Spending too much time on screens can lead to behavioral and emotional problems in children.
Research published in Psychological Bulletin found that those behavioral and emotional problems can in turn lead to even more screen use, perpetuating the cycle.
“We found screens and emotional problems work like a vicious cycle. Screen use can cause problems like anxiety and aggression. But we also found kids who are already struggling emotionally turn to screens to cope—especially video games. It’s not just one direction. Both things happen, and they feed into each other over time,” Michael Noetel, PhD, an author of the study and an associate professor in the School of Psychology at The University of Queensland in Australia told Theravive.
“As a parent of three kids under ten, I see screens everywhere in their lives. My wife and I sometimes disagree about screen rules at home. But honestly, I didn’t know if screens were actually causing problems, or if kids who already struggle just turn to screens more. This matters because parents get conflicting advice. Some experts say screens are terrible, others say they’re fine. We wanted proper evidence to help families make better decisions.”
As part of the research, Noetel and his colleagues underwent a meta-analysis of 117 studies that included data from 292, 000 children around the world.
The studies involved children under the age of 10 and measured their screen use, as well as socio-emotional problems. The children in the studies had a follow up period of at least six months.
In the studies, screen time was considered social media, video games, watching TV and doing homework online.
The researchers found that children who engaged more with electronic screen were more likely to develop socio-emotional problems like depression, anxiety, aggression and hyperactivity.
In addition, the children who were experiencing the socio-emotional problems were more likely to turn to their screens as a coping mechanism.
Children aged six to 10 were more likely to develop socio-emotional problems with more screen use compared with children aged zero to five. The researchers also found girls were more likely to develop socio-emotional problems with more screen use compared with their male peers.
However, boys were more likely to use screens more when experiencing socio-emotional problems compared with their female peers.
“Screens crowd out the things kids need to develop properly. When children spend hours on devices, they miss out on sleep, physical activity, and face-to-face social time with family and friends. Video games are particularly concerning because they’re designed to be incredibly engaging. They offer constant rewards and challenges that young brains aren’t ready to resist. Online games are even trickier because they never stop—kids feel pressure to keep playing even when logged off,” Noetel said.
“When kids use screens to escape from anxiety or loneliness, they might feel better temporarily. But they’re not learning healthier ways to cope with tough emotions. Plus, excessive screen time can make the original problems worse by displacing sleep and social connection. To break the cycle, parents need to address both sides. Set reasonable screen limits, but also help kids develop better coping and social skills. If a child is glued to screens, ask yourself: what are they trying to escape from?”
Noetel says the research is a reminder to parents and caregivers to take steps that can help their children manage screen time in a healthy way.
“First, follow the guidelines. Kids within recommended limits—under one hour for preschoolers, around two hours for older kids—had almost no increased risk in our study. But it’s not just about time limits. Think about creating a « media diet » like you would with food. Prioritise educational content and co-viewing with parents. Be especially careful with gaming—those need tighter limits than educational shows,” he said.
“Most importantly, if your child is turning to screens when upset, that’s when they need your support most. Help them learn to talk about feelings rather than escape into devices. The goal isn’t zero screen time—that’s unrealistic in today’s world. It’s about helping kids develop a healthy relationship with technology while ensuring they get what they need to thrive: sleep, movement, learning, and real human connection. The most important finding for me was realising that excessive screen use might be a red flag. Instead of just seeing it as bad behaviour, parents should ask: « What is my kid struggling with? How can we address that? »