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We know that children are spending more and more time in front of screens, but we know less about the long-term effects of such digital uses. A team of researchers analyzed around thirty studies published on the subject over the last 23 years. Verdict: Television and video games have negative effects on children’s cognitive functions, but they can also be beneficial, particularly for learning and concentration.
“Provide [aux parents] appropriate advice“. The experts behind this work recommend that political leaders support families in order to optimize the digital uses of children, not by limiting the time spent in front of screens, a source according to them of conflict, but by putting emphasis on programs that have positive effects on the brain. This is the conclusion of an analysis of 33 studies, published between January 2000 and April 2023, and based on neuroimaging technology to measure the impact of digital technology on the brains of more than 30,000 children under the age of 12. All types of digital experiences, from games to films to internet use, were taken into account.
Published in the journal Early Education and Developmentthis work reveals that these digital uses have “a significant impact on the shape and functioning of children’s brains“, but that these effects, most often negative, can also be positive in certain cases. Six studies in total suggest that these early digital experiences could prove beneficial for children’s brain functions, particularly in terms of their ability to concentrate and understand. learning. Video games could also help improve the executive functions and cognitive skills of young people.
More negative effects
The team of experts from the Education University of Hong Kong, Shanghai Normal University, and Macquarie University in Australia, however, report a large number of negative effects on children’s brains. They particularly highlight changes in the prefrontal cortex, partly linked to working memory or the ability to react flexibly to a situation, but also in the parietal cortex, involved in touch or the perception of cold, heat or pain. Time spent in front of a screen could also have an impact on the temporal lobe, linked to memory, hearing and language, and the occipital lobe which allows us to interpret visual information.
The researchers explain more generally that these digital experiences at a young age could harm the cognitive development of users. In more detail, they explain that the tablet could negatively influence brain functions and problem solving, that video and internet games, if used intensively, could impact intelligence scores and brain volume, while Intensive media use could be harmful to visual processing and intellectual cognitive functions.
Faced with this observation, researchers are calling on political decision-makers to take action, without calling for a limit on the time spent in front of screens by children – something a priori surprising. “Limiting their screen time is an effective but restrictive means, and more innovative, more user-friendly and more practical strategies could be developed and implemented.explains Professor Hui Li of the Education University of Hong Kong, in a press release.
“Stimulate brain growth”
The experts do not intend here to promote or encourage the intensive use of digital technology, but to favor the establishment of programs and initiatives aimed at promoting programs which would be more beneficial for the development of children’s brains. In other words: even if children spend time in front of screens, it should be to stimulate their cognitive abilities, and not affect them.
“It is imperative that policymakers develop and implement evidence-based policies to preserve and enhance children’s brain development as they navigate the digital age. This could involve offering resources and rewards for creating and testing digital interventions aimed at boosting brain growth in children“, concludes Dr Dandan Wu, main author of this study. However, he specifies the need for further research on the impact of screens on the brain functions of this young audience.