Extended time spent in front of screens could have a significant impact on children’s development, including academic outcomes, language development, and emotional health.
An extensive international analysis suggests that the effects of increased screen exposure can be comparable to factors such as parental behavior, socio-economic status, or premature birth.
Researchers analyzed data on more than 2.8 million children from 64 countries and concluded that increased screen exposure may be associated with problems in several areas, including academic performance and emotional health. It is one of the most comprehensive analyses conducted to date on this topic, according to The Guardian.
More intense use of screens for video games, social networks, and streaming may be associated with poorer academic outcomes and difficulties in language development.
However, some experts have pointed out the limitations of the research and say that the results do not support the idea that screens are the main cause of emotional issues among teenagers.
What the analysis reveals about the effects of screens
In the analysis published in the journal JAMA Pediatrics, researchers found that more time spent in front of screens is associated with more "socio-emotional" and mental health issues in children.
Academics conducted a so-called umbrella analysis, which gathers and synthesizes the results of previous comprehensive assessments on the same topic.
Longer periods of digital device and social media use were associated with "less favorable outcomes in several, though not all, evaluated domains of child development and health."
The analysis included a wide range of devices, from smartphones to televisions, as well as activities such as scrolling through social media content, playing video games, and FaceTime video calls.
"Overall, the results suggest that screen use may represent a potential modifiable factor associated with children's well-being in several domains," the authors wrote.
Researchers found that increased screen exposure is associated with overall poorer academic outcomes. When analyzing specific disciplines, time spent in front of screens did not seem to be associated with performance in mathematics, reading, or science. However, researchers noted that these areas were among the least studied, so the result could be explained by a lack of sufficient evidence.
Researchers, led by specialists from the University of Calgary, Canada, also found that more time spent in front of screens is associated with poorer language development.
The link between intensive screen use and children's mental health
Regarding mental health, more intensive screen use has been associated with emotional issues and difficulties in relationships with peers, as well as with "internalizing" behaviors, including symptoms of depression and anxiety.
Additionally, researchers identified an association with "externalizing" behaviors, including aggression and symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
"Our analysis showed that higher levels of screen exposure are associated with overall poorer academic outcomes and reduced language development, as well as higher levels of internalizing and externalizing behaviors, emotional issues, and difficulties in peer relationships," the authors wrote.
Other experts, however, emphasize that the results show an association and do not demonstrate that screen use is the main cause of emotional or academic issues.
Tatiana Íñiguez Berrozpe, a sociology lecturer at the University of Zaragoza, Spain, stated that the report highlights an association between screen time and poorer mental health or reduced academic performance, but the effect is small.
"It is not a result devoid of importance, but it by no means supports the idea that screens are the main cause of emotional distress among teenagers. Screen use, in itself, does not explain why a teenager goes through a period of emotional distress or has poorer academic results," she said.
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