Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 22, 2025

A Computer-Based Platform for Aiding Clinicians in Eating Disorder Analysis and Diagnosis
Published on: May 10, 2022
Pathways from adolescent screen time to eating related symptoms: a multilevel longitudinal mediation analysis through
Audrey Livet1,2, Elroy Boers1,2, Flavie Laroque1,2
1CHU Sainte-Justine Research Center, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Objective:
Screen time and self-esteem have been shown to be important correlates of eating disorders in adolescence. However, there is an absence of longitudinal studies that distinguish between time-varying factors, accounting for parallel developmental changes and common underlying vulnerability.
Design:
A total of 3,801 adolescents were administered self-report measures, annually, over the course of 5 years. The association of screen time (social media use, television watching, video gaming) on eating related symptoms was analyzed using a longitudinal Bayesian multilevel path analysis framework. Self-esteem was examined as a mediating factor in this model. This study investigated direct and indirect associations at between-person, concurrent within-person, and lagged-within-person levels, while controlling for gender.
Results:
The findings revealed that all types of screen time exposure were significantly associated with eating related symptoms at between and within-person levels. A significant association at the lagged-within person level was only revealed for social media use. Self-esteem was found to be a significant mediating factor between screen time and eating related symptoms.
Conclusion:
An increase in social media use one year was associated with increased of eating related symptoms two years later through lower self-esteem. Implications for prevention are discussed.
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