Using screens to calm kids may affect cognitive development: US study

The Story in Brief

A new study from The Ohio State University suggests that using screens to calm young children could be linked to their cognitive development. The research, led by Jane Shawcroft and published in the Journal of Communication, examined data from Project M.E.D.I.A., which followed children from around 2.5 to 7.5 years of age. For most children, researchers found a two-way or 'cyclical' relationship: a child's ability to regulate emotions influenced how often a parent used a screen to calm them, and that use in turn affected the child's developing executive functions like cognitive flexibility and inhibitory control.

For a small group of children (roughly 7% of the sample), screen use appeared to affect cognitive skills, but the children's skills did not predict screen use by parents. Times Now reports that parents in this group were more likely to report higher levels of depression. Shawcroft said parent mental health is a 'strong predictor' of how they use technology with kids. She calls for more societal support and alternatives to screens, not parental blame.