Alone with Screen: The Effects of Being Home Alone and Screen Time on Adolescents' Depression in Low-Income Families

Background:

As mobile device access has become nearly ubiquitous among adolescents, growing concerns have emerged regarding the effects of excessive screen use on youth mental health. These concerns are particularly salient for adolescents in low-income and single-parent households, where caregivers may face structural barriers, such as unstable work schedules, lack of affordable childcare, and chronic economic stress, that limit their ability to supervise or engage with their children during non-school hours. In such contexts, adolescents often spend extended time home alone, turning to screen-based activities (e.g., smartphones, tablets, televisions, gaming devices, etc.) for entertainment and companionship. While prior research has examined the associations between screen time and depression, few studies have explored how being unsupervised at home may operate both independently and through screen device use to impact adolescent mental health.

Methods:

This study utilized data from the Year 15 wave of the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (FFCWS), focusing on a sample of approximately 1,889 adolescents aged 15. Depression was assessed using the sum of five items adapted from the CES-D scale, with a validated cutoff applied to identify probable cases of depression. Screen time was operationalized as the number of minutes spent using screen devices within two hours before bedtime. Time spent home alone was measured through adolescents' self-reports on how often they were at home without adult supervision. Multiple regression analyses were conducted, controlling for key sociodemographic variables, including parental employment and household socioeconomic status. A mediation analysis using bootstrapping was also performed to examine whether screen time mediated the relationship between being home alone and adolescent depression.

Results:

The findings revealed a significant direct effect of being home alone on adolescent depression (β = 0.563, p < .001), even after controlling for screen time. Screen time itself was also significantly associated with depressive symptoms (β = 0.004, 95% CI: [0.0006, 0.0068], p = .020). Furthermore, the mediation analysis confirmed a statistically significant indirect effect through screen time (β = 0.016; 95% CI: [0.0004, 0.0386]), indicating partial mediation. Specifically, adolescents who were home alone more frequently were more likely to engage in prolonged screen use (β = 4.221, p = .017), which in turn contributed to elevated depressive symptoms.

Implications:

These findings underscore the compounded risks faced by adolescents in socioeconomically disadvantaged households, where being home alone while parents are working and engaging in unsupervised screen time can harm their mental health. To address these challenges, efforts should focus on supporting caregivers who have a difficult time balancing work and parenting responsibilities. Such support includes expanding access to affordable and educational after-school programs in school and community, promoting flexible work arrangements, and advancing digital literacy to help families manage children's screen use. By implementing comprehensive supports that reflect the realities of low-income working families, we can help safeguard adolescents’ mental health and enhance their overall well-being.