Twin Study Finds Shared Genetics, Not Just Screens, Drive Youth Mental Health Links
A massive longitudinal study of 21,797 Swedish twins finds that while heavy recreational screen use correlates with depression and anxiety, these links largely disappear when comparing twins raised in the same household. This suggests shared genetic and familial factors, rather than screen time itself, explain much of the association. However, heavy interactive use at age 15 still showed a residual link to later clinical diagnoses, indicating a complex relationship between digital behavior and mental health.