity.
- Sleep: Less than four hours of sleep is associated with 1.5 to 2 times higher probability of poor well-being.
- Physical Activity: Regular physical activity (walking at least eight times a week) reduces the probability of distress by 21% to 22%.
- Financial Struggles: “Struggling to make ends meet” increases the probability by 1.4 to 2.3 times, partially mediated by loneliness.
Loneliness, Unemployment, and Students
The OECD identifies groups where the risk associated with intensive screen use becomes more pronounced.
- Loneliness: People reporting feelings of loneliness have 2.2 times higher probability of poor mental health and 5.5 to 5.3 times higher probability of low life satisfaction and eudaimonia compared to those not feeling lonely.
- Unemployment: Among the unemployed, high screen time correlates with 1.8 times higher probability of poor mental health.
- Students: The report notes a marginal but significant increase of 1.5 times in poor mental health for students using screens more than five hours daily.
Implications and Recommendations
The OECD suggests shifting the discussion from “how much” to “how” digital use affects well-being. Understanding the quality of digital use, distinguishing active from passive participation in platforms, and separating purposes (entertainment, information, networking) can explain why similar screen levels produce different outcomes.
The report also recommends using longitudinal data to differentiate temporary effects from lasting trends and move closer to stronger causal inferences.
Key Questions and Answers
- What is the main finding? Spending more than five hours daily on personal screens is associated with poorer well-being, especially when combined with loneliness, unemployment, poor sleep, sedentary lifestyle, or financial stress.
- What factors contribute to poor well-being? While excessive screen time plays a role, socioeconomic factors and lifestyle choices (sleep deprivation, financial difficulties, low physical activity) are more significant predictors.
- How does loneliness impact well-being? Lonely individuals have higher probabilities of poor mental health, low life satisfaction, and eudaimonia compared to those who don’t feel lonely.
- What is the recommended approach to understanding digital use and well-being? Focus on the quality of digital use, distinguish between active and passive participation in platforms, and separate purposes to explain varying outcomes from similar screen levels.
