Digital Smarts - Screen Time and Kids: The Debate Continues

A new study published in the journal Psychiatric Quarterly suggests that the link between heavy screen time and teen depression is actually quite minimal, and that spending some extra time on the phone or computer is not as damaging as many believe. Study leader Dr. Christopher Ferguson of Stetson University believes that the strict attention to limiting screen time by policy makers and advocacy groups is uncalled for. Instead, Ferguson sees more value in focusing on how media are used — for example, as a tool for learning and socialization — than on consumption time alone. Until late last year, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommended only two hours of screen time a day for youth, but dropped the recommendation completely from their current guidelines. This change reflects the fact that the data guiding these recommendations is somewhat unclear and that screen time suggestions are simply experts’ best guesses.