Exploring How Screen Use and Social Company Affect Adolescent Wellbeing Using Experience Sampling Methodology

Whilst concerns that greater screen use relates to poorer adolescent wellbeing are widespread, the effect of using screens around others compared to alone is unstudied. Experience Sampling Methodology was used to gather data from 211 adolescents (meanage = 15.59, 84.98% female) over two separate weeks. Greater screen use was not associated with higher levels of negative affect but this relationship was partially moderated by the presence of others. Appraisal of company was associated with affect however, did not moderate its relationship with screen use. The sample skewness leaned majority female, white, and not in receipt of free school meals and therefore not fully representative of the UK population, limiting the generalisability of the findings. This study contributes to the nuanced picture regarding the impact of screens on adolescent wellbeing by highlighting the moderating role of peer presence on how screens relate to adolescent affect.