The American Psychological Association (APA) recently published a meta study that distilled the data from 117 studies involving the screen time usage of 292,000 kids ages 10 and younger. Predictably, the findings were not good.

A child who was permitted hours of screen time per day was much more likely to develop emotional and behavioral issues. Those issues included anxiety, emotional irregulation, low self-esteem, aggression, conduct problems, and attention struggles. These same socio-emotional difficulties seem to drive these children back to screens for comfort. It is an addictive, vicious cycle.

The study also found that the type of screen time was a factor. A child who was gaming was much more likely to develop those harmful attributes mentioned above as opposed to their peers who were using screens recreationally or educationally.

Moreover, the child’s age also played a factor. Children under the age of six were less susceptible to developing emotional/behavioral issues than were those ages 6-10. Girls were more likely than boys to develop these socio-emotional problems overall; however, boys were far more susceptible in the older sampling of children (6-10).

While this particular study did not specify what constitutes “excessive” screen time, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) have identical guidelines. Both bodies recommend:

• Children 18 months and younger have no screen time at all (except video calls with relatives).
• Children 18-24 months can have limited screen time (~30 minutes) with a caregiver supervising.
• For children 2-5, one hour per day.
• For older children 6+, the limitation should be determined by the parent, though the guidelines advise parents not to allow screens at the dinner table as well as provide a 30-60-minute screen detox before bed.

One can logically assume that the APA used these guidelines to define “excessive” screen time.

The study also didn’t differentiate the type of screen time. In other academic literature, individual screens such as a phone or tablet are considered much more harmful than a television screen.

While this meta study is the first of its kind to find evidence for the causality of the addictive nature of screens, it cannot rule out entirely the role that parents play in their children’s development. One cannot discount how parenting style (or lack thereof) can contribute to emotional and behavioral problems.

Parenting is challenging, and conscientious parents want to ensure they are providing their little ones what they need. A small child is both difficult and easy at the same time. All they need from ages 0-5 is play — much of the time, that means with you. Children ages 6-10 need structured educational time and play time.

Screens also won’t guarantee that your child will have struggles socially, academically, emotionally, or behaviorally, especially if used correctly. Screens of a particular type are okay if used judiciously. However, let’s not allow a 10-year-old boy to rot in a chair playing video games on his phone, or a 10-year-old girl to doom-scroll on social media.

At the end of the day, this is a caution for parents, educators, and physicians. Excessive screen time is not good for children.