Kids’ Screen Use Linked To Long-Term Deficits In Self-Control And Attention

Children’s screen use is linked with later difficulties with skills such as attention, planning and self-control, according to a University of Auckland study pulling together research from around the world.

Of 58 studies, 81 percent showed at least one negative association between screen use and executive function over time, according to the paper published in the journal Developmental Review.

“The potential for long-term harm to our kids’ development is concerning,” says Claire Reid, the School of Psychology PhD student who led the scoping study. “We need action at all levels – policy, schools and the family – to better protect our children.”

Studies featured gamers in China, preschoolers in Portugal and Growing Up in New Zealand research. Most studies were from North America and Asia and all were published between 2013 and 2024. Some related specifically to ADHD.

“Executive function is the brain’s management system,” Reid says. “It develops throughout childhood and into our mid-twenties, and while it is developing, it is sensitive to experiences and environments”

Executive function is relevant to children focusing in class, remembering instructions, controlling impulses, planning homework and managing emotions – abilities aiding life-long achievement, health and well-being.

While the studies link screen use and difficulties in executive function, both Reid and the senior author of the paper, Professor Karen Waldie, caution that they do not prove causality. Sleep, physical activity, play, social interaction and family circumstances are among the many influences on the development of executive function.

Thirty-four studies associated screen use with negative effects on executive function. Nine studies showed an association flowing in the opposite direction, linking executive function problems to elevated screen use. Four studies found associations both ways.

Reid was most concerned by eight neuroimaging studies reporting changes over time in brain regions linked with executive function in children. Kids with higher screen use showed smaller increases in brain volume and poorer or dysfunctional connectivity.

In 2023, the US Surgeon General advised that brain development was a critical factor to consider when assessing potential harms from social media.

Showing the nuanced and complex nature of the field, some research showed positive effects. For example, in a Portuguese study of kids aged from one to three-and-a-half years, increased exposure to touchscreen devices was linked with both faster reaction times (positive) and a diminished ability to focus without being distracted (negative).

“I began researching the area as a mum concerned about my own kids and because of what I’d heard from teachers and other parents,” says Reid. “My goal was to empower parents with evidence-based information.”

She is the co-chair of the expert advisory panel for the B416 charity, which wants New Zealand to match Australia’s ban on children under 16 accessing social media.

Policy makers, teachers, parents and corporations “need to work together to support healthy balanced screen use”, the researchers write. “This means a focus on limiting excessive screen exposure and ensuring it is not displacing important developmental activities such as sleep, physical activity, free play and social interaction.”

The paper featured research from Asia, Europe, North America, Oceania and South America but not Africa. The greatest numbers of studies came from the US, China, Canada, South Korea and the United Kingdom.

Excluding research from before 2013 was to avoid data too distant from today’s screen environment. Apple introduced the iPhone in 2007, infinite scrolling began on key social media platforms in 2010, and smartphone ownership surpassed 50 percent in many countries by 2013.

“The field is evolving so rapidly that it’s crucial to keep up, and more high-quality, long-term research is needed,” says Reid.

Study participants ranged from babies and toddlers to 18 years of age. The research came from the School of Psychology and the School of Population Health at Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland.

© Scoop Media