By Kerry Gallagher
In a new and large-scale analysis of the impact of screen time on emotional health of children, researchers reviewed 132 long-term studies including a combined 300,000 subjects. The findings of this deep and broad examination of research include:
- There is a two-way connection between screens and emotional challenges. Screens can potentially lead to emotional struggles, and also children with emotional struggles are more likely to turn to screens.
- We can protect our kids by sticking to the guidelines we set, which generally means about 2 hours per day for children over the age of 7. Risks for anxiety or attention difficulties only really increase when time on screens routinely exceeds 3-4 hours per day.
a. Note: It is likely that extra screen time on rare occasions isn’t harmful. This finding is about consistent daily habits.
b. Note: Screen time for educational purposes does not need to count toward this time and use of screens for academics is “probably very good” according to the study’s author. - Playing video games together and watching movies as a family are practices that researchers recommend, for families with kids from very young to the teen years. The study’s author explains, “It turns screen time into family time.”
Read the study from the Psychological Bulletin and more from Dr. Michael Noetel, the study’s author, in this article from Tech&Learning.