Latest news with #Noetel
The Star
19 hours ago
- Health
- The Star
How screen use can be a vicious cycle for some children and adolescents
The study reports that excessive screen use can exacerbate socioemotional problems (anxiety, depression, aggression, hyperactivity, etc) in children... in turn driving them to screens to cope with these issues. — AFP Relaxnews To cope with behavioral problems linked to excessive screen use, such as aggression or anxiety, some children take refuge... in screens. While this vicious circle aspect of the screen phenomenon is not widely discussed, it has been highlighted by a comprehensive Australian study published this week. It has long been known that screens are harmful to children. Excessive exposure (several hours a day) has been linked to cognitive development delays, as well as learning, language, and memory disorders. And in adolescents, excessive screen use may cause manic symptoms, such as mood disorders and sleep disturbances. But a new meta-analysis highlights a lesser-known problem. The study reports that excessive screen use can exacerbate socioemotional problems (anxiety, depression, aggression, hyperactivity, etc) in children... in turn driving them to screens to cope with these issues. This vicious circle mainly affects children aged 6 to 10 and seems to be more prevalent in boys than in girls. Conducted by psychology professors at the University of Queensland (Australia), the research in question examined around 100 studies involving more than 292,000 children from around the world. The findings are published in the journal Psychological Bulletin . Most of the studies included in this research were conducted in the United States (41 studies), Canada (13), Australia (11), Germany and the Netherlands (7 each). The effects of video games The researchers found that video games are associated with higher risks of developing behavioral disorders compared to other screen-based content, including those intended for educational or recreational purposes. "As a kid I loved video games – they give you a challenge and powerful feedback when you're doing a good job. For this reason, games are particularly tempting for children having problems and especially hard to get children away from," says study senior author, associate professor Michael Noetel from UQ's School of Psychology, quoted in a news release. While it's true that some video games have an educational dimension (some of them have even been recognised as a vehicle for mental well-being among teenagers), excessive use can be counterproductive. "Dr Noetel said parents and policymakers have long debated whether screens cause problems, or whether children with problems were simply drawn to screens," the news release notes. "Our review shows it's both," he adds. "If we only address one side of the equation – cutting down on screen time but overlooking anxiety or aggression that leads kids to screens – we risk leaving children stuck in a cycle." However, the researcher tempers this by pointing out that the emotional and behavioral disorders mentioned can also be explained by other factors, such as exposure to alcohol and/or drugs. Follow the 3-6-9-12 rule In France, some health professionals now recommend keeping children under six away from screens entirely, which is three years longer than the current official recommendations (ie, no screens before three). To help parents limit their children's screen time, French pediatrician Serge Tisseron has invented the 3-6-9-12 rule, designed according to children's age and stage of cognitive development. The rules to remember are as follows: no screens before the age of 3, no personal consoles before the age of 6, no Internet before the age of 9, and no Internet without supervision before the age of 12. Other initiatives have recently emerged to encourage children and teenagers to "detox' from digital devices, such as the challenge of spending 10 days without using any screens at all, in favor of activities that promote relaxation and creativity. – AFP Relaxnews
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Increased screen time linked to aggression, anxiety, low self-esteem in kids, study finds
A major international study looking at nearly 300,000 children has revealed a two-way link between the amount of time kids spend on screens and their emotional and social well-being. Children who spent more time using devices like TVs, tablets, computers, and gaming consoles were at a higher risk of developing problems like aggression, anxiety, and low self-esteem later in life, the study found. The connection also works in reverse: Children who were already struggling with social or emotional challenges tended to spend more time on all types of screens. Time spent on gaming consoles was particularly linked to a greater chance of developing issues, according to the study, published Monday in the academic journal Psychological Bulletin. Excessive screen time during infancy may be linked to lower cognitive skills later in childhood "Rather than breaking it down by the exact game people were playing, it's safe to make some assumptions," Dr. Michael Noetel, one of the study's authors and associate professor of psychology at The University of Queensland, Australia, told ABC News. "The most games that were included were console games, computer games and mobile games." When asked if violent games, such games that involved shooting, led to more behavioral issues, Noetel said that was not necessarily the case. "Some studies broke the games down by whether they were violent, but our interpretation was that most parents knew to limit the amount of violent content to give kids under 10," he said. "Instead, [the] key finding was that gaming in general -- regardless of the specific type -- showed much stronger links to emotional problems than other screen activities like watching TV or using educational apps." The study is one of the largest of its kind, analyzing 117 long-term studies conducted between 1972 and 2024. By focusing on children aged 10 and under and tracking them over time, the researchers could more clearly determine cause and effect. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends children between the ages of 2 and 5 to limit recreational screen time to one hour per day on weekdays and three hours on weekends. Children who exceed recommended screen time guidelines were more prone to socioemotional issues compared to those who stayed within the recommended limits, according to the study. "More than 40% of kids [ages] 8 to 12 are using screens for more than four hours per day," Dr. Tara Narula, ABC News chief medical correspondent, said about the study's findings Tuesday on "Good Morning America." "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." 48-hour screen-time experiment: What happens when kids have no limits So, what's the key takeaway for parents? The goal isn't to eliminate screens entirely, the study authors said. When children engage in moderate amounts of screen time, especially for educational purposes, there is a lower risk for social or emotional problems in the future. Children should learn not to use a screen as their sole outlet to manage their emotions and should be encouraged to interact with friends and family to develop resilience and emotional skills. The most important thing is to ensure that screen time doesn't interfere with essentials like a full night's sleep and regular physical activity, the study added. "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," said Narula, who was not involved with the study. Dr. Brendan Huang serves as the chief resident physician in adult neurology at Northwell Health and is also a member of the ABC News Medical Unit. Increased screen time linked to aggression, anxiety, low self-esteem in kids, study finds originally appeared on
Arab Times
2 days ago
- Health
- Arab Times
More screen time, more trouble: Research finds emotional risks for children
LONDON, June 11: A major international study involving nearly 300,000 children has found a two-way relationship between screen time and children's emotional and social well-being. According to the study, children who spend more time using devices such as televisions, tablets, computers, and gaming consoles are more likely to develop emotional and behavioral issues, including aggression, anxiety, and low self-esteem. Researchers also found the reverse to be true: children already experiencing emotional or social challenges were more likely to spend increased time on screens. The findings were published Monday in the Psychological Bulletin, an academic journal. Time spent on gaming consoles, in particular, was more strongly associated with these issues than other forms of screen use. "Rather than breaking it down by the exact game people were playing, it's safe to make some assumptions," said Dr. Michael Noetel, associate professor of psychology at The University of Queensland in Australia and one of the study's authors. He noted that the games analyzed included console, computer, and mobile games. When asked about violent games specifically, Noetel clarified that the study did not find a direct link between violent content and behavioral problems. "Some studies broke the games down by whether they were violent, but our interpretation was that most parents knew to limit the amount of violent content to give kids under 10," he explained. "Instead, the key finding was that gaming in general — regardless of the specific type — showed much stronger links to emotional problems than other screen activities like watching TV or using educational apps." The study, one of the most comprehensive of its kind, analyzed 117 long-term studies conducted between 1972 and 2024. It focused on children aged 10 and under, following them over time to help identify potential cause-and-effect relationships. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children aged 2 to 5 should be limited to one hour of recreational screen time per weekday and no more than three hours on weekends. The study found that children who exceeded these guidelines were more likely to develop socioemotional difficulties. "More than 40% of kids aged 8 to 12 are using screens for more than four hours per day," said Dr. Tara Narula, chief medical correspondent for ABC News, during an appearance on "Good Morning America." "When you add the rising rates of mental health disorders in kids — half of which begin before age 14 — it becomes clear why understanding the effects of screen time is crucial." Despite the concerning findings, researchers stressed that the goal for parents should not be to eliminate screen use entirely. Moderate, educational screen use was associated with a lower risk of future emotional or social problems. Instead, the study encouraged parents to help children avoid using screens as their sole emotional outlet. Encouraging social interaction with family and peers, ensuring sufficient sleep, and promoting physical activity were also highlighted as essential. "We've all been guilty of it, but it's OK to say no and to set limits and boundaries — and to do so in a noncontrolling way as a parent, if you can," Narula added.
3 days ago
- Health
Increased screen time linked to aggression, anxiety, low self-esteem in kids, study finds
A major international study looking at nearly 300,000 children has revealed a two-way link between the amount of time kids spend on screens and their emotional and social well-being. Children who spent more time using devices like TVs, tablets, computers, and gaming consoles were at a higher risk of developing problems like aggression, anxiety, and low self-esteem later in life, the study found. The connection also works in reverse: Children who were already struggling with social or emotional challenges tended to spend more time on all types of screens. Time spent on gaming consoles was particularly linked to a greater chance of developing issues, according to the study, published Monday in the academic journal Psychological Bulletin. "Rather than breaking it down by the exact game people were playing, it's safe to make some assumptions," Dr. Michael Noetel, one of the study's authors and associate professor of psychology at The University of Queensland, Australia, told ABC News. "The most games that were included were console games, computer games and mobile games." When asked if violent games, such games that involved shooting, led to more behavioral issues, Noetel said that was not necessarily the case. "Some studies broke the games down by whether they were violent, but our interpretation was that most parents knew to limit the amount of violent content to give kids under 10," he said. "Instead, [the] key finding was that gaming in general -- regardless of the specific type -- showed much stronger links to emotional problems than other screen activities like watching TV or using educational apps." The study is one of the largest of its kind, analyzing 117 long-term studies conducted between 1972 and 2024. By focusing on children aged 10 and under and tracking them over time, the researchers could more clearly determine cause and effect. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends children between the ages of 2 and 5 to limit recreational screen time to one hour per day on weekdays and three hours on weekends. Children who exceed recommended screen time guidelines were more prone to socioemotional issues compared to those who stayed within the recommended limits, according to the study. "More than 40% of kids [ages] 8 to 12 are using screens for more than four hours per day," Dr. Tara Narula, ABC News chief medical correspondent, said about the study's findings Tuesday on " Good Morning America." "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." So, what's the key takeaway for parents? The goal isn't to eliminate screens entirely, the study authors said. When children engage in moderate amounts of screen time, especially for educational purposes, there is a lower risk for social or emotional problems in the future. Children should learn not to use a screen as their sole outlet to manage their emotions and should be encouraged to interact with friends and family to develop resilience and emotional skills. The most important thing is to ensure that screen time doesn't interfere with essentials like a full night's sleep and regular physical activity, the study added. "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," said Narula, who was not involved with the study.
