Unjustified fears surrounding Digital Media
Numerous parents have expressed concerns over the significant changes in childhood experiences over the past two decades due to the rise of digital media. However, extensive research has failed to substantiate these fears, revealing no clinically relevant impacts solely attributed to increased screen time or social media usage. Rather, well-established factors like genetics, socioeconomic circumstances, parental education, and the time adults spend with children have been the primary determinants of child development for the past 50 years.
Studies have shown that children are more likely to abide by family rules when these rules are developed through sound reasoning and respect for both children's and adults' perspectives. Parents' wishes for their children to maintain healthy habits, such as adequate sleep, physical activity, balanced eating, and spending quality family time, can be recognized and understood by children. However, enforcing excessively strict rules with prescribed minutes for specific activities might lead to children keeping secrets and undermine their trust in their parent's ability to support and understand them, especially when facing distressing online experiences.
As a trained child psychologist, I advocate for parents to follow evidence-based practices. Unfortunately, unfounded "neuro-myths" that disguise as scientific claims have led to concerns about children's screen time. The digital world has rapidly transformed childhood, with the proliferation of devices like iPads and online gaming, and the omnipresence of social media. Naturally, people worry about the potential consequences.
However, scientific research has struggled to keep pace with such a rapid transformation, making it challenging to establish long-term effects. Seeking answers from related fields, like studies on children's self-control or television viewing, has not yielded conclusive evidence either. Comparisons to lab rat experiments and marshmallow studies have proven misleading and unhelpful. Moreover, research on high television viewing in the past primarily highlighted the socioeconomic disparities among families rather than direct impacts on children's well-being.
Regarding social media, studies indicate only minimal correlations with general well-being or mental distress symptoms like anxiety and depression in boys. For girls, there is a slight association, but it is far less significant than other factors, such as wearing glasses. Moreover, research shows that young children's exposure to digital media in environments like kindergartens is limited, with ample opportunities for other forms of development.
While some parents worry about potential gambling addiction stemming from digital media and gaming exposure, studies have not demonstrated causal connections in typical populations. However, parental concerns about gaming do affect children's stress and conflict management related to balancing screen time and other essential activities.
Parenting styles play a crucial role, as restrictive and reactive approaches to media use can hinder children's internalization of parental reasoning. Encouraging open communication and understanding children's interests is more effective in fostering responsible media use.
Parents' desire to preserve traditional aspects of childhood, such as outdoor play and social interactions, is entirely reasonable. Emphasizing the importance of these elements and promoting shared values is essential. However, it is essential not to confuse these valid concerns with baseless and unsupported arguments about the detrimental effects of digital media on children's brains.
— Aashlesha Kasula
