Electronics have permeated our lives and tasks, with children growing up as “digital natives.” From an increasingly early age children are engaging with media on a regular basis. The average age at which children regularly engage with media is now just four months of age — and in 1970 it was four years of age. While electronic devices have revolutionized communication and information dissemination and may provide unique learning opportunities to children, they also come at a cost. One such cost is to the social emotional wellbeing of children.
Implications for Emotional Development
As technology has advanced, the concept of screen time now encompasses a wide range of devices. Unfortunately, implications for emotional development can be traced to all forms of media. Television viewing has been shown to have deleterious effects for children, showing up as developmental delays as they age. One study found that more screen time at age 4 predicted lower levels of emotional regulation at age 6. Having a TV in the child’s bedroom at age 6 predicted lower levels of emotional understanding at age 8. Gaming was associated with lower levels of emotional understanding in boys (although not girls, suggesting that different digital activities will have different outcomes based on gender).
Depression and ADHD
Video gaming was connected with more severe depressive symptoms compared with other types of media. Violent, fast-paced content is associated with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and related behaviors. Early and consistent exposure to violent content raises the likelihood the child will engage in antisocial behavior.
Not just the type of media but when the media is used can also have an impact on psychological wellbeing. Nighttime use of digital devices negatively impacts sleep, as blue light stimulates cortisol and lowers the melatonin production necessary to produce deep and restorative sleep. It is not surprising, then, that nighttime use of digital devices has been associated with depressive symptoms.
Addiction
Screen time has a cumulative effect on symptoms, and disturbingly, some effects of screen time may not be fully apparent until early adolescence and beyond. Excessive screen use triggers dopamine and reward pathways in the brain, leading to a dependency and craving for use of these devices. One study shows this craving behavior resembles substance dependence. When we allow children unfettered access to screen time we are opening the door to addiction. This addiction can actually lead to structural changes in the brain related to cognitive control and emotional regulation.
Strategies for Reducing Screen Time
- Become aware. Becoming aware of the potential harms of screen time is the first step in taking action to reduce screen time use in your children.
- Add controls to devices. Parental controls including passwords on televisions, laptops, and cellphones have been shown to significantly reduce screen time.
- Don’t have a TV in your child’s bedroom.
- Model healthy habits. One review found: “The amount of screen time parents and kids watch is closely associated; kids who live in homes where watching TV is encouraged (e.g., meals eaten in front of the TV and the TV is on when the child gets home from school) are more likely to engage in binge-watching themselves.” Astonishingly, research shows that if parents watch television for more than four hours every day their children are up to 10x as likely to do the same.
According to a systematic review of the data, “the ideal discretionary screen time limits are 0.5-1 hour/day for three to seven-year-olds, one hour for 7-12-year-olds, 1.5 hours for 12-15-year-olds, and two hours for 16+-year-olds.”
At Intrinsic Scholars Academy we know the importance of social interaction, independent play, cooperative activities, and meaningful routines in your child’s development. Schedule a tour today to see what Intrinsic Scholars can offer your child.