Screen time linked to negative impact on children's development, study finds

A large-scale study has linked extended screen time in children to multiple effects on their development and mental health, following an analysis of data from around 2.8 million children across 64 countries.

The study, published in the journal "JAMA Pediatrics" and reported by the UK newspaper The Independent, indicated that the magnitude of some of these associations is comparable to or greater than other major factors such as family socioeconomic status, parental behavior, and premature birth.

The findings showed that heavy use of video games, social media, and streaming services was associated with lower academic achievement and difficulties in language development.

Children who spent longer periods in front of screens also showed greater challenges in psychological, social, and emotional aspects.

The review found that higher exposure to digital media was linked to less positive outcomes in several aspects of healthy child development, including lower overall school grades.

However, the researchers did not find a clear link between screen time and achievement in mathematics, reading, or science, attributing this to limited available evidence in these areas.

The research team, led by academics from the University of Calgary in Canada, found that excessive screen use was also associated with weaker language skills, emotional problems, difficulties with peer relationships, as well as symptoms of anxiety and depression, and behaviors such as aggression and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Conversely, the review did not find a clear association between increased screen time and other areas such as executive functions, positive social behavior, or skills in reading, mathematics, and science.

The researchers concluded that screen use may be a modifiable factor affecting children's well-being, while stressing that the results show associations rather than direct causation.