Screen time warning, recent research is not a green light - CSU News
CSU News Opinion Screen time warning, recent research is not a green light
Despite a recent study suggesting screen time may not be directly harmful to children, Charles Sturt University academic says proceed with caution
Surveys have found that children are spending at least a third of their day staring at screens and a recent study suggests that this is unlikely to be directly harmful to young children. But a Charles Sturt University education academic says we still need to be wary of the health consequences of screen time, as we are unable to rule out these associations.
By Associate Professor Brendon Hyndman, Associate Dean (Research) in the Charles Sturt Faculty of Arts and Education.
A newly-published study in the journal PLoS ONE suggests spending time on screens is unlikely to be directly harmful to young children. The US study attracted global attention, as screen time has been commonly blamed for disrupting the healthy habits of our youth.
These devices include laptops, smart phones, televisions, tablets, gaming devices and family computers. Similar to many Western nations, children are estimated to be using a mobile device or watching television for three-to-four hours a day and exceeding health guidelines.
Because the study relied on a quantity criterion with the wording “close friends”, we can’t be sure screen time strengthened peer relations.
This article was originally published by The Conversation on Friday 22 October.
To arrange interviews with Associate Professor Brendon Hyndman contact Lisa Ditchfield at Charles Sturt Media on mobile 0417 125 795 or news@csu.edu.au