Not screens but their context of use impact cognitive development: a commentary on Yang etal. (2023).

Abstract

There have been extensive debates about the impact of the digital transformation on human development. A recent study by Yang and colleagues highlights the importance of considering context of use, beyond amount of use. In their study, children from parents who reported having TV-on during family meals when they were 2 years old showed poorer cognitive development at age 3.5 as compared to those with TV-off during family meals. This highlights the importance of considering the context of use when studying effect of screen use. While Yang etal. discuss the distracting effects of TV-on sensory processing, we propose an alternative - and not mutually exclusive - interpretation based on TV induced deprivation of family interactions. On a more practical note, this should encourage to preserve screen-free time, especially during structured time such as family meals, in order to maintain family interactions known to be critical to development.