Abstract
<title>Abstract</title> <p>Aim To synthesize and critically appraise systematic-review and meta-analytic evidence on associations between screen exposure and mental health and socioemotional outcomes in people aged 0–18 years. Methods We conducted a PRISMA 2020-compliant umbrella review registered in PROSPERO (CRD420261460684). PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, Epistemonikos, and the Cochrane Library were searched for English-language systematic reviews and meta-analyses published from January 2020 through December 2025. Two reviewers independently screened records and extracted data. Findings were synthesized narratively. Methodological quality was appraised with AMSTAR 2, certainty was explored with review-level GRADE domains, and primary-study overlap was estimated with the corrected covered area (CCA). Results Fourteen reviews were included from 710 records. Greater screen exposure was associated with internalizing and externalizing problems, hyperactivity, socioemotional difficulties, sleep disturbance, and poorer psychosocial well-being. Associations were generally small and more consistent for problematic use than for duration alone. In children younger than five years, pooled associations were reported for socioemotional difficulties (odds ratio [OR] 1.24), hyperactivity (OR 1.39), and emotional problems (OR 1.21). Longitudinal evidence suggested small bidirectional associations (β = 0.06). Among 11 reviews with verifiable primary-study lists, 273 occurrences represented 220 unique studies (partial CCA 2.41%, slight overlap). No review had high methodological confidence; certainty was predominantly low or very low. Conclusion Screen exposure is associated with less favorable mental health and socioemotional outcomes, but current evidence does not establish direct causality. Content, context, purpose, parental supervision, sleep, and displacement of healthy activities should be considered alongside duration.</p>