Why care…
…about the impact on children’s social and mental health by technology?
While there are benefits to the use of technology in children’s education, dozens of peer-reviewed studies have been published demonstrating an association between children’s use of technology and the impact on children’s social and mental health.
Concerns have been raised that excessive screen use, particularly from smartphones, tablets and computers, can hinder children’s development. Socially, it may reduce face-to-face interactions, limiting opportunities for developing communication skills, empathy and emotional intelligence. Over-reliance on virtual platforms can lead to social isolation, with children preferring online interactions over in-person connections.
Mentally, excessive screen time has been linked to issues like increased anxiety, depression and attention problems. Constant exposure to social media and violent content can foster unrealistic body images, negative self-esteem and feelings of inadequacy, especially among adolescents. The overstimulation from screens can also disrupt sleep patterns, leading to fatigue and affecting cognitive development.
In response, some provinces and school boards have implemented their own policies to limit cell phone use in schools. However, this issue warrants national attention.
References (studies and media reports)
P.E.I. banning phones in classrooms for ‘mental health of our students’, says education minister
Ontario will support teachers to enforce cellphone ban: minister
Quebec students forbidden from using cellphones in classrooms after winter break
B.C. brings in “bell-to-bell” school cellphone ban
One summary of the dozens of published studies is the Reconnect Webinars’ Fact Sheet
Associations between digital media use and brain surface structural measures in preschool-aged children:
Screen use during infancy may contribute to variations in neural activities implicated in the development of high-order cognitive skills
Screen-time is associated with inattention problems in preschoolers: Results from the CHILD birth cohort study
Authors identify “early and excessive exposure to screens” (EEES) as a syndrome in young children, causing attention, language, and motor skill issues, which may improve if screen time is reduced early
Early-Childhood Tablet Use and Outbursts of Anger
The impact of parent and child media use on early parent-infant attachment
Screen time disrupts essential parent-child interactions vital for infant development; stronger public health campaigns, tech regulation, and support from child-care professionals are needed to address this issue.