How much screen time and games is too much? And how much is just right? It’s a delicate balance for moms and dads to walk in the quest to be a good parent. For some parents, only screen time on the weekends is the rule and for others, it’s a good old-fashioned free-for-all. But the studies are in, so it’s time to pay attention!
Studies emphasise setting healthy limits to avoid the negative effects of excessive screen time, such as decreased social interaction and sleep disruption. For children, experts recommend limiting gaming to no more than an hour a day for younger kids and ensuring that the content is appropriate. Similarly, adults should also practice moderation, as it’s easy to get carried away, for instance when playing online slots, particularly when using NoDeposit365 UK free spins. Thus, monitoring screen time helps prevent addictive behaviors, while also promoting healthier habits like outdoor activities and social engagement.
Let’s take a deeper look into some of the studies investigating screen time, video gaming, and how it affects children.
Screen Time and Children’s Development
In a study entitled, Impact of Screen Time on Children’s Development: Cognitive, Language, Physical, and Social and Emotional Domains, published in 2023, the authors investigate the effects of screen time on child development. The study finds both positives and negatives in development across domains such as relationships, motor development, exercise, diet, sleep, emotional behaviours, self-identity, and emotional regulation. However, the results of the study do recommend that children under the age of two have no screen time, children 2-5 have an hour of screen time, and children aged 6-8 spend only an hour on the screen per day.
A Pandemic Video Gaming Study
During the pandemic lockdown, we all behaved differently, stuck at home for infinite hours on end. A study, titled Gaming among Children and Adolescents during the COVID-19 Lockdown: The Role of Parents in Time Spent on Video Games and Gaming Disorder Symptoms, examined the relationships between children, their parents, video gaming time, and the risk of Gaming Disorder symptoms.
The findings in this study showed 89% of children were gamers spending an average of 12 hours a week on video gamers, with 35% as at-risk gamers and 19% as problem video gamers, with symptoms including reoccupation, lying, and escapism, skewing male. For adolescents, 94% were gamers, spending 18 hours a week gaming, with 36% at-risk gamers and 22% problem video gamers, with symptoms including preoccupation, lying, and inability to control gaming.
Among parents, 37% were gamers, spending 7 hours a week gaming. Parents who monitored talked about, and influenced their children’s gaming choices had children at a lower risk of at-risk gaming or problem gaming behaviours.
Do Gambling-Type Games in Childhood Indicate Future Problem Gambling?
A literature review published in 2022 sought to review all the publications looking at gambling-type gaming in children and how it related to problem gambling behaviours later in life. The paper, titled Annual Research Review: Emergence of Problem Gambling from childhood to emerging adulthood: A Systematic Review, reviewed 44 papers.
The results of the investigation showed a positive correlation between childhood play of games like social casinos, those with loot boxes, etc. and problem gambling behaviours later in life. Other traits including impulsivity, cognitive distortions, risk-taking, and emotional vulnerability were also correlated with problem gambling.
How Outdoor Play Can Help
Another study from 2023 has good news on the way for parents. In Outdoor Play as a Mitigating Factor in the Association Between Screen Time for Young Children and Neurodevelopmental Outcomes, the study found that of the children surveyed at two years old, the mean screen time was two hours, even though about one hour was coded at high usage.
For higher screen times, children scored lower in communication and daily living skills at four years out. However, when combined with frequent outdoor play, daily living skills were increased. Higher levels of outdoor play also positively correlated with socialization skills.
Keeping a Lid on Things
There are plenty of ways to schedule and restrict screen time and video gaming these days. Parents can set up controls on iPads and laptops to lock children out of apps and games outside of their delegated hours or ban particular apps completely.
Talking to your children openly and honestly about gaming helps and not giving extra screen time as a reward for good behaviour can also be some other keys to success. When children are with their screen and gaming, it’s important to keep an eye on things. Keep up to date with fun and exciting learning games, such as Roblox, to help keep things interesting for the kids, ensuring their well-being, and keeping your sanity at the same time.