Increased screen time linked to aggression, anxiety, low self-esteem in kids, study finds
Children who spent more time using devices like TVs, tablets, computers, and gaming consoles were at a higher risk of developing problems like aggression, anxiety, and low self-esteem later in life, the study found.
The connection also works in reverse: Children who were already struggling with social or emotional challenges tended to spend more time on all types of screens.
Time spent on gaming consoles was particularly linked to a greater chance of developing issues, according to the study, published Monday in the academic journal Psychological Bulletin.
Excessive screen time during infancy may be linked to lower cognitive skills later in childhood
"Rather than breaking it down by the exact game people were playing, it's safe to make some assumptions," Dr. Michael Noetel, one of the study's authors and associate professor of psychology at The University of Queensland, Australia, told ABC News. "The most games that were included were console games, computer games and mobile games."
When asked if violent games, such games that involved shooting, led to more behavioral issues, Noetel said that was not necessarily the case.
"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," he said. "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 study is one of the largest of its kind, analyzing 117 long-term studies conducted between 1972 and 2024. By focusing on children aged 10 and under and tracking them over time, the researchers could more clearly determine cause and effect.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends children between the ages of 2 and 5 to limit recreational screen time to one hour per day on weekdays and three hours on weekends. Children who exceed recommended screen time guidelines were more prone to socioemotional issues compared to those who stayed within the recommended limits, according to the study.
"More than 40% of kids [ages] 8 to 12 are using screens for more than four hours per day," Dr. Tara Narula, ABC News chief medical correspondent, said about the study's findings Tuesday on "Good Morning America." "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."
48-hour screen-time experiment: What happens when kids have no limits
So, what's the key takeaway for parents?
The goal isn't to eliminate screens entirely, the study authors said.
When children engage in moderate amounts of screen time, especially for educational purposes, there is a lower risk for social or emotional problems in the future.
Children should learn not to use a screen as their sole outlet to manage their emotions and should be encouraged to interact with friends and family to develop resilience and emotional skills. The most important thing is to ensure that screen time doesn't interfere with essentials like a full night's sleep and regular physical activity, the study added.
"We've all been guilty of it, but it's OK to say no and to set limits and boundaries, and do it in a noncontrolling way as a parent, if you can," said Narula, who was not involved with the study.
Dr. Brendan Huang serves as the chief resident physician in adult neurology at Northwell Health and is also a member of the ABC News Medical Unit.
Increased screen time linked to aggression, anxiety, low self-esteem in kids, study finds originally appeared on goodmorningamerica.com
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Yahoo
This Personality Trait Might Be the Key to a Longer, Healthier Life
As a society, we're not as trusting as we used to be—for good reason. We're living at a time of internet scams, catfishing, artificial intelligence, and social media, where you really don't know what to believe. But a new study suggests that being more trusting may actually have its benefits. Published recently in the American Psychological Association's journal Psychological Bulletin, the research found that people with higher levels of trust in both other people and institutions have higher levels of well-being than those who aren't as trusting. This is especially important, the authors argue, as well-being is not only an indicator of quality of life, but also a predictor of health and longevity. So, what does it take to become more trusting? And how do you strike a balance between trust and caution? We spoke with a number of experts to find out. Why Does Trust Improve Well-Being? The study found that people who feel they can rely on others—whether it's close relationships or the broader systems around them—tend to experience lower stress, stronger emotional regulation, and a greater sense of safety in the world, says Dr. Sanam Hafeez, PhD, neuropsychologist and director of Comprehend the Mind. 'All of these factors support not just mental wellness but also physical health,' she explains. 'The absence of trust leaves people more prone to feeling alone, hypervigilant or anxious, and over time, chronic stress triggers the body's stress response. Studies have shown connections between chronic stress and inflammation, cardiovascular disease, lowered immunity, and even cognitive decline.' In contrast, trusting others may provide a protective benefit, lowering cortisol levels and buffering behaviors associated with long-term health like remaining socially connected, seeking medical care when needed, and sticking to healthful routines, Hafeez says. 'Trust isn't just a pleasant emotion, it's a potent psychological resource,' she explains. 'When nurtured over the course of a lifetime, it can contribute to both emotional resilience and physical longevity.' Additionally, the study shows that the most important kind of trust is interpersonal (involving our family and friends), which has the strongest positive link to our well-being. 'With clients, one of the most important protective factors that can help with their healing process is having access to strong and positive social support systems, which is what this study confirms,' says Patrice Le Goy, PhD, licensed marriage and family therapist. The study also notes trust is particularly important for older adults who may need to rely on—and trust—people more as they become limited in some activities, Le Goy points out. 'If they have these positive relationships where there is a strong sense of trust, they have higher levels of happiness and life satisfaction,' she says. How Can We Increase Our Trust in Other People? Despite the benefits, being more trusting of others can be a challenge, especially if people or institutions have broken your trust in the past. Fortunately, there are ways to help you become more trusting of others. Here are some tips from mental health experts. Start Small According to the study, trust can change based on our experiences and environment. According to Cynthia Vejar, PhD, professor of clinical mental health counseling at Lebanon Valley College, building trust starts small, in the presence of everyday initiatives and routine moments. For example, if a person has difficulty with trust, they might begin by noticing that their colleagues are reliable and dependable by showing up on time, following through on commitments, and working collaboratively. 'These kinds of observations can be reassuring and allow the person to begin to open up to deep and meaningful interactions elsewhere,' Vejar says. Hafeez recommends observing how people show up over time. 'Do their actions match their words, do they listen without judgment, do they respect your boundaries?' she asks. 'Trust grows when people demonstrate reliability in small, everyday ways.' Understand There's Risk Involved Increasing trust with others is all about taking small, calculated risks, says Hannah Holmes, PhD, licensed clinical psychologist and founder of Holmes Psychology & Consulting. 'There is always the possibility that others might hurt us or let us down, and this feels especially real if you have experienced a lot of that in your history,' she says. Shift Your Mindset Trusting others can be challenging and requires intentional mindset shifts, changes in our perspective, and continuous monitoring of our mood and self-regulation, says Tori Broems, PhD, licensed psychologist. 'People's well-being influences the way they perceive the world around them,' she says. 'Essentially, our perception of reality holds tremendous weight. When we are happy and positive, we are more trusting, whereas when we are negative and frustrated, we feel less likely to trust others.' Examine Why You Have a Hard Time With Trust Often people who have a difficult time trusting people have good reasons for feeling this way—they've probably been let down by people in their past who they wanted to trust, Le Goy says. 'The work is often in acknowledging and validating that fact first, and understanding our reasons for behaving the way we do,' she explains. 'Once we do that, then we can make sure that we are not using these past hurts to project on people who didn't cause that pain.' Le Goy often asks clients, 'Does this past pain belong in this current relationship?' 'This allows us to consider that we can be safe now even if we have been unsafe in the past,' she says. 'It's actually about helping us trust ourselves more—that we can make good decisions, and we can see if the person in front of us is trustworthy. Only then can we truly increase our trust in other people.' Stay in the Present Hafeez stresses the importance of staying grounded in the present rather than assuming someone new will behave like someone from your past. 'That takes self-awareness and patience, but it is possible,' she says. 'It also helps to strengthen your emotional boundaries. When you know you can speak up, walk away, or protect your peace, you feel less anxious about giving people a chance.' Give People a Chance to Show They're Trustworthy While it makes sense to practice some caution and not share everything with someone you've just met, you should at least give them the opportunity to demonstrate their trustworthiness, Holmes suggests. 'This could look a lot of different ways, ranging from sharing an embarrassing story to delegating a low-stakes task to someone else,' she says. 'Trusting others with small things gives them the opportunity to demonstrate trustworthiness, which in turn will help you build your trust in that person. It's okay for this process to take a little time.' How Can We Strike a Balance Between Trust and Caution? Trust is like a muscle that you build over time, Le Goy says. This involves trusting yourself and listening to your gut when something feels 'off.' Instead of blindly trusting—or distrusting—someone, Broems suggests trying realistic trust-building. Ask yourself whether this person follows through. Do their actions match their words? Can they handle your boundaries respectfully? 'You don't have to trust fast—just slowly building this over time can be helpful,' she says. Striking the right balance between trust and caution might mean that the person starts off more discerning, and with time, they become more open and trusting, Vejar says. 'It is important to note that 'discernment' is different from 'cynicism,' the latter of which might prevent the development of trust,' she explains. 'While both discernment and cynicism involve caution and protection, discernment is more observant—open to information as it unfolds—and cynicism is more suspicious and negative.' Ultimately, striking a healthy balance between trust and caution means learning to stay open without being naive, Hafeez says. 'It is not about trusting everyone equally, it is about being emotionally available while also using discernment,' she says. 'Trust should be something people earn through their actions—not something you give away all at once.' Read the original article on Real Simple
10 hours ago
GLP-1s work but when they're stopped, the effects stop too: Expert
People who stop taking GLP-1 medications like Wegovy and Zepbound started to regain weight in a short amount of time, a new study suggests. Researchers analyzed 11 different studies to understand weight outcomes after stopping anti-obesity medications called glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists, or GLP-1s, which mimic the GLP-1 hormone that is produced in the gut after eating. It can help produce more insulin, which reduces blood sugar and therefore helps control Type 2 diabetes. It can also interact with the brain and signal a person to feel full, which -- when coupled with diet and exercise -- can help reduce weight in those who are overweight or obese. The team, from Peking University People's Hospital in China, found that most began to regain weight within about two months of stopping treatment. In many cases, that weight gain continued for several months before leveling off. The study was published Tuesday in the journal BMC Medicine. However, Dr. Louis J. Aronne, founder and former chairman of the American Board of Obesity Medicine, told ABC News that doesn't mean the medications failed. In fact, they worked exactly as intended, he said. Aronne, who is also a physician at Weill Cornell Medicine, said the findings are consistent with what happens when treatment ends for other chronic conditions. "What happens after stopping an obesity medication is exactly what happens after stopping a diabetes, cholesterol-lowering, or a blood pressure medication," he told ABC News. "The effect of the medicine goes away, and people tend to go back to where they started." Patients who had taken GLP-1s tended to lose more weight during treatment, which meant they had more weight to gain back afterward. 'It's not that the medicine didn't work,' Aronne said. 'It's that they lost more weight, so they had more weight to regain.' Even participants who continued healthy eating and exercise habits after stopping medication experienced weight gain. That doesn't mean those efforts weren't worthwhile, Aronne further explained, but rather that obesity is a chronic disease with complex biological drivers. "You wouldn't stop insulin and expect a person's blood sugar to stay low," he said. The researchers noted several limitations, including a small number of included studies and a focus on weight and BMI without tracking other health markers like blood sugar or cholesterol. These medications may not right for everyone, and decisions about starting or stopping should be made with your doctor, according to MedlinePlus. People with certain medical conditions, including a history of pancreatitis or thyroid cancer, may not be good candidates, and should speak with their doctor to decide what management strategies are right for them.
12 hours ago
What to know about Parkinson's disease following Ozzy Osbourne's death
Ozzy Osbourne, lead singer of the legendary heavy metal rock band Black Sabbath, died this week at age 76. Although Osbourne's cause of death hasn't yet been publicly released, he revealed in an exclusive interview with " Good Morning America" in 2020 that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in February of the previous year. "There's so many different types of Parkinson's. It's not a death sentence by any stretch of the imagination but it does affect certain nerves in your body," Osbourne's wife, Sharon, said during the interview. "And it's like you have a good day, a good day, and then a really bad day." Here's what you need to know about Parkinson's, including what are the symptoms, how it's diagnosed and what treatments are available. What is Parkinson's disease? Parkinson's is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the weakening of nerve cells, which become damaged and die, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). The most significant loss of neurons occurs in an area near the base of the brain called the substantia nigra, NINDS said. The neurons in the substantia nigra produce dopamine, which is a neurotransmitter that plays a vital role in controlling movement. "As we grow older, all of us lose dopamine but the people who develop Parkinson's disease lose it faster," Dr. Osama Abu-Hadid, a neurologist specializing in movement disorders at New Jersey's Hackensack Meridian Neuroscience Institute at Hackensack University Medical Center, told ABC News. Parkinson's affects more than 1.1 million people in the U.S., according to the Parkinson's Foundation. That figure is expected to reach 1.2 million by 2030. "Generally, neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease have been on the increase because people are living longer," Abu-Hadid said. There currently are no specific tests to diagnose Parkinson's disease. The diagnosis is clinical based on a physician's review of a patient's medical history and by performing a physical examination. What are the symptoms of Parkinson's disease? Progression of Parkinson's disease symptoms typically occurs slowly over several years and can vary from person to person, according to the Parkinson's Foundation. Typically, symptoms begin on one side of the body. While Parkinson's will eventually affect both sides of the body, one side will generally exhibit more severe symptoms than the other, according to NINDS. Symptoms of Parkinson's can include tremors, muscle stiffness, slowing of spontaneous movement, and problems with gait and balance. Patients may also experience difficulty chewing and swallowing or changes in speech. Some patients can also develop non-motor symptoms, including constipation, hallucinations, depression, loss of smell and sleep problems, Abu-Hadid said. What Parkinson's disease treatments are available? Currently, there is no cure for Parkinson's, but physical therapy can help slow progression of the disease and a healthy diet can promote overall well-being, according to Abu-Hadid. However, there are medications that may improve some Parkinson's symptoms. These include drugs that increase the level of dopamine in the brain, drugs that interact with other neurotransmitters to help ease some symptoms, and medications that can help control the non-motor symptoms, according to NINDS. If medications aren't working, "procedural options include deep brain stimulation, which is an electrode, or electrodes, that are placed in the brain by a neurosurgeon, and then a physician like myself programs the electrodes to give electricity in a certain way," Abu-Hadid said. The electrodes can stimulate the brain and help block signals that cause the motor symptoms of Parkinson's, according to NINDS.
