New analysis highlights small but growing links between screen time and child developmental challenges

A comprehensive study across 64 countries reveals that increased screen time in childhood is associated with slightly poorer outcomes in learning, speech, behaviour, and emotional regulation, prompting calls for practical guidance rather than total device bans.

A large new analysis has found that more screen time in childhood is linked with slightly poorer outcomes in several areas of development, including learning, speech, behaviour and emotional regulation, according to research published in JAMA Pediatrics and reported by CNN.

The study, led by Sheri Madigan, a psychology professor at the University of Calgary, pooled decades of research involving nearly three million children and young people aged 18 and under in 64 countries. Madigan told CNN that the association was consistent across a broad range of developmental measures, although the effects were generally small. She also said newer studies appeared to show stronger links than older ones, which she suggested may reflect the way digital media has changed over time.

Madigan said the findings should not be read as proof that screens are “inherently bad” for children. In comments to CNN, she said technology can support learning, creativity and connection, but can also displace sleep, exercise, face-to-face interaction, play and other activities children need. She suggested practical limits, such as device-free meals or regular screen-free family time, rather than trying to eliminate devices altogether.

The research adds to earlier work published in JAMA Pediatrics that has linked heavier screen use in infancy and early childhood with weaker performance on developmental screening tests later on, including communication and problem-solving skills. Other studies in the journal have suggested that screen habits formed in the first few years of life can persist into later childhood, making early routines especially important.

Still, experts urged caution in interpreting the latest findings. Tatiana Íñiguez Berrozpe, a senior lecturer in sociology at the University of Zaragoza, told the Science Media Centre the work was methodologically strong and based on a very large sample, but said the overall association remained small and should be seen in context. Esther van Sluijs, a professor of behavioural epidemiology at Loughborough University, said the study could not draw firm conclusions about specific activities such as social media use or gaming because there was not enough data to separate them out.

The researchers also stressed that the study shows correlation, not cause and effect. Madigan said it is possible that screen use contributes to developmental difficulties, but also possible that children who are already struggling turn to screens more often. She said the next step is to work out which children are most affected, and why, while governments should play a greater role by offering guidance for families and helping to guard children against online harms.