475: Screen Time, Academic Performance and Facial Pain in Students: Are Digital Behaviors a Risk Factor?

Topic: Clinical Science
Subtopic: Pain category (ICD-11), Chronic primary orofacial pain, Assessment and Measurement of Pain/Nociception

Background and Aims: Screen time has become deeply embedded in university students’ academic and social routines. However, its relationship with academic performance, psychosocial health, sleep quality, and temporomandibular disorder (TMD) symptoms remains unclear.
This study aimed to investigate whether screen exposure, considering both duration and purpose, is associated with academic performance, mental health, sleep, ADHD-related symptoms, and orofacial pain among students in health-profession educations.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, first-year students in health-profession educations completed validated questionnaires. TMD-symptoms were assessed using the 3-Question TMD-screener (3Q-TMD). Psychosocial variables included Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scales (DASS-21), Anxiety Attitude and Belief Scale (RAND-36), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) , Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale-V1.1 Screener (ASRS-v1.1), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), total and purpose-specific screen time, and the Academic Task Performance Scale . Participants were categorized by median weekly screen-time (low vs. high), and perceived academic performance (low vs. high). Comparisons were conducted using either Welch t-test, Mann–Whitney U or Chi-square test.

Results: The final sample comprised 92 participants among first year dental and nursing students (mean age 21 years; 82% women). TMD-symptom prevalence was low and did not differ between low and high screen-time groups. Total screen exposure showed no association with TMD-symptoms, psychosocial and health domains. However, students with lower academic performance demonstrated significantly higher depression, anxiety, stress, and ADHD-related symptoms (all p≤0.03). Higher total screen time was independently associated with increased ADHD symptom scores (p=0.001). Importantly, the purpose of screen use differed by academic performance, with higher-performing students reporting more academic-related screen time.

Conclusions: Among relatively healthy first-year healthcare profession students, total screen-time exposure was not independently associated with psychosocial distress, sleep impairment, or TMD-symptoms. Instead, the purpose of screen use and underlying neurocognitive vulnerability (ADHD symptoms) appear more relevant than exposure duration alone. However, it must be considered that these are partial results coming from a relatively small sample size, from a larger project investigating several university educations.

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Presenting Author: Giancarlo De la Torre Canales
Submitting Author: Giancarlo De La Torre

Senior Author: Nikolaos Christidis

IASP 2026 Global Year theme of Neuropathic Pain: No

• Giancarlo De la Torre Canales: PhD - Karolinska Institutet
• Edeon Barbullushi: NA - Karolinska Institutet
• Alber Kouzi: NA - Karolinska Institutet
• Damyana Markus: NA - Karolinska Institutet
• Parul Khattar: NA - Karolinska Institutet
• Maria Christidis: PhD - Karolinska Institutet
• Nikolaos Christidis: PhD - Karolinska Institutet