Exploring Digital Burnout and Screen Fatigue in Adolescents: A Comparative Mental Health Perspective
Author(s): Dr. Hakalyah Palaparthy
Authors Affiliations:
Degree Lecturer in Psychology, Department of Psychology, MJPTBCWR Degree college, Telangana University.
DOIs:10.2015/IJIRMF/202509031 | Paper ID: IJIRMF202509031The rapid rise of digital engagement among adolescents has sparked growing concern over the psychological effects of prolonged screen exposure, such as digital burnout and screen fatigue. This study investigates the relationship between screen time exposure and its impact on key mental health indicators such as depression, anxiety, emotional exhaustion, sleep disruption and self-esteem. To study this, a cross-sectional survey was conducted among 360 adolescents, categorized into three screen time groups: high (>6 hours/day), moderate (3–6 hours/day), and low (<3 hours/day). Collected data were analysed using SPSS (Version 26). Descriptive statistics, one-way ANOVA and Tukey HSD post hoc tests were deployed to compare mental health outcomes across three screen-time groups. Pearson’s correlation coefficients were used assess relationships between screen time and psychological indicators and multiple regression analysis to identify predictors of digital burnout. Research results found the significant differences across three screen-time groups for all mental health indicators (p < 0.01). Higher screen exposure was associated with increased depression, anxiety, emotional exhaustion, and lower self-esteem. Emotional exhaustion emerged as the strongest predictor of digital burnout (β = 0.38, p < 0.001), Sleep disruption was paradoxically higher in the low screen time group. These findings reinforce a graded relationship between screen time and mental health outcomes, with higher exposure linked to greater emotional and psychological strain.
Dr.Hakalyah Palaparthy(2025); Exploring Digital Burnout and Screen Fatigue in Adolescents: A Comparative Mental Health Perspective, International Journal for Innovative Research in Multidisciplinary Field, ISSN(O): 2455-0620, Vol-11, Issue-9, Pp. 216-223.     Available on –  https://www.ijirmf.com/
[1] Anderson, M., & Jiang, J. (2018). Teens, social media & technology 2018. Pew Research Center.
[2] Maslach, C., & Leiter, M. P. (2016). Understanding the burnout experience: Recent research and its implications for psychiatry. World Psychiatry, 15(2), 103-111.
[3] Sheppard, A. L., & Wolffsohn, J. S. (2018). Digital eye strain: Prevalence, measurement and amelioration. BMJ Open Ophthalmology, 3(1), e000146.
[4] Hobfoll, S. E. (1989). Conservation of resources: A new attempt at conceptualizing stress. American Psychologist, 44(3), 513-524.
[5] Brod, C. (1984). Technostress: The human cost of the computer revolution. Addison-Wesley.
[6] Tarafdar, M., Tu, Q., Ragu-Nathan, B. S., & Ragu-Nathan, T. S. (2007). The impact of technostress on role stress and productivity. Journal of Management Information Systems, 24(1), 301-328.
[7] Rosenfield, M. (2011). Computer vision syndrome: A review of ocular causes and potential treatments. Ophthalmic and Physiological Optics, 31(5), 502-515.
[8] Tosini, G., Ferguson, I., & Tsubota, K. (2016). Effects of blue light on the circadian system and eye physiology. Molecular Vision, 22, 61-72.
[9] Dash, S. (2025). Digital Fatigue and Adolescent Mental Health: The Role of Screen Time and Social Validation. Indian Journal of Social Impact, 10(3), Article 1003025. https://doi.org/10.25215/2455/1003025.
[10] Montag, C., & Walla, P. (2016). Carpe diem instead of losing your social mind: Beyond digital addiction and why we all suffer from digital overuse. Cogent Psychology, 3(1), 1157281.
[11] Â Keles, B., McCrae, N., & Grealish, A. (2020). A systematic review: the influence of social media on depression, anxiety, and psychological distress in adolescents. International Journal of Adolescence and Youth, 25(1), 79-93.
[12] Nesi, J., & Prinstein, M. J. (2015). Using social media for social comparison and feedback-seeking: Gender and popularity moderate associations with depressive symptoms. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 43(8), 1427–1438. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10802-015-0020-0.
[13] Santos, L., & Reeve, R. (2020). Screen time and youth health issues: A literature review. Canadian Journal for Teacher Research, 35(1). Retrieved from ERIC database.
[14] Kumari, N., & Choudhary, K. C. (2024). Impact of digital screen time on adolescents. International Journal of Indian Psychology, 12(3), Article DIP: 18.01.171.20241203. https://ijip.in/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/18.01.171.20241203.pdf.
[15] Khobragade, D., Dhanvij, S., & Atre, J. (2025). Screen time and sleep: Effect on adolescent students. International Journal of Novel Research and Development, 4(7), Article IJNRD2507188. Retrieved from IJNRD publication
[16] Blakemore, S. J., & Mills, K. L. (2014). Is adolescence a sensitive period for sociocultural processing? Annual Review of Psychology, 65, 187-207.
[17] Ragu-Nathan, T. S., Tarafdar, M., Ragu-Nathan, B. S., & Tu, Q. (2008). The consequences of technostress for end users in organizations: Conceptual development and empirical validation. Information Systems Research, 19(4), 417-433.
[18] Knebel, M. T. G., Costa, B. G. G. da, dos Santos, P. C., de Sousa, A. C. F. C., & Silva, K. S. (2021). The conception, validation, and reliability of the Questionnaire for Screen Time of Adolescents (QueST). Jornal de Pediatria, 98(2), 175–182. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jped.2021.05.004.
[19] Yi, H., Shin, K., & Shin, C. (2006). Development of the Sleep Quality Scale. Journal of Sleep Research, 15(3), 309–316. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2869.2006.00544.x.
[20] Choi, S.-Y., & Kim, J.-H. (2024). Validity and reliability of the Korean version of the Digital Burnout Scale. Frontiers in Public Health, 12, Article 1386394. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1386394.
[21] Spitzer, R. L., Kroenke, K., Williams, J. B. W., & Löwe, B. (2006). A brief measure for assessing generalized anxiety disorder: The GAD-7. Archives of Internal Medicine, 166(10), 1092–1097. https://doi.org/10.1001/archinte.166.10.1092.
[22] Beck, A. T., Steer, R. A., & Brown, G. K. (1996). Manual for the Beck Depression Inventory-II. San Antonio, TX: Psychological Corporation.
[23] Rosenberg, M. (1965). Society and the adolescent self-image. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
[24] Nathiya, P., & Meenakshi, S. (2024). A Study on A Psychological Perspective of The Relationship Between Screen Time and Adolescent Emotional Regulation. Deleted Journal. https://doi.org/10.47392/irjaem.2024.0493.
[25] Santos, R. M. S., Mendes, C. G., de Miranda, D. M., & Romano‑Silva, M. A. (2023). The associations between screen time and mental health in adolescents: a systematic review. BMC Psychology, 11(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-023-01166-7
[26] Nagata, J. M., Cortez, C. A., Cattle, C. J., Ganson, K. T., Iyer, P., Bibbins-Domingo, K., & Baker, F. C. (2024). Screen time and mental health: a prospective analysis of the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study. BMC Public Health, 24(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-024-20102-x