The study aimed to investigate the associations between different types of screen time (ST) and anxiety and depressive symptoms in college students during the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak in Shanghai, China; the potential mediation role of sleep quality was also examined. A total of 1,550 college students completed an online survey in May 2022. ST, Self-rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) score, Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS) score, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) score, and physical activity were self-reported. Multiple linear regression and mediation analysis were conducted. The results showed that more time spent in TV/movie viewing (>2 h/day) and recreational reading (>1 h/day) was associated with higher levels of anxiety, while more time spent in online social media (>2 h/day) was associated with a higher level of depressive symptoms. In contrast, time spent in online social media (1-2 h/day) was associated with a lower level of anxiety. Meanwhile, recreational reading (2-3 h/day) had a significant indirect effect on anxiety and depressive symptoms through sleep quality. During the COVID-19 outbreak, the associations of ST with anxiety and depressive symptoms varied by the type of screen viewing in college students. The associations of slightly excessive time spent on recreational reading with higher levels of anxiety and depressive symptoms were partially mediated by sleep quality.
Keywords: COVID-19; anxiety; depression; screen time; sleep quality.