Does screen time steal happiness from teens?

Young girl is texting using her mobile phone on the edge of the cliff.

Teens who report more time spent on recreational Internet use also report less happiness, self-esteem, and satisfaction with their lives, according to a study published – of all places – online recently in the journal Emotion. 

The authors of the study analysed data from the Monitoring the Future survey, which has asked thousands of eighth, tenth, and twelfth graders a variety of questions about their daily habits and mental health every year since 1991.