(Web Desk Monitoring) — Reducing children’s screen time to just three hours per week can lead to notable improvements in their mental health, according to a study by psychologists and mental health specialists from Denmark and the UK.
Published in JAMA Network Open, the study involved a randomized clinical trial with 89 families across 10 Danish cities, examining the impact of limiting screen use.
Previous research has linked excessive screen time with mental health issues such as antisocial behavior and emotional difficulties. The study aimed to determine if reducing screen time would positively affect mental health and how quickly these changes might occur.
Researchers tested 181 children using the “Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire” to assess their social skills, behavior, emotional stability, and overall mental health. They then instructed 45 families to limit their children’s screen time to three hours per week, excluding school-related use, and monitored compliance with video cameras for two weeks.
After the trial, children who followed the reduced screen time guidelines showed significant improvements in social skills, behavioral issues, and emotional management, according to the follow-up questionnaire results.
