A team of psychologists and mental health specialists affiliated with several institutions in Denmark suggests that reducing children’s screen time to just three hours a week can lead to significant improvements in their mental health.
The group, which also collaborates with a colleague from the United Kingdom, describes in an article published in the journal JAMA Network Open how they conducted a randomized clinical trial involving 89 families and the impact of reducing time spent on electronic devices, Medical Xpress reported.
Children who spend long periods of time using electronic devices, whether watching movies or videos, engaging in social media or playing video games, are at risk of mental health problems such as antisocial behavior and difficulty managing emotions, according to previous research.
In this new study, the research team wondered whether eliminating such activities would improve mental health, and if so, how quickly it might bring about change.
Researchers conducted a clinical study involving 89 families that included 181 children from 10 cities in Denmark to detect changes.
They then asked all children in 45 families to limit their use of electronic devices to just three hours a week. This did not include school use. In addition, video monitors were installed in participants’ homes to ensure compliance for two weeks.
Then, to see if there were any differences, all children were asked to complete the same questionnaire again.
As a result, the research team found significant improvements in the children’s social skills, including a reduction in behavioral problems and resolution of emotional problems.
