Key among the findings are how the duration and type of screen engagement affects children. Spending more than three hours a day either on digital devices or watching TV is linked with “important declines” in child mental health, including hyperactivity, self-regulatory problems or disruptive behaviours. “Spending time in media activities like watching YouTube videos, other videos or downloading apps has detrimental effects on child mental health, especially when these activities do not involve socialising with others,” the authors told The Irish Times. By contrast, children who reported engaging in media activities such as watching YouTube or streaming movies and music jumped from 28 per cent to 89 per cent. The overall findings of the study tend to mirror those of previous work looking at children born after 2008.

Source: The Irish Times September 22, 2020 00:56 UTC