Singapore Study Links Heavy Infant Screen Time To Teen Anxiety (bloomberg.com) 5
A study by a Singapore government agency has found that children exposed to high levels of screen time before age two showed brain development changes linked to slower decision-making and higher anxiety in adolescence, adding to concerns about early digital exposure. From a report: The study was conducted by a team within the country's Agency for Science, Technology and Research and the National University of Singapore, and published in The Lancet's eBioMedicine open access journal. It tracked 168 children for more than a decade, and conducted brain scans on them at three time points. Heavier screen exposure among very young children was associated with "accelerated maturation of brain networks" responsible for vision and cognitive control, the study found.
The researchers suggested this may have been the result of "intense sensory stimulation that screens provide." They found that screen time measured at ages three and four, however, did not show the same effects. Those children with "altered brain networks" took longer to make decisions when they were 8.5, and also had higher anxiety symptoms at age 13, the study said.
The researchers suggested this may have been the result of "intense sensory stimulation that screens provide." They found that screen time measured at ages three and four, however, did not show the same effects. Those children with "altered brain networks" took longer to make decisions when they were 8.5, and also had higher anxiety symptoms at age 13, the study said.
How does it combine with single parent households? (Score:3, Funny)
It would be interesting to see the same research which takes into account household demographics, to see if there is more or less teen anxiety in a single parent mother household versus a two parent or father lead household.
Why would an infant watch TV? (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Social Media: dopamine-driven digital crack (Score:3)
Social media exposure in young children heightens sensitivity primarily to positive social feedback, such as likes and approvals, by amplifying dopamine responses in reward centers like the ventral striatum, fostering a craving for validation.
This imbalance often pairs with an extreme negative response to criticism or rejection, as the still-maturing amygdala and prefrontal cortex overreact to social threats, leading to heightened anxiety, emotional dysregulation, and avoidance behaviors.