Despite the time spent on screens, young people today are just as socially competent as those of previous generations, says a new study.
- Screens have a reputation for disrupting children’s sleep and ability to concentrate
- An American study shows that the time spent in front of the screens does not affect the sociability of young people
Screens are the devil, we often hear, especially when it comes to children. Numerous studies have indeed shown that too much time spent on screens modifies the structure of the brain of children and prevents them from sleeping and concentrating, while several studies have focused on the link between depression and self-image disorders. in adolescence and social networks. However, if you no longer know how to occupy your child during this period of confinement and you feel guilty about leaving him for hours on his smartphone, do not panic, assure American researchers. Despite the time spent on screens and social media, young people today are just as socially competent as those of the previous generation, shows a new study published in the American Journal of Sociology.
The idea for this study germinated a few years ago when Professor Douglas Downey, lead author and professor of sociology at Ohio State University (USA) had an argument with his son in a restaurant. “I started explaining to him how terrible his generation was when it came to social skills, probably because of how much time they spent staring at screens.explains the researcher in the preamble to the article. Nick asked me how I knew that. When I checked, there was really no solid evidence”he continues.
Downey and his colleagues therefore decided to investigate the matter. For their work, they used data from the Longitudinal Study of Early Childhood, run by the US National Center for Education Statistics. The researchers thus compared the evaluations of teachers and parents of 19,150 children who started kindergarten in 1998, six years before the launch of Facebook, with those of 13,400 children who arrived at school in 2010, the year in which Facebook was launched. been launched the iPad. In detail, the children were assessed by their teachers six times between the start of kindergarten and the end of CM2. Parents assessed them at the beginning and end of kindergarten as well as at the end of first grade.
A “moral panic” on the part of adults
Results: the two groups of children generally received the same evaluations, whether it concerns their ability to make and maintain friendships and to get along with others or their ability to regulate their temperament. “In virtually every comparison we’ve made, social skills either stayed the same or actually increased modestly for children born later.comments Douglas Downey. There is very little evidence that screen exposure has been problematic for the development of social skills”he assures.
The team found, however, that social skills were slightly lower in children who accessed online games and logged on to social media multiple times a day. “But even that had a fairly small effectexplains Downey. Overall, we found very little evidence that screen time harmed most children’s social skills.”
“There’s a tendency for every generation at my age to start caring about the younger generation. It’s an old story”, explains the researcher. According to him, these worries usually involve a “moral panic” in the face of new technologies: with each new technological change, parents worry when it upsets family dynamics.
“The introduction of the telephone, the automobile, the radio, all caused a moral panic among the adults of the time as technology allowed children to enjoy greater autonomy.he develops. Fears over screen-based technology probably represent the most recent panic in response to technological change.”
However, new generations are learning that having good social relationships means being able to communicate well face-to-face and online, Downey explains. “You have to know how to communicate by e-mail, on Facebook and Twitter, as well as face to face. We just looked at face-to-face social skills in this study, but future studies should also look at digital social skills”he concludes.
Stimulate the child to the maximum
Screens are a permanent subject of controversy between scientists and education experts. Regarding young children, the WHO has repeatedly insisted on the importance of keeping them away from these new technologies. “To ensure health for all, we must do what is best for health from an early age”, says the organization’s Director General, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “Development is rapid during early childhood and it is necessary to take advantage of this period to adapt the family lifestyle in a way favorable to health”, he continues. Up to one year, the WHO therefore recommends banishing screens from the lives of children. From two to four years old, the time spent in front of the television, tablet or smartphone should not exceed one hour, but “less is better”. Up to 5 years old, the child must not remain attached for more than an hour at a time (in a pram or pushchair, on a high chair or on the back of a carer). Finally, when he is seated, the little one must be stimulated through reading, singing, telling stories or educational games, for example, suggests the health authority.
For older children, experts insist on the importance of favoring quality content: programs and cartoons promote the learning of a new language or video games help to develop logic, for example. “Although it is convenient and fun for children to use screens, they must be taught how to use them well and set limits. Do not hesitate to stay with your child when he plays with the tablet or when he watches television. You can also comment on his efforts to pass a level or discuss with him what is happening on the screen to enrich his experience. Don’t forget to always give priority to learning in real life and exchanges with those around you, which will always remain the most important in the development of the child.explains in particular the doctor Claire Lewandowskipsychiatrist and addictologist, at Why doctor.
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