“There is little evidence of a link between the amount of time teenagers spend on devices and their general wellbeing, a study has suggested,” Jane Wakefield reports for BBC News. “Even just before bedtime, being online, gaming or watching TV is not damaging to young people’s mental health, study authors said.”
“They questioned the methodology of previous studies,” Wakefield reports. “‘While psychological science can be a powerful tool for understanding the link between screen use and adolescent wellbeing, it still routinely fails to supply stakeholders and the public with high-quality, transparent and objective investigations into growing concerns about digital technologies,’ said Professor Andrew Przybylski, Director of Research at the Oxford Internet Institute (OII) and co-author of the study.”
“The authors said that often relying on self-reporting alone, as some previous studies have done, is dangerous because heavy users often under-estimate and infrequent users over-estimate the amount of time they spent online on any given day,” Wakefield reports. “Earlier this year, the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) reached a similar conclusion to the Oxford University study, but did suggest parents tell their children to put down their devices in the hour before they go to bed.””
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Or just use Night Shift. 😉
SEE ALSO:
Survey reveals what 8+ hours of screen time does to students’ grades – March 4, 2019
Groundbreaking study shows screen time physically changes kid’s brains – December 10, 2018
Has Steve Jobs’ iPhone destroyed a generation? – August 3, 2017
Steve Jobs was a low-tech parent – September 11, 2014
“There is little evidence of a link between the amount of time teenagers spend on devices and their general wellbeing…. “Even just before bedtime, being online, gaming or watching TV is not damaging to young people’s mental health….” That’s because so many of their brains have already been fried. They have no way of discerning what’s going on and no adults in the room to help them find their way. As the President would say, SAD!
Perhaps the President’s better speechwriters could put the following words in his mouth (until he goes crazily off-script):
“Phones before bedtime? You should be like me and watch Fox News nut-jobs all night, building yourself up to a frenzied rage until you finally go on semi-literate rants at 6am in the morning. That’s the way to succeed!”
Don’t worry, Krioni, I’m like you and watch MSNBS and PMSNBC nut jobs all night like that Rachel Madcow thing and other jackbooted morons. Just like you, Kriminaloni.
“Kriminaloni” – is that some kind of mushroom pasta dish?
Also, you’re projecting: I don’t get my news from TV (don’t have one), but I’d place a wager that you’re a Fox News watcher.
As someone who is contracted to a school system to work every day with behaviorally challenged students who, because of gaming and the accompanying dopamine addictions, I can tell you that the BBC report is WRONG. These students cannot be in a conventional classroom and will be unlikely ever to get employment. If you haven’t been there on a daily basis……..
Behaviorally challenged students have always had problems in the classroom and in the workplace. This predates screens
But this coming trend multiplies the effects beyond anything we have seen.
It is already creating a problem in Special Ed Departments, which have always had multiple levels of classroom, typically 4 levels depending on type of Spec Ed qualification disability.
This will require a whole new level that is based almost totally on behavior management, new classrooms, new staff. It’s only just begun.
The focus of these students on gaming or other screen activities is so deep that high school students with genius level IQ’s cannot focus well enough to write complete sentence and have only first or second grade handwriting capability. They would go 16-20 hours per day if allowed. And because of home environment, some do. We can’t stop it.
I am not exaggerating.
What is the source of your information?
My direct experiences with students like these in a school system every day. One of those students sitting 3 feet from me as I type this.
So (unlike many here) you have solid, factual experience. Thanks.
I do think, however, that your statement “the BBC report is WRONG” is a bit strong when you are speaking against the amount of data gathering and analysis described in the article. I also take the opinion of the Royal College of Paediatricts very seriously.
I’m not saying YOU are wrong. Just that your statement seems like overreach.
I also wonder about other possible causes for what you personally see:
– the fact that our food, water and air are riddled with poisons
– ultra-consumerism taking over as the “meaning of life”… leaving those that can’t ultra-consume with no meaning
and so on.
Anything teenagers take an interest in is harmful! Pinball machines sell drugs. Walkmen were going to deafen them all. Music videos would give everyone super-short attention spans so that the LODR movies would be impossible. My school even banned pants that had too many pockets because they could be “a distraction”.