The findings have not only confirmed that children who spend more time on digital devices are more likely to develop mental health problems, but also that the association works in reverse.
Children who are experiencing reduced mental, social and emotional health are also more likely to spend extended time on screens.
While the study showed that time spent on devices such as TVs, tablets, computers, and gaming consoles all contributed to the risk of developing low self-esteem, anxiety and aggression as they grow up, it has also shown that gaming consoles in particular are the worst contributors.
Dr. Michael Noetel is an associate professor of Psychology at The University of Queensland and one of the authors of this study.
When asked if violent games may have a worse effect than non-violent games, he told US ABC News, "Rather than breaking it down by the exact game people were playing, it's safe to make some assumptions… the most games that were included were console games, computer games and mobile games."
"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."
"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 US ABC News chief medical correspondent, Dr. Tara Narula, said to Good Morning America, “More than 40% of kids [ages] 8 to 12 are using screens for more than four hours per day.”
“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.”
The authors indicated that these findings do not mean children should have screens removed from their lives entirely, but that when delivered in moderate amounts, especially for educational purposes, they will be less likely to develop social, mental and emotional problems as they grow.
