EXCESSIVE SCREEN USE AND ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH BODY PRACTICES AND ANXIETY TRAITS IN MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS

Abstract

This article aimed to investigate the possible relationship between excessive screen use, physical activity levels, and the presence of anxiety traits among adolescents from the Municipal Education Network of Teresina. This is a cross-sectional study with a quantitative approach, conducted with 118 students from the final years of Elementary School. To assess screen use, a sociodemographic questionnaire was used, while physical activity levels were assessed using the short version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), and anxiety traits were assessed using the Child Trait-Anxiety Scale. The results showed that 94.9% of the adolescents had their own electronic device, and 75.4% used screens for three hours or more per day. Regarding physical activity, 74.1% were classified as sedentary and 91.1% as irregularly active. Regarding anxiety traits, a higher frequency was observed among students who had their own electronic device (54.5%), compared to those who did not (16.7%). It was concluded that longer screen exposure was related to lower levels of physical activity and a higher frequency of anxiety traits among adolescents.