The most substantial assessment found long-term impacts in 117 meta-analyses conducted between 1972-2024. More alarmingly, it found the strongest association of too much screen time contributing to emotional problems in children 10 years and younger. Researchers followed almost 300,000 kids for several months. Their analysis found some significant trends that add to the picture of an alarming trend of children’s mental health.
As one of the top researchers, Dr. Tara Narula, told us, it’s shocking. As she testified, over 40% of kids today, 8-12 year olds, are spending more than four hours a day on screens. This shocking statistic is a wake-up call to the alarming rate at which this age group uses screens. It also begs critical questions about what it’s doing to their emotional and social health.
This research shows a reciprocal relationship between screen time and children’s mental health. Kids are spending more time on digital screens than ever before. As a testimony to this, we are witnessing a worrisome spike in mental health maladies among them. “You add to that the fact that we are seeing rising rates of mental health disorders in kids, and half of these disorders start before the age of 14. You can understand why we need to understand the effects of screens on our kids,” Dr. Narula stated.
Dr. Brendan Huang is the chief resident physician in adult neurology at Northwell Health in New York City. As an active member of the ABC News Medical Unit, he believes knowing these effects is essential. In addition, the prevalence of mental health disorders among children continues to increase. We have to act urgently since most of these problems start well before girls hit their teens.
Dr. Michael Noetel, an associate professor of psychology at The University of Queensland in Australia, provided terrific context about kids’ screen time habits. His scientific contributions deeply informed our research findings. “Rather than breaking it down by the exact game people were playing, it’s safe to make some assumptions,” he noted, indicating that various forms of screen engagement may share common consequences for children’s emotional health.
It is our hope that the results from this landmark study will help improve understanding of the ways in which screens affect young children’s development. Don’t allow screen time to push out higher priority activities, experts say. Just be sure that you’re not skimping on a good night’s sleep or daily exercise in favor of it!
Given these conclusions, Dr. Narula recommends that parents set limits for screen time. She encourages a balanced approach: “We’ve all been guilty of it, but it’s OK to say no and to set limits and boundaries, and do it in a noncontrolling way as a parent, if you can.” This new guidance is designed to assist families in understanding the ever-evolving landscape of technology in a manner that keeps their children safe and healthy.
