PeerScreen Trial Opens: Screen Media Reduction vs Usual Use in Young People — Mental Health Outcomes Under Investigation
247 Health News Editorial
·16 Apr 2026
·4 min read
·clinical-trialsThe PeerScreen trial investigates whether reducing screen media use improves mental health in young people aged 13-24 years. This cluster-randomised controlled trial compares 4-week screen reduction intervention with usual use patterns, measuring outcomes via the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale.
Originally reported by ClinicalTrials.gov
References
- 1.Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. (2023). Australia's children: Screen time and physical activity. AIHW Report. https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/children-youth/australias-children/contents/health/screen-time-and-physical-activity
- 2.Hale, L., & Guan, S. (2015). Screen time and sleep among school-aged children and adolescents: a systematic literature review. Sleep Medicine Reviews, 21, 50-58. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smrv.2014.07.007
- 3.Hunt, M. G., Marx, R., Lipson, C., & Young, J. (2018). No more FOMO: Limiting social media decreases loneliness and depression. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 37(10), 751-768. https://doi.org/10.1521/jscp.2018.37.10.751
- 4.Nesi, J., Choukas-Bradley, S., & Prinstein, M. J. (2018). Transformation of adolescent peer relations in the social media context: Part 1—A theoretical framework and application to dyadic peer relationships. Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review, 21(3), 267-294. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10567-018-0261-x
- 5.Orben, A., & Przybylski, A. K. (2019). The association between adolescent well-being and digital technology use. Nature Human Behaviour, 3(2), 173-182. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-018-0506-1
- 6.Productivity Commission. (2020). Mental Health: Productivity Commission Inquiry Report. Australian Government. https://www.pc.gov.au/inquiries/completed/mental-health/report
- 7.Tennant, R., Hiller, L., Fishwick, R., Platt, S., Joseph, S., Weich, S., ... & Stewart-Brown, S. (2007). The Warwick-Edinburgh mental well-being scale (WEMWBS): development and UK validation. Health and Quality of Life Outcomes, 5(1), 63. https://doi.org/10.1186/1477-7525-5-63
- 8.Twenge, J. M., & Campbell, W. K. (2018). Associations between screen time and lower psychological well-being among children and adolescents: Evidence from a large-scale cross-sectional study. Psychological Science, 29(9), 1469-1480. https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797618807830
- 9.University of Southern Denmark. (2024). Effects of Reducing Screen Media Use on Mental Health, Sleep, Physical Activity, Heart Rate Variability, and Behavioral Patterns in Peer-groups of Young People: A Study Protocol for a Cluster-randomized Controlled Trial. ClinicalTrials.gov. NCT07531290. https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT07531290
2
247 Health News Editorial
247 Health News is a medical intelligence platform delivering evidence-based research appraisals, clinical trial monitoring, and health technology news for healthcare professionals.
Related Articles
clinical-trials
Digital Health Platform vs Case Manager Support in Hypertension Management: Taiwan's 1,726-Participant Trial Signals a Shift in Blood Pressure Care Delivery
3 Aug 2026
clinical-trials
Phase II Trial: AI-Powered Wysa Chatbot vs Unmet Need — Digital Eating Disorder Prevention in At-Risk Adolescents
3 Aug 2026
clinical-trials
Pilot Trial Targets the Inpatient-to-Outpatient Gap: Digital Smoking Cessation Intervention for Persons With Serious Mental Illness — Key Findings for Clinicians
3 Aug 2026
This content is for educational purposes for healthcare professionals only and does not constitute clinical advice. Clinical decisions should be based on individual patient assessment, current guidelines, and appropriate specialist consultation. Editorial Standards · Privacy Policy · Terms of Service