Jeffrey Temple, PhD, discusses new Surgeon General Advisory on screen time use in youth

A new US Surgeon General advisory is calling attention to the growing body of evidence linking excessive and problematic screen use to adverse developmental, physical, educational, and mental health outcomes among children and adolescents. The report outlines concerns across the pediatric age spectrum while emphasizing practical strategies that families, schools, health care providers, policymakers, and technology companies can adopt to reduce potential harms.

The advisory notes that screen exposure begins early in life and increases steadily throughout childhood. By adolescence, many youth spend more time interacting with screens than sleeping or attending school. Researchers cited associations between excessive screen use and poorer language development, social-emotional difficulties, sleep disruption, academic challenges, anxiety, depression, and lower self-esteem. The report also highlights concerns related to cyberbullying, online exploitation, and exposure to harmful content.

In an interview discussing the advisory, Jeff Temple, PhD, professor and psychologist and associate dean of clinical research at UTHealth Houston School of Behavioral Health Sciences, cautioned against viewing technology as inherently harmful.

“One thing that I always try to bring to these conversations is that technology is not inherently the boogeyman,” Temple said. “I think it can be good, and it's not always bad, and it's not going to destroy kids and the rest of our world.”

Recognizing problematic screen use

According to the advisory, harmful screen use can resemble patterns observed in behavioral addictions, particularly when children struggle to control their use despite negative consequences. Warning signs include excessive time spent on devices, withdrawal from in-person activities, emotional distress when access is restricted, and declines in academic or social functioning.

Temple said pediatricians should focus less on total screen time and more on whether technology use is interfering with everyday functioning.

“With respect to warning signs, though it's really when it begins to interfere with everyday functioning,” Temple said. He cited sleep problems, irritability when devices are removed, social withdrawal, declining grades, reduced physical activity, and loss of interest in previously enjoyed activities as indicators that warrant concern.

Temple acknowledged that distinguishing between typical adolescent behavior and problematic technology use can be challenging.

“Social media and screens, they can provide things like connection and creativity and support for some youth,” he said. However, he noted that “heavier constant use has been consistently associated with things like anxiety, depression, sleep disruption, loneliness, poor self-esteem, and especially when this becomes like passive use.”

The importance of relationships

A recurring theme throughout both the advisory and Temple’s comments is the importance of maintaining healthy interpersonal relationships and face-to-face interactions.

The advisory identifies disrupted sleep, reduced physical activity, and diminished social engagement as common consequences of excessive screen use. It recommends strategies such as device-free family time, delayed introduction of personal devices, and regular screen-free periods throughout the day.

Temple emphasized that digital technology should not replace parent-child connections.

“We need to focus on parent-child relationships, and it needs to be outside of the digital environment,” he said.

He also pointed to lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic, noting that technology helped many adolescents maintain social connections during periods of isolation.

“The thing that saved our kids during COVID was that they had that connection and those relationships during COVID,” Temple said. “So, as much as we tend to blame technology, it was also a literal lifesaver for them.”

Guidance for pediatricians

The advisory specifically encourages pediatricians to discuss screen use during annual well-child visits, assess how media habits may affect sleep, weight, school performance, and mental health, and help families establish media plans that align with household priorities.

Temple highlighted the importance of parental modeling and relationship-building.

“If we're on our phone all the time and we tell them to watch their screen time, they're probably not going to listen to us,” he said.

Looking beyond specific technologies, Temple argued that teaching relationship skills may offer the most durable protection against future challenges.

“If we can equip kids with the skills, especially to be in a relationship, to have relationships, to have healthy relationships, we can overcome anything that's thrown at them,” he said.

Reference

Office of the Surgeon General. U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory: Surgeon General’s Warning on the Harms of Screen Use: An Advisory and Toolkit on How to Protect Children and Adolescents. US Department of Health and Human Services; 2026. Accessed June 12, 2026. https://www.hhs.gov/surgeongeneral/reports-and-publications/screen-use-harms/index.html