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In 2010 when I first began researching the relationship between screen time and children's behavior (Screen Time Exposure and Children's Behavioral Correlates) the topic was hardly considered. What I immediately recognized with the proliferation of smart devices and their heavy incorporation was the disruption of the parent-child relationship, and resulting changes in children's behavior.
Undeniably, throughout history we have embraced new technologies. Typically, new technologies equate to convenience. In fact, society as a whole has grown to depend on the immediacy of screened devices and the internet as a place for commerce and shared ideas. It is a social outlet, a place to spread news, a marketplace, and gathering space. Like the piazza in an old European city, engaging in new media provides a sense of inclusion, of belonging, of safety and nurturing from one's own home, no matter how fleeting these sensations are. The piazza fostered socialization, cooperation, entrepreneurial opportunities, and many spent much of their days amongst others in the confines of the town piazza, not unlike new media. There was also a dark side of the piazza. For example, it was a place of public shaming, thievery and even at times, death. Though the marketplace and social life of the piazza was limited to certain hours of the day and evening, the web gives everyone, even children access 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Today, this unlimited access is resulting in exorbitant amounts of time being spent online, and its interfering with healthy behavioral patterns and affecting the daily functioning of parents and children alike. In fact, children and teens are spending so much time on their devices, that one study reports that children are spending less time outdoors than prison inmates. Our current preference for technology is significant. In fact, kids are getting about 4 to 7 minutes of unstructured outdoor play per day in contrast to the 7 hours of indoor screen time. The concern is so great that it is now being referred to as Nature Deficit Disorder.
Adolescents and adults may have different habits when it comes to screened media preferences, but the fact that they are attached to their devices is comparable. Whether engaged on a smartphone, computer, tablet or television, adults and teens alike remain tethered. Despite the varied uses, and the differences in brain development between adults and adolescents, many studies are finding disturbing similarities. One such commonality are increased rates of depression. The more teens and adults spend on new technologies the higher the rates of depression are, especially when using social media sites. What is more disturbing is the recent increase in teen suicide rates. Studies have linked the growing rates to the dependence on new media and have discovered a clear relationship between suicide rates and screen use. In other words, the more one is on these new technologies, the stronger their relationship is to suicidal behaviors.
It’s important to highlight that the studies cited can’t prove that increased media consumption results in depression or risk for suicidal ideation; the studies done are correlational not causational. However, the studies do highlight areas of concern for parents. These trends should cause pause and result in more questions. Our society and culture has and continues to evolve in terms of efficiency and consumption of new technologies and new media, but are we evolving at the detriment of real-time socialization and relationships?
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