Screen time is a common part of daily life for children and teens, offering opportunities to learn, connect, and be entertained. At the same time, many parents wonder how increasing technology use may be affecting their child’s mental health and what healthy screen use looks like.
Dr. Claudia Welke, MD, Child, Adolescent, and Adult Psychiatrist, and Chief Medical Officer of Compass Health Center, recently joined TMJ4 News’ Tiffany Ogle to discuss the relationship between screen time and youth mental health. During the conversation, Dr. Welke shared practical guidance for families, including how to recognize when screen use may be impacting a child’s well-being, why balance is more important than simply counting hours, and ways parents can encourage healthy digital habits.
The interview also explores how screens can affect sleep, emotional regulation, social development, and overall mental wellness, while emphasizing that technology itself isn’t inherently harmful—it’s how, when, and why it’s used that matters. Learn more about Compass Health Center’s Screen Dependence program here.
Continue reading to learn more and watch the full interview.
About Compass Health Center:
Compass Health Center provides immediate access to comprehensive, specialized mental health services, empowering individuals and families to receive the care they need when they need it. Children, adolescents, young adults, and adults can schedule a mental health assessment within 24 hours after the first phone call and begin treatment as soon as the next day. Our age-based approach to mental health treatment centers on three core principles: immediate access, evidence-based, data-informed care, and specialization in areas such as trauma, OCD, school refusal, anxiety, depression, and other co-occurring mental health.
