Screen use and mental health
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What do screen habits tell us about mental health?
What do screen habits tell us about mental health? Screen use is part of daily life. But MHRC’s latest report, Understanding the Mental Health of Canadians, includes a finding that deserves a closer look: people who spend four or more hours a day scrolling social media, watching entertainment or gaming were about twice as likely to report severe anxiety or depression symptoms. In the first edition of The Better Mental Health Briefing, MHRC will look at what the data show, what they do not prove and how screen habits may connect to coping, distress, connection and the supports people may need. This English-language webcast will feature a roundtable with Michael Cooper and Claire Hlavacek from MHRC, joined by Dr. Kara Brisson-Boivin of MediaSmarts, followed by a focused one-on-one discussion with Dr. Andrée-Anne Légaré, psychologist and associate professor at Université de Sherbrooke. A recording will be shared with registrants after the broadcast.
Expert Voices
Michael Cooper
Mental Health Research Canada
He brings deep knowledge of MHRC’s national population polling. His contribution will ground the discussion in what the screen-use data reveal, how the finding fits within broader mental health patterns and why it warrants closer attention.
Claire Hlavacek
Mental Health Research Canada
Her expertise lies in data partnerships and careful interpretation of population-level findings. She will help clarify how the results should be understood, where their limits lie and why association must not be confused with causation.
Dr. Kara Brisson-Boivin
MediaSmarts
Her research spans digital well-being, parenting, privacy, misinformation, online hate and artificial intelligence. She will place screen habits in a broader digital context and help distinguish between different activities, motivations and online experiences.
Dr. Andrée-Anne Légaré
Université de Sherbrooke
Her work examines behavioural addictions and how digital technologies affect young adults’ mental health and social well-being. She will bring clinical insight into difficult-to-manage screen habits, prevention, intervention and appropriate support.
MediaSmarts, Université de Sherbrooke
What is The Better Mental Health Briefing?
The Better Mental Health Briefing is MHRC’s webcast series that puts mental health research into context. Each edition brings together researchers, experts and other informed voices to examine what the evidence tells us, what it may mean and how it could support better decisions for people in Canada. From time to time, the series may also feature initiatives, such as MHRC’s studentships, that help support and expand mental health research.
