Introduction: In the last years, there has been a rise in the use of technology among children and adolescents, which has led to a greater concern about its impact on their socioemotional and cognitive development.Aims: To explore the time spent using technology, the risk perception of its use by students, and the association between frequency of technology use and life satisfaction and academic performance among children and adolescents in Chile. Additionally, we explored the mediating effect of sleep deprivation on these outcomes.Methods: This is a cross-sectional study, where 2,440 students (9-12 years old) from 13 schools participated. Data was collected using an online survey answered by students during school hours. The association analyses were performed using multivariable regression models considering life satisfaction and academic performance as dependent variables. Additionally, mediating analyses were conducted using structural equation modeling.Results: Time watching television and using cellphones were similar on weekdays, and playing video games was the most frequent activity during weekends. A 42.1% of students reported playing online video games with strangers, and 12.7% had sleep deprivation. Lower self-reported academic performance was associated with cyberbullying victimization, sleep deprivation, being hacked, exposure to violent content, time spent using cell phones during weekdays and weekends, and playing video games during weekdays. Students who perceived that playing video games after 9 pm affected their sleep had a higher academic performance. There was a clear mediating effect of sleep deprivation in the relationship between time spent using a cellphone during weekdays and weekends and playing video games during weekdays and GPA.Conclusions: Time spent using technological devices was not associated with life satisfaction; however, the time spent using cell phones and playing video games was related to lower self-reported academic performance, mediated by sleep deprivation. Future research may focus on a better understanding of the mechanisms involved in the effect of technology use on sleep routines among adolescents and potential interventions to reduce its impact on academic performance.

BackgroundMental health problems among undergraduates are a significant public health concern. Most studies exploring mental health in this population during the pandemic have been conducted in high-income countries. Fewer studies come from Latin American countries. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of depression, anxiety, stress, insomnia, and suicide risk, and explore the association with several relevant variables in personal, family, university, and SARS-CoV-2 pandemic domains.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted in Chile in a medium-size private University. Outcome variables were explored with valid instruments: Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21), Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), and the Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS). Independent variables from personal (e.g., sex, age, sexual orientation, history of mental health problems, substance use), family (e.g., parental educational background, family history of mental health problems, family functioning), university (e.g., course year, financial support, psychological sense of university belonging, history of failing subjects) and SARS-CoV-2 domains (e.g., history of personal and family contagion, fear of contracting SARS-CoV-2, frequency of physical activity, keeping routines and social contact). Multivariable logistic regression models were conducted for each outcome, after univariable and domain-specific multivariable models. The significant variable at each step was selected if the p-value was ≤ 0.05.ResultsA total of 5,037 students answered the survey—the global response rate of 63.5%. Most of the students were females (70.4%) and freshmen students (25.2%). The prevalence of mental health problems was high: depression (37.1%), anxiety (37.9%), and stress (54.6%). Insomnia was reported in 32.5% of students, and suicide risk in 20.4% of students. The associated variables at personal domain were history of mental health problems, substance use, and sexual orientation; at family domain, family functioning and family history of mental health problems; at university domain, violence victimization and sense of belonging; and in SARS-CoV-2 domain, having a daily routine and fear to contracting SARS-CoV-2 by students themselves or others.ConclusionsThe prevalence of mental health problems is high among undergraduate students and some of the associated factors, such as victimization and a sense of belonging can be used in preventive interventions.

Introduction: Mental health problems among children and adolescents are frequent. Today, the world is facing a pandemic with a novel coronavirus, which is related to the higher rates of mental problems reported worldwide. The objective of this study was to determine the impact of the Covid-19 related experiences, educational experiences, and family functioning on mental health and wellbeing among children and adolescents in Chile during the Pandemic and lockdown health measures.Methods: This is a cross-sectional analysis of the first wave of an ongoing longitudinal study among girls and boys of Pre-Kindergarten to 12th grade (4–18 years old) in Santiago, Chile. The sample consisted of 979 students from eight different schools. The method of data collection was online surveys administered to parents and adolescents. The dependent variables were mental health problems and wellbeing. Several independent variables were assessed (sociodemographic variables, Covid-19 related experiences, related educational experiences, and family functioning). A descriptive analysis and univariable and multivariable regression models were performed to study the association between variables.Results: Positive educational experiences, primarily academic self-concept, reduced the probability of mental health problems and increased wellbeing. Among covid-19 related variables, practicing meditation or praying reduced emotional problems, while having family or health problems increased emotional problems among adolescents. No clear association between Covid-19 related experiences variables among children was found.Conclusions: Our findings may help educational and public health authorities to plan future school preventive interventions to improve mental health and wellbeing in this population.