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The Adventures of Super Brain introduces elementary students to neuroscience and healthy technology habits using age-appropriate stories and illustrations. The concepts in the book are based on current research in neuroscience, child development, psychology, education, sleep science, and healthy technology use. Below is an overview of the science behind each major topic, along with selected references for those who would like to learn more.
Mission One introduces children to one of the most exciting discoveries in modern neuroscience: their brains are growing and changing every day. Through the character of Super Brain, children learn that intelligence isn’t something they simply have or don’t have—it develops through healthy habits, practice, learning, and real-life experiences.
This mission lays the foundation for the rest of the book by helping children understand that they have an active role in building a strong brain. Although Super Brain is a fictional character, the concepts presented throughout this mission are grounded in well-established research from neuroscience, developmental psychology, and education.
Children are naturally curious about how their brains work. Research shows that when children understand that their brains grow stronger through effort and experience, they are more likely to embrace challenges, persist through mistakes, and develop confidence as learners.
Mission One introduces several foundational concepts that appear throughout the rest of the book:
Rather than overwhelming children with scientific terminology, Super Brain uses stories, illustrations, and memorable characters to communicate these concepts in developmentally appropriate ways that elementary students can understand and remember.
One of the most important ideas children can learn is that the brain is constantly changing.
Scientists call this neuroplasticity, meaning the brain changes in response to experiences. Every time children read, solve problems, practice an instrument, ride a bike, build with blocks, or learn a new skill, their brains physically change by strengthening connections between neurons.
The brain develops rapidly throughout childhood and adolescence and continues maturing into the mid-twenties.
The last major brain region to mature is the prefrontal cortex, which supports:
Because this area is still developing during childhood, children benefit greatly from consistent guidance, routines, encouragement, and loving boundaries from parents and teachers.
Selected References
Blakemore, S.-J. Inventing Ourselves: The Secret Life of the Teenage Brain.
Giedd, J. N., et al. “Brain Development During Childhood and Adolescence: A Longitudinal MRI Study.”
Kandel, E. R., et al. Principles of Neural Science.
National Institute of Mental Health. The Teen Brain: Still Under Construction.
Children sometimes believe people are simply “smart” or “not smart.”
Modern neuroscience tells a different story.
Learning actually changes the brain.
Whenever children practice reading, writing, sports, music, art, or math, groups of neurons repeatedly communicate with one another. Over time, these neural pathways become stronger and more efficient.
This explains why difficult skills gradually become easier with practice.
Mission One encourages children to view challenges not as signs of failure, but as opportunities to literally strengthen their brains.
Selected References
Doidge, N. The Brain That Changes Itself.
Kandel, E. R., et al. Principles of Neural Science.
The human brain contains approximately 86 billion neurons.
Neurons are specialized cells that communicate through tiny electrical and chemical signals.
These signals allow us to:
Although children never see these neurons, they are working every second of every day.
The superhero “sparks” used throughout the story help children visualize this invisible communication system in an engaging and memorable way.
Selected References
Herculano-Houzel, S. “The Human Brain in Numbers.”
Kandel, E. R., et al. Principles of Neural Science.
Dopamine is one of the brain’s important chemical messengers.
It plays an essential role in:
Healthy activities—including exercising, reading, mastering a new skill, playing with friends, creating art, listening to music, and accomplishing goals—naturally activate the brain’s reward system.
Children often hear dopamine described as the “feel-good chemical,” but scientists now understand it is more accurate to think of dopamine as helping us notice rewards and motivating us to repeat beneficial behaviors.
Mission Three expands on how certain forms of highly stimulating digital entertainment can activate this same reward system in ways that make it harder for some children to stop.
Selected References
Berridge, K. C. Research on reward and motivation.
Kandel, E. R., et al. Principles of Neural Science.
Schultz, W. “A Neural Substrate of Prediction and Reward.”
Super Brain describes the frontal cortex as “the boss of your brain.”
Scientifically, this is an excellent child-friendly description.
The prefrontal cortex functions much like the brain’s executive leader by helping children:
Unlike many other brain regions, the prefrontal cortex develops slowly throughout childhood, adolescence, and into early adulthood.
This gradual development explains why children benefit from patient coaching, consistent expectations, and healthy boundaries from trusted adults while these important skills mature.
Selected References
Blakemore, S.-J. Inventing Ourselves.
Diamond, A. “Executive Functions.”
Harvard Center on the Developing Child. Executive Function & Self-Regulation.
Mission Two teaches children that healthy brains don’t simply grow on their own—they grow through everyday experiences. Exercise, outdoor play, friendships, reading, music, creativity, handwriting, sleep, and meaningful practice all help strengthen the developing brain.
Rather than focusing on what children should avoid, this mission emphasizes what they should do more often. These healthy daily habits build attention, emotional regulation, learning, creativity, resilience, and overall brain development.
Decades of research show that the developing brain depends on rich, real-world experiences to build the neural connections children will rely on throughout life.
Children’s brains are shaped by what they repeatedly experience.
Every day, children are either strengthening brain networks through active learning and real-world experiences or spending time in activities that contribute less to healthy development.
Mission Two highlights habits consistently supported by research because they promote healthy brain development:
Together, these experiences strengthen executive function, language development, emotional health, attention, memory, and resilience.
These activities don’t simply fill children’s time—they literally help build the architecture of the developing brain.
Physical activity benefits far more than muscles and the heart—it is one of the best ways to support healthy brain development.
Exercise increases blood flow to the brain, stimulates the release of growth factors that support learning, and improves attention, memory, mood, and executive function.
Children who are physically active often demonstrate stronger concentration, better academic performance, and improved emotional regulation.
Running, climbing, jumping, swimming, dancing, and active outdoor play all contribute to healthy brain development.
Selected References
Ratey, J. Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Physical Activity Guidelines for Children.
American Academy of Pediatrics.
Children were designed to explore.
Outdoor play provides movement, sensory experiences, problem-solving opportunities, creativity, and healthy risk-taking that cannot be fully replicated indoors.
Research suggests that time in nature may improve attention, reduce stress, and support emotional well-being.
Natural environments encourage imaginative play, curiosity, resilience, and social interaction.
Outdoor play also exposes children to constantly changing environments that stimulate healthy cognitive development.
Selected References
American Academy of Pediatrics.
Kuo, M. “How Might Contact With Nature Promote Human Health?”
Louv, R. Last Child in the Woods.
Human brains develop through relationships.
Positive interactions with parents, teachers, siblings, and friends help build emotional regulation, empathy, communication skills, and resilience.
Children learn important social skills by practicing them face-to-face:
These experiences help build neural pathways that support lifelong emotional health.
Selected References
Siegel, D. The Whole-Brain Child.
Harvard Center on the Developing Child.
American Academy of Pediatrics.
Practice doesn’t just improve performance—it changes the brain itself.
Whenever children repeatedly practice a skill, neurons fire together again and again. Over time these neural pathways become stronger and more efficient.
Whether learning piano, reading, basketball, chess, drawing, or multiplication, repeated practice strengthens the brain’s ability to perform that skill.
This process helps explain why learning often feels difficult at first but becomes easier over time.
Selected References
Kandel, E. Principles of Neural Science.
Doidge, N. The Brain That Changes Itself.
Learning and listening to music activates many parts of the brain simultaneously.
Music engages areas responsible for:
Children who learn to play musical instruments practice sustained attention, coordination, discipline, and pattern recognition.
While music is not a shortcut to higher intelligence, music education supports many important cognitive and emotional skills.
Selected References
Kraus, N. Of Sound Mind.
Patel, A. Music, Language, and the Brain.
Creative activities require children to imagine, plan, solve problems, and adapt to new situations.
Drawing, painting, building, storytelling, dramatic play, and inventing games strengthen flexible thinking and encourage innovation.
Creative play also develops persistence because children learn to experiment, make mistakes, and improve their ideas.
Research increasingly shows that imaginative play contributes to healthy executive functioning and emotional development.
Selected References
Singer, D. The House of Make-Believe.
Harvard Center on the Developing Child.
Reading is one of the most powerful activities for developing children’s brains.
Unlike spoken language, reading requires the brain to build new neural networks that connect vision, language, memory, and reasoning.
Reading also develops vocabulary, comprehension, imagination, empathy, and critical thinking.
Children who regularly read books experience rich language exposure that supports academic success across many subjects.
Selected References
Wolf, M. Reader, Come Home.
National Reading Panel.
American Academy of Pediatrics.
Many studies suggest that people often understand and remember material better when reading from paper rather than digital screens, especially for longer or more complex reading.
Paper reduces digital distractions and provides physical cues that help readers remember where information appeared within the text.
While digital reading certainly has educational uses, printed books continue to offer unique benefits for sustained attention and deep comprehension.
Selected References
Delgado, P., et al. (2018). “Don’t Throw Away Your Printed Books.”
Wolf, M. Reader, Come Home.
Writing by hand activates brain regions involved in language, memory, attention, and fine motor control.
Research suggests that handwriting encourages deeper processing of information than typing because children must actively generate each letter.
Both print and cursive contribute to developing literacy and memory.
Handwriting remains an important part of healthy brain development even in today’s digital world.
Selected References
James, K. H.
Mueller, P. & Oppenheimer, D. “The Pen Is Mightier Than the Keyboard.”
Sleep is one of the brain’s most important jobs.
During sleep the brain strengthens memories, organizes learning, removes metabolic waste, and prepares for another day of growth.
School-age children generally need 9–12 hours of sleep per night, with most children ages 6–12 benefiting from about 9–12 hours according to current recommendations. The book’s recommendation of around 10 hours fits comfortably within this range.
Children who consistently get enough sleep demonstrate better:
Selected References
American Academy of Sleep Medicine.
National Sleep Foundation.
Walker, M. Why We Sleep.
Mission Two introduces dopamine as one of the brain’s natural reward chemicals.
Healthy activities such as:
naturally activate the brain’s reward pathways.
Children benefit from experiencing these healthy sources of motivation repeatedly because they reinforce habits that contribute to lifelong well-being.
Mission Three expands on how highly stimulating forms of digital entertainment can activate these same reward systems in very different ways.
Selected References
Schultz, W.
Berridge, K.
Kandel, E.
Mission Three introduces children to the idea that not all screen activities affect the brain in the same way. While some digital tools can support learning and communication, certain forms of digital entertainment—such as video games, social media, and endless short-form videos—are intentionally designed to capture and hold attention for as long as possible.
Using the fictional character MegaDrain, children learn that these highly stimulating digital experiences can compete with healthy real-life activities by consuming time, attention, and motivation. The mission encourages children to recognize persuasive design and make intentional choices that protect their growing brains.
Today’s children are growing up with a very different technology than previous generations.
Unlike traditional television or early video games, many modern digital platforms are built using principles from behavioral psychology and persuasive design. Their goal is to maximize engagement by encouraging users to keep watching, scrolling, clicking, or playing.
Children’s developing brains are especially responsive to rewards, novelty, and immediate feedback. Because the brain’s self-control systems are still maturing, younger children often find it difficult to stop using highly engaging digital entertainment without adult support.
Mission Three helps children understand that the challenge is not a lack of willpower. Instead, many digital products are intentionally designed to compete for their attention.
One of the most important messages in this mission is that screens are not all alike.
Watching a family movie, video chatting with grandparents, completing a school assignment, creating digital artwork, and playing an endlessly rewarding online game are very different experiences.
Research increasingly suggests that the effects of screen use depend on factors such as:
Mission Three focuses primarily on highly stimulating entertainment designed to maximize engagement.
Selected References
American Academy of Pediatrics.
World Health Organization.
Odgers, C. L., & Jensen, M. R.
Many modern apps, games, and social media platforms are intentionally designed to keep users engaged.
Common design features include:
Behavioral scientists refer to these techniques as persuasive design because they encourage users to continue interacting with the product.
Children generally do not recognize these design strategies, making adult guidance especially important.
Selected References
Alter, A. Irresistible.
Eyal, N. Hooked.
Harris, T. (Center for Humane Technology).
The brain naturally responds to rewarding experiences.
Novel, surprising, and exciting activities activate reward pathways involving dopamine.
This system helps children learn and stay motivated.
However, highly stimulating digital entertainment often delivers rewards more rapidly and more frequently than everyday activities.
For some children, repeated exposure to these intense reward patterns may make slower real-world activities feel temporarily less interesting.
This does not happen to every child, but it helps explain why some children have difficulty transitioning away from certain forms of digital entertainment.
Selected References
Schultz, W.
Berridge, K.
Robinson, T.
Kandel, E.
Children have only so many hours in a day.
Time spent engaged in highly stimulating recreational screen activities may replace experiences that are important for healthy development, including:
Researchers often refer to this as the displacement effect.
Many of the risks associated with excessive screen use occur because children are missing opportunities to engage in activities that help their brains grow.
Selected References
American Academy of Pediatrics.
Twenge, J.
Haidt, J.
Many parents observe that children become irritable, frustrated, or emotionally reactive after extended recreational screen use.
Research has found associations between heavy recreational screen use and increased risks for problems involving:
Not every child experiences these effects, and screen use is only one of many factors influencing mental health.
Nevertheless, helping children develop balanced digital habits remains an important part of healthy development.
Selected References
JAMA Pediatrics systematic reviews.
Twenge, J.
Haidt, J.
American Academy of Pediatrics.
Most children who enjoy video games or online media do not develop an addiction.
However, a small but important percentage develop patterns of use that interfere with school, friendships, family life, sleep, or emotional well-being.
The World Health Organization recognizes Gaming Disorder as a diagnosable condition when gaming behavior becomes severe enough to significantly impair daily functioning.
Mission Three uses the fictional character MegaDrain to help children recognize unhealthy patterns before they become serious.
Selected References
World Health Organization.
American Psychiatric Association.
King, D. L., et al.
Fortunately, children’s brains remain remarkably adaptable.
When children reduce highly stimulating recreational screen use and replace it with:
their brains continue strengthening healthy pathways through neuroplasticity.
This hopeful message is one of the central themes of Super Brain.
Selected References
Harvard Center on the Developing Child.
Ratey, J.
Kandel, E.
Mission Four teaches children that protecting a healthy brain is about much more than reducing screen time. Lasting success comes from building daily habits that make real life more rewarding than digital entertainment.
Rather than relying on willpower alone, children learn practical strategies that help them make healthy choices more easily. These include creating screen-free routines, strengthening family relationships, developing hobbies, spending time outdoors, and building strong friendships.
Modern research shows that healthy environments and consistent habits are among the strongest predictors of lifelong well-being. Mission Four empowers children to become active participants in protecting their own growing brains while relying on the support of trusted adults.
Healthy habits are easier to build than unhealthy habits are to break.
Research on child development consistently shows that children thrive when adults create environments that encourage healthy choices.
Rather than expecting children to resist highly engaging technology through self-control alone, Mission Four emphasizes environmental strategies that reduce temptation while increasing opportunities for meaningful real-life experiences.
The mission encourages families to replace screen-centered routines with activities that naturally strengthen attention, relationships, resilience, and emotional health.
Children are much more likely to succeed when healthy choices become the easiest choices.
Children’s choices are strongly influenced by their surroundings.
Behavioral scientists have found that small changes in the environment often produce bigger changes than simply asking people to “try harder.”
Keeping screens in shared family spaces, establishing screen-free bedrooms, and creating predictable routines reduce opportunities for impulsive screen use while increasing accountability and family interaction.
Children depend on adults to build environments that support healthy habits.
Selected References
Clear, J. Atomic Habits.
Duhigg, C. The Power of Habit.
American Academy of Pediatrics.
Simple family routines have lasting effects on children’s development.
Regular family meals, conversations, shared activities, and consistent routines strengthen children’s sense of security and belonging.
Research has linked regular family meals with healthier eating patterns, improved language development, stronger family relationships, and better emotional well-being.
Screen-free meals also create valuable opportunities for conversation and connection.
Selected References
American Academy of Pediatrics.
Fiese, B. H., et al. Family routines research.
Harvard Center on the Developing Child.
One of the most effective ways to reduce unhealthy behaviors is to replace them with rewarding alternatives.
Mission Four encourages children to substitute:
for excessive recreational screen use.
Behavior change research consistently shows that replacement behaviors are easier to sustain than relying on self-control alone.
Selected References
Prochaska, J. O.
Clear, J.
Ratey, J.
Children today often experience fewer opportunities to become comfortably bored.
While boredom may feel unpleasant at first, it frequently serves as the starting point for imagination, creativity, problem-solving, and independent play.
When children immediately turn to digital entertainment whenever boredom appears, they may miss opportunities to develop these important skills.
Mission Four encourages children to see boredom as an invitation rather than a problem.
Selected References
Mann, S. The Upside of Downtime.
Singer, D.
Harvard Center on the Developing Child.
Children develop confidence by becoming good at meaningful activities.
Learning music, sports, art, woodworking, cooking, gardening, or other hobbies provides repeated opportunities for mastery.
Each new skill strengthens neural pathways while helping children develop perseverance, self-confidence, and purpose.
These experiences often become lifelong sources of enjoyment and resilience.
Selected References
Duckworth, A. Grit.
Ratey, J.
Harvard Center on the Developing Child.
One of the strongest themes in Mission Four is that children succeed best when caring adults provide consistent leadership.
Children naturally look to parents, teachers, and other trusted adults for guidance while their executive functioning skills continue developing.
Research consistently supports the importance of:
Children benefit when adults confidently lead rather than simply reacting to technology.
Selected References
American Academy of Pediatrics.
Siegel, D.
Center on the Developing Child, Harvard University.
Children who spend meaningful time with friends in person develop important social and emotional skills.
Playing together teaches:
Face-to-face interaction activates many aspects of development that cannot be fully replicated through digital communication.
Mission Four encourages children to prioritize people over devices.
Selected References
American Academy of Pediatrics.
Twenge, J.
Siegel, D.
Many of the happiest childhood memories involve shared experiences rather than possessions.
Family traditions, outdoor adventures, community service, creative projects, vacations, sports, and celebrations strengthen relationships while helping children develop a sense of identity and belonging.
Positive experiences create lasting emotional memories that contribute to lifelong resilience.
Mission Four encourages children to intentionally choose these meaningful experiences over passive entertainment.
Selected References
Center on the Developing Child.
American Academy of Pediatrics.
Are all screens harmful?
No. Not all screen use affects children in the same way. Educational technology, video calls with family, creative projects, and learning new computer skills can all serve valuable purposes. The Adventures of Super Brain focuses on highly stimulating forms of recreational screen entertainment—such as social media, video games, and endless short-form videos—that are specifically designed to keep users engaged for long periods of time.
Why does ScreenStrong encourage delaying smartphones and social media?
Childhood and adolescence are periods of rapid brain development. During these years, children are developing attention, self-control, emotional regulation, and social skills. Delaying access to smartphones and social media gives children more time to strengthen these important abilities before navigating technologies designed for adults.
Is this book anti-technology?
No. Technology is an important part of modern life and can be a valuable tool for learning, creating, communicating, and solving problems. The goal of The Adventures of Super Brain is not to reject technology, but to help families use it wisely while protecting the real-life experiences children need for healthy development.
Why does the book focus so much on real-life play?
Children’s brains develop through active experiences. Running, climbing, building, creating, reading, playing music, solving problems, and spending time with family and friends strengthen the brain in ways that passive entertainment cannot fully replace. Real-life experiences help children build confidence, resilience, creativity, and strong relationships.
What does MegaDrain represent?
MegaDrain is a fictional character that represents the powerful pull of highly engaging digital entertainment. He symbolizes persuasive design, excessive screen use, and the habits that can pull children away from healthy activities. MegaDrain is not meant to suggest that technology itself is the enemy, but rather that some digital experiences require wisdom, boundaries, and balance.
Why does the book talk about dopamine?
Dopamine is one of the brain’s natural chemical messengers. It plays an important role in learning, motivation, and reward. Healthy activities such as exercising, reading, mastering a new skill, spending time with friends, and creating art naturally activate the brain’s reward system. Understanding dopamine helps children recognize why some activities feel rewarding and why healthy habits are worth practicing.
Can children really become addicted to screens?
Most children who use screens do not develop an addiction. However, some children develop patterns of excessive screen use that interfere with sleep, school, family relationships, friendships, or emotional well-being. Researchers continue to study problematic digital media use, and the World Health Organization recognizes Gaming Disorder as a medical diagnosis. The purpose of this book is to help children build healthy habits before serious problems develop.
Why are parents so important?
Children’s brains are still developing, especially the areas responsible for judgment, planning, and self-control. Parents and other caring adults provide the guidance, structure, encouragement, and boundaries children need while these important skills mature. Loving leadership is one of the greatest gifts adults can give growing brains.
Why does the book recommend screen-free meals and screen-free bedrooms?
These routines create opportunities for conversation, stronger family relationships, better sleep, and fewer distractions. Consistent family routines also help children develop healthy habits that support long-term physical, emotional, and cognitive health.
What if my child already spends a lot of time on screens?
It’s never too late to make positive changes. Healthy brain development continues throughout childhood and adolescence. Small, consistent steps—such as increasing outdoor play, reading together, creating screen-free family time, and setting reasonable boundaries—can help children develop healthier habits over time. Progress is more important than perfection.
Will my child miss out without smartphones or social media?
Children do not need smartphones or social media to develop healthy friendships, learn important life skills, or succeed in school. In fact, many families find that delaying these technologies creates more opportunities for face-to-face friendships, family connection, creativity, independence, and meaningful experiences that build confidence and resilience.
What is the most important message of The Adventures of Super Brain?
Every child has an amazing brain that is growing every day. The choices children make—and the experiences adults provide—help shape that development. By filling childhood with healthy habits, loving relationships, meaningful challenges, active play, creativity, and real-world adventures, we give children the best opportunity to build strong brains and thrive for a lifetime.
Childhood is a remarkable window of opportunity. During these early years, a child’s brain is growing at an incredible pace, shaped by everyday experiences, relationships, challenges, and habits. Every conversation, bedtime story, bike ride, family meal, game of catch, music lesson, and act of kindness helps build the brain that will serve a child for the rest of life.
The purpose of The Adventures of Super Brain is not to create fear about technology. Rather, it is to help children understand that their brains are extraordinary—and worth protecting. When children know how their brains grow, they become empowered to make healthier choices. When parents and educators understand the science, they are better equipped to provide the experiences that growing brains need most.
The research summarized in this guide points to a hopeful and consistent message: children thrive when they spend their days moving, exploring, reading, creating, practicing, sleeping well, building friendships, and enjoying strong family relationships. These experiences are not simply pleasant childhood memories—they are the building blocks of healthy brain development.
Technology will continue to evolve, but the basic needs of children have not changed. Growing brains still need human connection, meaningful challenges, active play, loving guidance, and opportunities to discover the joy of the real world.
At ScreenStrong, we believe one of the greatest gifts we can give children is a childhood rich in curiosity, adventure, purpose, and relationships. By protecting these years and filling them with experiences that strengthen the brain, we prepare children not only for success in school, but for lives marked by wisdom, resilience, compassion, and joy.
Thank you for joining us on this mission. Together, we can help the next generation build strong brains, strong families, and strong futures—one healthy choice at a time.
The following references represent many of the foundational books, professional organizations, and peer-reviewed research that informed the concepts presented throughout The Adventures of Super Brain. They are organized by topic to assist parents, educators, and school leaders who wish to explore the science in greater depth.
Blakemore, S.-J. (2018). Inventing Ourselves: The Secret Life of the Teenage Brain. PublicAffairs.
Doidge, N. (2015). The Brain That Changes Itself. Penguin Books.
Giedd, J. N., Blumenthal, J., Jeffries, N. O., Castellanos, F. X., Liu, H., Zijdenbos, A., … & Rapoport, J. L. (1999). Brain development during childhood and adolescence: A longitudinal MRI study. Nature Neuroscience, 2(10), 861–863.
Herculano-Houzel, S. (2009). The human brain in numbers: A linearly scaled-up primate brain. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 3, 31.
Kandel, E. R., Koester, J. D., Mack, S. H., & Siegelbaum, S. A. (2021). Principles of Neural Science (6th ed.). McGraw-Hill.
National Institute of Mental Health. The Teen Brain: Still Under Construction.
Diamond, A. (2013). Executive functions. Annual Review of Psychology, 64, 135–168.
Harvard University Center on the Developing Child. Executive Function & Self-Regulation.
Siegel, D. J., & Bryson, T. P. (2012). The Whole-Brain Child. Delacorte Press.
American Academy of Pediatrics. Literacy Promotion: An Essential Component of Primary Care Pediatric Practice.
Delgado, P., Vargas, C., Ackerman, R., & Salmerón, L. (2018). Don’t throw away your printed books: A meta-analysis on the effects of reading media on comprehension. Educational Research Review, 25, 23–38.
James, K. H. (Multiple publications on handwriting and brain development.)
Mueller, P. A., & Oppenheimer, D. M. (2014). The pen is mightier than the keyboard. Psychological Science, 25(6), 1159–1168.
National Reading Panel. (2000). Teaching Children to Read.
Wolf, M. (2018). Reader, Come Home. Harper.
American Academy of Pediatrics. The Power of Play.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Physical Activity Guidelines for Children and Adolescents.
Hanscom, A. (2016). Balanced and Barefoot. New Harbinger.
Kuo, M. (2015). How might contact with nature promote human health? Frontiers in Psychology.
Ratey, J. J. (2008). Spark. Little, Brown and Company.
Brown, S. (2009). Play: How It Shapes the Brain, Opens the Imagination, and Invigorates the Soul. Avery.
American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Recommended Amount of Sleep for Pediatric Populations.
National Sleep Foundation. Sleep Duration Recommendations.
Walker, M. (2017). Why We Sleep. Scribner.
Berridge, K. C. (Multiple publications on reward, motivation, and dopamine.)
Robinson, T. E., & Berridge, K. C. The incentive-sensitization theory of addiction.
Schultz, W. (1997). A neural substrate of prediction and reward. Science, 275(5306), 1593–1599.
Kandel, E. R., et al. Principles of Neural Science.
American Academy of Pediatrics. Media and Young Minds.
American Academy of Pediatrics. Children and Media.
American Psychological Association. Research on healthy technology use.
King, D. L., Delfabbro, P. H., et al. Research on problematic gaming.
Odgers, C. L., & Jensen, M. R. Annual reviews on adolescent digital technology use.
World Health Organization. Gaming Disorder.
World Health Organization. Guidelines on Physical Activity, Sedentary Behaviour and Sleep for Children Under 5 Years of Age.
Clear, J. (2018). Atomic Habits. Avery.
Duhigg, C. (2012). The Power of Habit. Random House.
American Academy of Pediatrics. Family Media Plan.
Harvard University Center on the Developing Child.
Neufeld, G., & Maté, G. (2004). Hold On to Your Kids. Ballantine Books.
Payne, K. J. (2009). Simplicity Parenting. Ballantine Books.
Sax, L. (2016). The Collapse of Parenting. Basic Books.
Hart, B., & Risley, T. R. (1995). Meaningful Differences in the Everyday Experience of Young American Children.
Suskind, D. (2015). Thirty Million Words: Building a Child’s Brain. Dutton.
Section 1: How does my brain work?
Section 2: How can I improve my brain?
Section 3: Does screen time change my brain?
Section 1: Why are screens so much fun?
Section 2: What is screen addiction?
Section 3: Why do I crave my screens?
Section 1: What is the biggest problem with screen time?
Section 2: Does screen time really affect my body?
Section 3: What does screen time have to do with sleep?
Section 1: But don’t I need my screen for school?
Section 2: Is cheating always wrong?
Section 3: How can I get ahead in school?
Section 1: How many friends should I have?
Section 2: Oh no! What’s missing on my screen?
Section 3: How do I get and give more empathy?
Section 4: Where do I go for help?
Section 1: How do screens hurt my feelings?
Section 2: How can I be free from mental health pain?
Section 3: What are other teens saying?
COMING SOON!
COMING SOON!
Section 1: How does my brain work?
Section 2: How can I improve my brain?
Section 3: Does screen time change my brain?
Section 1: Why are screens so much fun?
Section 2: What is screen addiction?
Section 3: Why do I crave my screens?
Section 1: What is the biggest problem with screen time?
Section 2: Does screen time really affect my body?
Section 3: What does screen time have to do with sleep?
Section 1: But don’t I need my screen for school?
Section 2: Is cheating always wrong?
Section 3: How can I get ahead in school?
Section 1: How many friends should I have?
Section 2: Oh no! What’s missing on my screen?
Section 3: How do I get and give more empathy?
Section 4: Where do I go for help?
Section 1: How do screens hurt my feelings?
Section 2: How can I be free from mental health pain?
Section 3: What are other teens saying?
COMING SOON!
COMING SOON!
Part 1: Kids’ Brains and Screens
Cerebellum: It is only 10% of brain volume but holds over 50% of the brain’s neurons. REF. Pediatric Occupational Therapist, Cris Rowan teaches, “Humans have two sensorimotor systems that are stimulated by movement: the vestibular system located in the brain (often referenced as our inner ear) and the proprioceptive system located in our muscles. These two systems integrate with each other and with the visual system to provide core stability, motor coordination, and balance. Children who don’t move enough, don’t adequately develop these essential sensorimotor systems resulting in poor core stability, poor coordination, and poor balance.” Email communication.
Crawling: REF Babies should crawl over 1,000 feet a day.
“The results aren’t in yet. Bonnie Nagel, one of the study’s investigators and a professor of psychiatry and behavioral neuroscience at Oregon Health & Science University, said she predicts they will find that when brains repeatedly process rapid, rewarding content, their ability to process less-rapid, less-rewarding things “may change or be harmed.” Quote from: WSJ article
There is an explosion of up to 100 billion new nerve connections in the adolescent brain. See here.
Also: “American children spend more time in front of electronic screens than any other activity except sleeping. The brain becomes what the brain does.” Dr. Douglas Gentile, award-winning educator, research scientist, ScreenStrong Podcast #23 with Dr. Doug Gentile
“Excessive screen time can impinge on children’s ability to develop optimally; it is recommended that pediatricians and health care practitioners guide parents on appropriate amounts of screen exposure and discuss potential consequences of excessive screen use. REF ”The researchers found that greater screen time at 24 months was associated with poorer performance on developmental screening tests at 36 months, and greater screen time at 36 months was associated with lower scores on developmental screening tests at 60 months.” REF
Part 2: The ScreenStrong Solution
The adolescent brain is still developing. Research has shown that excessive video gaming and problematic digital media use are associated with structural and functional changes in the developing brain, particularly in areas involved in attention, learning, self-control, and decision-making. The good news is that the brain is highly adaptable. Healthy activities and reducing excessive screen use can support healthy brain development.
Research has found that adolescents with problematic internet and gaming use may experience:
While not every child who plays video games experiences these changes, numerous studies have found associations between excessive or addictive digital media use and measurable differences in the developing brain.
Lin, F., et al. (2012)
Abnormal white matter integrity in adolescents with Internet addiction disorder: A tract-based spatial statistics study.
PLoS ONE, 7(1), e30253.
Key finding:
Adolescents with Internet addiction showed significant differences in white matter integrity compared with healthy controls, suggesting altered brain connectivity.
Hong, S. B., et al. (2013)
Decreased functional brain connectivity in adolescents with Internet addiction.
PLoS ONE, 8(2), e57831.
Key finding:
Researchers found reduced functional connectivity in several brain networks involved in attention, executive function, and cognitive control.
Yuan, K., et al. (2011)
Microstructure abnormalities in adolescents with Internet addiction disorder.
PLoS ONE, 6(6), e20708.
Key finding:
MRI scans showed structural abnormalities in several brain regions involved in emotional processing, attention, and executive function.
Weng, C. B., et al. (2013)
Gray matter and white matter abnormalities in online game addiction.
European Journal of Radiology, 82(8), 1308–1312.
Key finding:
Adolescents with online game addiction showed changes in both gray matter volume and white matter integrity.
Weinstein, A., & Lejoyeux, M. (2015)
New developments on the neurobiological and pharmaco-genetic mechanisms underlying Internet and videogame addiction.
American Journal on Addictions, 24(2), 117–125.
Key finding:
This review summarizes evidence that excessive gaming is associated with changes in brain reward circuits, executive function, and impulse control.
The adolescent brain is especially sensitive to experiences that are repeated over time. Activities that promote learning, creativity, movement, sleep, and face-to-face relationships strengthen healthy brain development, while excessive engagement with highly stimulating digital media may interfere with these developmental processes.
Your brain works best when it can focus on one thing at a time. Research has shown that simply having a smartphone nearby—even if it’s turned off—can distract your brain and reduce the mental resources available for learning, memory, and problem-solving. Putting phones away helps students pay attention, think more clearly, and learn more effectively.
Research has found that the mere presence of a smartphone can:
When students remove phones from their immediate environment, they often perform better on tasks requiring concentration and memory.
Ward, A. F., Duke, K., Gneezy, A., & Bos, M. W. (2017)
Brain Drain: The Mere Presence of One’s Own Smartphone Reduces Available Cognitive Capacity.
Journal of the Association for Consumer Research, 2(2), 140–154.
Key finding:
Participants performed significantly worse on tests of working memory and fluid intelligence when their smartphones were visible, even when the phones were turned off or placed face down.
Thornton, B., Faires, A., Robbins, M., & Rollins, E. (2014)
The Mere Presence of a Cell Phone May Be Distracting.
Social Psychology, 45(6), 479–488.
Key finding:
Simply having a cell phone nearby reduced attention and performance on cognitive tasks.
Sana, F., Weston, T., & Cepeda, N. J. (2013)
Laptop Multitasking Hinders Classroom Learning for Both Users and Nearby Peers.
Computers & Education, 62, 24–31.
Key finding:
Digital multitasking during learning reduced comprehension not only for the person using the device but also for nearby students.
Cain, M. S., & Mitroff, S. R. (2011)
Distractor Filtering in Media Multitaskers.
Attention, Perception, & Psychophysics, 73(4), 1183–1192.
Key finding:
Heavy media multitaskers had greater difficulty filtering distractions and maintaining attention.
Ophir, E., Nass, C., & Wagner, A. D. (2009)
Cognitive Control in Media Multitaskers.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 106(37), 15583–15587.
Key finding:
Individuals who frequently multitasked with media were more easily distracted and less effective at filtering irrelevant information.
Learning requires attention, and attention is one of the brain’s most valuable resources. Removing unnecessary distractions—especially smartphones—helps students focus, retain information, solve problems, and fully engage in learning. Creating phone-free classrooms isn’t about punishment; it’s about giving every student’s brain the best opportunity to succeed.
Time is one of our most valuable resources. Today’s teenagers spend an average of approximately 16,000 hours on entertainment screens between 8th and 12th grade. Those hours come at the expense of activities that support healthy brain development, including sleep, reading, physical activity, creativity, family relationships, and face-to-face friendships. Reducing recreational screen time creates more opportunities for experiences that help young people thrive.
Research has found that excessive recreational screen time is associated with:
The issue is not simply what children do on screens—it’s also what screens replace.
The average American teenager spends approximately 9 hours per day using entertainment media outside of schoolwork.
Over four years of high school (grades 8–12), that adds up to roughly:
≈ 13,000–16,000 hours, depending on age, weekends, vacations, and media use patterns.
The “16,000 hours” figure is intended to help students visualize the enormous amount of time that can be invested in—or reclaimed from—recreational screen use.
Rideout, V. (Common Sense Media, 2021)
The Common Sense Census: Media Use by Tweens and Teens, 2021.
Key finding:
Teenagers average approximately 8½ hours per day using entertainment screen media, not including schoolwork.
Twenge, J. M., & Campbell, W. K. (2018)
Associations between screen time and lower psychological well-being among children and adolescents: Evidence from a population-based study.
Preventive Medicine Reports, 12, 271–283.
Key finding:
Higher levels of recreational screen time were associated with lower psychological well-being, less curiosity, and reduced self-control.
Przybylski, A. K., & Weinstein, N. (2017)
A large-scale test of the Goldilocks hypothesis.
Psychological Science, 28(2), 204–215.
Key finding:
Moderate digital engagement appears less harmful than excessive use, suggesting that balance is important.
Domingues-Montanari, S. (2017)
Clinical and psychological effects of excessive screen time on children.
Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health, 53(4), 333–338.
Key finding:
Excessive screen use can displace sleep, physical activity, and social interaction—all essential for healthy development.
World Health Organization (2019)
Guidelines on Physical Activity, Sedentary Behaviour and Sleep for Children Under 5 Years of Age.
Key finding:
Healthy development requires adequate sleep, movement, and limited sedentary screen time. While these guidelines focus on younger children, they reinforce the principle that healthy development depends on balancing screen use with active, real-world experiences.
Every hour spent on entertainment screens is an hour that cannot be spent building relationships, learning new skills, exercising, creating, reading, sleeping, or simply enjoying the world around us. By choosing to disconnect more often, students gain time to reconnect with the experiences that help their brains, bodies, and relationships grow stronger.
Healthy brains don’t grow by accident—they grow through daily habits. Reading, creating, moving, sleeping, spending time outdoors, writing by hand, making music, and connecting with other people all strengthen the developing brain. Every positive choice helps build attention, memory, creativity, emotional health, and lifelong learning.
Research has consistently found that healthy daily habits support brain development by:
There isn’t one “magic activity” that builds a healthy brain. Rather, it’s the combination of sleep, movement, learning, creativity, and meaningful relationships that helps young brains develop to their fullest potential.
Diamond, A., & Ling, D. S. (2016)
Conclusions about interventions, programs, and approaches for improving executive functions.
Current Directions in Psychological Science, 25(1), 34–48.
Key finding:
Executive function develops through regular practice of challenging cognitive, physical, and social activities—not through a single intervention.
Hillman, C. H., Erickson, K. I., & Kramer, A. F. (2008)
Be smart, exercise your heart: Exercise effects on brain and cognition.
Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 9(1), 58–65.
Key finding:
Regular physical activity improves attention, memory, learning, and overall brain health.
James, K. H., & Engelhardt, L. (2012)
The effects of handwriting experience on functional brain development in pre-literate children.
Trends in Neuroscience and Education, 1(1), 32–42.
Key finding:
Handwriting activates brain networks involved in reading and language development more extensively than keyboarding.
Kühn, S., et al. (2014)
The importance of playing music for brain plasticity.
Frontiers in Human Neuroscience.
Key finding:
Musical training strengthens brain networks involved in memory, attention, motor coordination, and learning.
Berman, M. G., Jonides, J., & Kaplan, S. (2008)
The cognitive benefits of interacting with nature.
Psychological Science, 19(12), 1207–1212.
Key finding:
Even brief walks in natural environments improved attention and working memory.
Walker, M. P. (2017)
Why We Sleep.
Key finding:
Sleep plays a critical role in memory consolidation, learning, emotional regulation, and overall brain health. (Although this is a book rather than a journal article, it summarizes decades of sleep research and is widely respected.)
National Scientific Council on the Developing Child (Harvard University)
Excessive Stress Disrupts the Architecture of the Developing Brain.
Key finding:
Supportive relationships, healthy routines, and positive experiences build strong brain architecture during childhood and adolescence.
The developing brain is remarkably adaptable. Every day, the choices students make help shape the brain they will carry into adulthood. Reading, creating, moving, sleeping well, spending time with others, and exploring the world aren’t just healthy habits—they are powerful ways to build a stronger, healthier brain.
Boredom isn’t something to fear—it’s an opportunity. When children aren’t constantly entertained by screens, their brains become more likely to explore, imagine, create, solve problems, and connect with others. Some of the healthiest experiences for a developing brain begin with the simple words, “I’m bored.”
Research has found that periods of unstructured, screen-free time help children:
Boredom gives the brain space to think, imagine, and create—skills that constant digital stimulation can interrupt.
Singer, D. G., Golinkoff, R. M., & Hirsh-Pasek, K. (2006)
Play = Learning: How Play Motivates and Enhances Children’s Cognitive and Social-Emotional Growth.
Key finding:
Unstructured play supports creativity, language development, problem-solving, and social-emotional learning.
Gray, P. (2013)
Free to Learn.
Key finding:
Independent play helps children develop confidence, resilience, self-direction, and problem-solving abilities.
Yogman, M., Garner, A., Hutchinson, J., Hirsh-Pasek, K., & Golinkoff, R. (2018)
The Power of Play: A Pediatric Role in Enhancing Development in Young Children.
Pediatrics, 142(3).
Key finding:
Play is essential for healthy brain development, executive functioning, emotional regulation, and social competence.
Berman, M. G., Jonides, J., & Kaplan, S. (2008)
The Cognitive Benefits of Interacting with Nature.
Psychological Science, 19(12), 1207–1212.
Key finding:
Time in nature improves attention, working memory, and cognitive performance.
Diamond, A., & Ling, D. S. (2016)
Conclusions about Interventions, Programs, and Approaches for Improving Executive Functions.
Current Directions in Psychological Science, 25(1), 34–48.
Key finding:
Executive function develops through challenging physical, cognitive, creative, and social activities—not passive entertainment.
Children don’t need constant entertainment—they need opportunities to explore, imagine, move, create, and connect. Boredom often serves as the starting point for creativity, independence, and discovery. When children learn to embrace boredom instead of escaping it with a screen, they develop skills that support lifelong learning, resilience, and well-being.
Just as road signs warn drivers of potential danger ahead, certain behaviors can signal that screen use is becoming unhealthy. Recognizing these early warning signs can help students make positive changes before excessive screen use begins affecting their health, relationships, learning, and emotional well-being.
Research has found that problematic screen use and gaming may be associated with:
These behaviors do not automatically mean someone has a screen addiction. However, when several of these warning signs occur together and interfere with daily life, they may indicate that healthier screen habits are needed.
World Health Organization (2019)
International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11): Gaming Disorder.
Key finding:
Gaming Disorder is characterized by impaired control over gaming, increasing priority given to gaming over other interests, and continued gaming despite negative consequences.
American Psychiatric Association (2013)
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5).
Key finding:
Internet Gaming Disorder was identified as a condition requiring further study because excessive gaming may interfere with school, relationships, sleep, and daily functioning.
Paulus, F. W., Ohmann, S., von Gontard, A., & Popow, C. (2018)
Internet Gaming Disorder in Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review.
Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology, 60(7), 645–659.
Key finding:
Problematic gaming is associated with emotional difficulties, family conflict, poorer academic performance, sleep disruption, and reduced quality of life.
Király, O., Griffiths, M. D., & Demetrovics, Z. (2015)
Internet Gaming Disorder and the DSM-5: Conceptualization, Debates, and Controversies.
Current Addiction Reports, 2, 254–262.
Key finding:
Reviews the growing evidence supporting common behavioral warning signs of problematic gaming, including impaired control, increasing priority given to gaming, and continued use despite harm.
Twenge, J. M., & Campbell, W. K. (2018)
Associations Between Screen Time and Lower Psychological Well-Being Among Children and Adolescents.
Preventive Medicine Reports, 12, 271–283.
Key finding:
Higher recreational screen time was associated with lower psychological well-being, reduced curiosity, lower self-control, and greater emotional difficulties.
Carter, B., et al. (2016)
Association Between Portable Screen-Based Media Device Access or Use and Sleep Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.
JAMA Pediatrics, 170(12), 1202–1208.
Key finding:
Evening screen use was associated with shorter sleep duration, poorer sleep quality, and increased daytime sleepiness.
Healthy technology use should support learning, relationships, sleep, and overall well-being—not interfere with them. Recognizing these warning signs early gives students, families, and educators the opportunity to make positive changes before unhealthy habits become more difficult to break.
Everyone benefits from taking regular breaks from screens. When recreational screen use begins to interfere with healthy habits, relationships, school, or emotional well-being, it may be a sign that it’s time to step back and reset. Recognizing these early warning signs can help students develop healthier digital habits before problems become more serious.
Research has found that excessive recreational screen use and problematic digital media use may be associated with:
One sign alone does not necessarily indicate a problem, but when several of these behaviors occur together and interfere with daily life, they may signal that healthier screen habits are needed.
American Psychiatric Association (2013)
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5).
Key finding:
Internet Gaming Disorder was identified as a condition requiring further study because problematic gaming can interfere with school, relationships, sleep, and daily functioning.
World Health Organization (2019)
International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11): Gaming Disorder.
Key finding:
Gaming Disorder is characterized by impaired control over gaming, increasing priority given to gaming, and continued gaming despite negative consequences.
Paulus, F. W., Ohmann, S., von Gontard, A., & Popow, C. (2018)
Internet Gaming Disorder in Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review.
Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology, 60(7), 645–659.
Key finding:
Problematic gaming is associated with emotional difficulties, poorer academic performance, sleep disturbances, and family conflict.
Twenge, J. M., & Campbell, W. K. (2018)
Associations Between Screen Time and Lower Psychological Well-Being Among Children and Adolescents.
Preventive Medicine Reports, 12, 271–283.
Key finding:
Higher recreational screen time was associated with lower psychological well-being, less curiosity, reduced self-control, and greater emotional difficulties.
Domingues-Montanari, S. (2017)
Clinical and Psychological Effects of Excessive Screen Time on Children.
Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health, 53(4), 333–338.
Key finding:
Excessive screen use may contribute to sleep disruption, obesity, behavioral challenges, anxiety, and reduced physical activity.
Carter, B., et al. (2016)
Association Between Portable Screen-Based Media Device Access or Use and Sleep Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.
JAMA Pediatrics, 170(12), 1202–1208.
Key finding:
Children and adolescents with access to or use of screen devices at bedtime were significantly more likely to experience insufficient sleep and poorer sleep quality.
Healthy technology use should support—not replace—sleep, learning, friendships, family relationships, and emotional well-being. Learning to recognize the early signs of unhealthy screen habits helps students make positive changes before those habits begin affecting their health, relationships, or success in school.
Smartphones are powerful tools, but they can also become difficult to put down. When phone use begins replacing hobbies, friendships, healthy activities, or emotional well-being, it may be time to take a break. Learning to recognize these warning signs helps students build healthier digital habits and maintain balance in their daily lives.
Research has found that problematic smartphone and social media use may be associated with:
These warning signs do not automatically mean someone has a phone addiction. However, when several occur together and interfere with daily life, they may indicate that healthier phone habits are needed.
Elhai, J. D., Dvorak, R. D., Levine, J. C., & Hall, B. J. (2017)
Problematic Smartphone Use: A Conceptual Overview and Systematic Review of Relations with Anxiety and Depression Psychopathology.
Journal of Affective Disorders, 207, 251–259.
Key finding:
Problematic smartphone use is consistently associated with higher levels of anxiety, depression, and emotional distress.
Przybylski, A. K., Murayama, K., DeHaan, C. R., & Gladwell, V. (2013)
Motivational, Emotional, and Behavioral Correlates of Fear of Missing Out (FOMO).
Computers in Human Behavior, 29(4), 1841–1848.
Key finding:
Individuals with higher FOMO reported greater social media engagement, more frequent phone checking, and lower overall well-being.
Montag, C., Wegmann, E., Sariyska, R., et al. (2021)
How to Overcome Taxonomical Problems in the Study of Internet Use Disorders and What to Do with “Smartphone Addiction”?
Journal of Behavioral Addictions.
Key finding:
Researchers recommend focusing on problematic behaviors (such as compulsive social media use or gaming) rather than the device itself when evaluating unhealthy digital habits.
Keles, B., McCrae, N., & Grealish, A. (2020)
A Systematic Review: The Influence of Social Media on Depression, Anxiety and Psychological Distress in Adolescents.
International Journal of Adolescence and Youth, 25(1), 79–93.
Key finding:
Many studies found associations between heavy social media use and increased symptoms of anxiety, depression, and psychological distress in adolescents.
Twenge, J. M., & Campbell, W. K. (2018)
Associations Between Screen Time and Lower Psychological Well-Being Among Children and Adolescents.
Preventive Medicine Reports, 12, 271–283.
Key finding:
Higher recreational screen time was associated with lower psychological well-being, reduced curiosity, lower self-control, and greater emotional difficulties.
Odgers, C. L., & Jensen, M. R. (2020)
Annual Research Review: Adolescent Mental Health in the Digital Age.
Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 61(3), 336–348.
Key finding:
The relationship between digital technology and adolescent mental health is complex. While moderate technology use is common, excessive or problematic use appears to pose the greatest risks, highlighting the importance of balanced, healthy digital habits.
Phones are valuable tools, but they should support life—not replace it. Healthy phone habits create more time for friendships, hobbies, learning, creativity, movement, and sleep. Recognizing these warning signs early empowers students to take control of their technology instead of letting technology control them.
Dopamine is one of the brain’s most important chemical messengers. It helps motivate us to learn, explore, achieve goals, and repeat healthy behaviors. However, highly stimulating digital activities—such as social media, video games, and endless scrolling—can trigger repeated dopamine release, encouraging us to seek more and more screen time. Over time, this can make everyday activities feel less rewarding while making it harder to resist returning to screens.
Research has found that highly stimulating digital media can:
Healthy sources of dopamine—such as exercise, friendships, music, creativity, learning, and time outdoors—support healthy brain development without creating the same pattern of repeated digital stimulation.
Volkow, N. D., Wang, G. J., Fowler, J. S., & Tomasi, D. (2012)
Addiction: Beyond Dopamine Reward Circuitry.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 108(37), 15037–15042.
Key finding:
Addiction involves changes in dopamine reward pathways as well as brain regions responsible for self-control, decision-making, and motivation.
Montag, C., & Diefenbach, S. (2018)
Towards Homo Digitalis: Important Research Issues for Psychology and the Neurosciences at the Dawn of the Internet of Things.
Key finding:
Digital technologies are intentionally designed to capture attention by activating brain reward systems and encouraging repeated engagement.
Ko, C. H., Liu, G. C., Hsiao, S., et al. (2009)
Brain Activities Associated with Gaming Urge of Online Gaming Addiction.
Journal of Psychiatric Research, 43(7), 739–747.
Key finding:
Brain imaging studies found that gaming cues activate many of the same reward-related brain regions involved in craving.
Weinstein, A., & Lejoyeux, M. (2015)
New Developments on the Neurobiological and Pharmaco-genetic Mechanisms Underlying Internet and Videogame Addiction.
American Journal on Addictions, 24(2), 117–125.
Key finding:
Research suggests excessive gaming is associated with changes in dopamine-related reward pathways and executive functioning.
Baler, R. D., & Volkow, N. D. (2006)
Drug Addiction: The Neurobiology of Disrupted Self-Control.
Trends in Molecular Medicine, 12(12), 559–566.
Key finding:
Repeated overstimulation of the brain’s reward system can strengthen habits while weakening self-control over time.
Wise, R. A. (2004)
Dopamine, Learning and Motivation.
Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 5(6), 483–494.
Key finding:
Dopamine’s primary role is to promote learning, motivation, and goal-directed behavior. It is an essential and healthy part of normal brain function.
Dopamine is not the enemy—it is one of the brain’s greatest gifts. It motivates us to learn, create, explore, and build relationships. The goal is not to avoid dopamine but to experience it through healthy activities that strengthen the brain rather than overstimulate it. Exercise, sports, music, creativity, reading, meaningful friendships, time outdoors, and achieving personal goals all provide healthy, lasting rewards that help young brains grow.
Dopamine is a natural brain chemical that helps us learn, stay motivated, and experience pleasure. Healthy activities such as exercise, music, spending time with friends, learning new skills, and being outdoors help keep dopamine at healthy levels. Highly stimulating digital activities—such as social media, video games, and endless scrolling—can produce unusually large dopamine surges that encourage repeated use and make it harder to enjoy everyday experiences.
Research has found that:
The goal is not to eliminate dopamine—it’s to build healthy dopamine pathways through real-life experiences.
Too High: Digital Overstimulation
Highly stimulating digital experiences—especially social media, gaming, and endless scrolling—can produce large dopamine responses that keep the brain wanting more.
Possible effects include:
Just Right: Healthy Brain Rewards
Activities that naturally support healthy dopamine regulation include:
These experiences help build motivation, resilience, and lasting well-being.
Too Low
When children rely heavily on overstimulating rewards, ordinary activities may temporarily feel less enjoyable. They may feel bored, unmotivated, or tempted to seek another quick source of stimulation. Building healthy habits helps restore balance over time.
Wise, R. A. (2004)
Dopamine, Learning and Motivation.
Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 5(6), 483–494.
Key finding:
Dopamine’s primary role is learning and motivation. It helps the brain recognize important experiences and motivates us to repeat beneficial behaviors.
Schultz, W. (2015)
Neuronal Reward and Decision Signals: From Theories to Data.
Physiological Reviews, 95(3), 853–951.
Key finding:
Dopamine helps the brain predict rewards, make decisions, and learn from experience. It is fundamental to healthy brain function.
Volkow, N. D., Wang, G. J., Fowler, J. S., & Tomasi, D. (2012)
Addiction: Beyond Dopamine Reward Circuitry.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 108(37), 15037–15042.
Key finding:
Repeated overstimulation of the brain’s reward system can alter motivation, self-control, and decision-making, contributing to addictive behaviors.
Ko, C. H., Liu, G. C., Hsiao, S., et al. (2009)
Brain Activities Associated with Gaming Urge of Online Gaming Addiction.
Journal of Psychiatric Research, 43(7), 739–747.
Key finding:
Gaming-related cues activate reward-related brain regions involved in craving and motivation.
Weinstein, A., & Lejoyeux, M. (2015)
New Developments on the Neurobiological and Pharmaco-genetic Mechanisms Underlying Internet and Videogame Addiction.
American Journal on Addictions, 24(2), 117–125.
Key finding:
Research suggests that excessive gaming is associated with changes in dopamine-related reward pathways and executive functioning.
Berridge, K. C., & Robinson, T. E. (2016)
Liking, Wanting, and the Incentive-Sensitization Theory of Addiction.
American Psychologist, 71(8), 670–679.
Key finding:
Repeated exposure to highly rewarding experiences can strengthen “wanting” (craving) even when actual enjoyment does not increase, helping explain why some habits become difficult to break.
The healthiest brains are not the ones experiencing the biggest dopamine spikes—they are the ones developing balanced reward systems. Every time students choose to play outside, exercise, make music, read, solve problems, spend time with friends, or learn something new, they strengthen healthy brain pathways that support lifelong motivation, learning, and emotional well-being.
Phone-free schools create learning environments where students can focus, build stronger friendships, experience greater freedom from digital distractions, and enjoy school more. Research from schools around the world has found that limiting smartphone use during the school day can improve academic performance, increase student engagement, strengthen relationships, and support better mental well-being.
Research has found that phone-free school environments are associated with:
Creating a phone-free school isn’t about taking something away—it’s about creating more opportunities for students to learn, connect, and thrive.
Beland, L. P., & Murphy, R. (2016)
Ill Communication: Technology, Distraction & Student Performance.
Labour Economics, 41, 61–76.
Key finding:
Schools that banned smartphones saw significant improvements in academic performance, with the greatest gains among lower-achieving students.
Ward, A. F., Duke, K., Gneezy, A., & Bos, M. W. (2017)
Brain Drain: The Mere Presence of One’s Own Smartphone Reduces Available Cognitive Capacity.
Journal of the Association for Consumer Research, 2(2), 140–154.
Key finding:
Simply having a smartphone nearby reduced attention and working memory, even when the phone was not being used.
Sana, F., Weston, T., & Cepeda, N. J. (2013)
Laptop Multitasking Hinders Classroom Learning for Both Users and Nearby Peers.
Computers & Education, 62, 24–31.
Key finding:
Digital distractions reduce learning not only for the student using the device but also for classmates nearby.
Thomas, K. M., et al. (2024)
The Outcomes of Phone-Free Schools: A Rapid Systematic Review.
Key finding:
Studies consistently report improvements in classroom engagement, attention, face-to-face interaction, and school climate when smartphone restrictions are implemented thoughtfully.
OECD (2024)
PISA 2022 Results: Students, Digital Devices and Learning.
Key finding:
Students who reported greater digital distraction from smartphones in school generally demonstrated lower learning outcomes and greater difficulty maintaining attention.
Schools are places for learning, growing, and building relationships. Phone-free classrooms give students the opportunity to focus on what matters most: learning new ideas, forming lasting friendships, discovering their talents, and enjoying the school experience without constant digital interruptions.
Healthy screen habits don’t happen by accident—they happen through daily choices. Small changes, like taking notes by hand, spending more time outdoors, joining school activities, and building face-to-face friendships, can improve learning, strengthen the brain, and make school more enjoyable. These simple habits help students take control of technology instead of letting technology control them.
Research has found that students benefit when they:
Together, these habits support attention, learning, emotional well-being, resilience, and healthy brain development.
Mueller, P. A., & Oppenheimer, D. M. (2014)
The Pen Is Mightier Than the Keyboard: Advantages of Longhand Over Laptop Note Taking.
Psychological Science, 25(6), 1159–1168.
Key finding:
Students who took notes by hand demonstrated better conceptual understanding and long-term learning than students who typed notes.
Ward, A. F., Duke, K., Gneezy, A., & Bos, M. W. (2017)
Brain Drain: The Mere Presence of One’s Own Smartphone Reduces Available Cognitive Capacity.
Journal of the Association for Consumer Research, 2(2), 140–154.
Key finding:
Simply having a smartphone nearby reduced attention and working memory, even when it was turned off.
Hillman, C. H., Erickson, K. I., & Kramer, A. F. (2008)
Be Smart, Exercise Your Heart: Exercise Effects on Brain and Cognition.
Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 9(1), 58–65.
Key finding:
Regular physical activity improves attention, memory, executive functioning, and overall brain health.
Berman, M. G., Jonides, J., & Kaplan, S. (2008)
The Cognitive Benefits of Interacting with Nature.
Psychological Science, 19(12), 1207–1212.
Key finding:
Even brief exposure to natural environments improves attention, working memory, and cognitive performance.
Eccles, J. S., & Barber, B. L. (1999)
Student Council, Volunteering, Basketball, or Marching Band: What Kind of Extracurricular Involvement Matters?
Journal of Adolescent Research, 14(1), 10–43.
Key finding:
Participation in extracurricular activities is associated with higher academic achievement, stronger social connections, and healthier adolescent development.
James, K. H., & Engelhardt, L. (2012)
The Effects of Handwriting Experience on Functional Brain Development in Pre-Literate Children.
Trends in Neuroscience and Education, 1(1), 32–42.
Key finding:
Handwriting activates brain networks involved in reading, language, and learning more extensively than keyboarding alone.
National Scientific Council on the Developing Child (Harvard University)
Supportive Relationships and Positive Experiences Build Healthy Brain Architecture.
Key finding:
Positive relationships, active learning, and healthy daily experiences help build the developing brain and strengthen resilience.
Healthy technology habits are about much more than reducing screen time—they’re about creating space for learning, friendships, movement, creativity, and personal growth. Every positive choice students make helps strengthen the skills they need to succeed in school and beyond.
Our brains learn best when they are fully present. Creating phone-free spaces—whether in classrooms, at meals, during homework, or while spending time with friends—reduces distractions and allows us to focus, connect, and enjoy the moment. Sometimes the best place for a phone is simply out of reach.
Research has found that creating phone-free environments can:
Even when a phone is not being used, its presence can compete for our attention.
Ward, A. F., Duke, K., Gneezy, A., & Bos, M. W. (2017)
Brain Drain: The Mere Presence of One’s Own Smartphone Reduces Available Cognitive Capacity.
Journal of the Association for Consumer Research, 2(2), 140–154.
Key finding:
Simply having a smartphone nearby reduced working memory and cognitive performance—even when the phone was turned off.
Thornton, B., Faires, A., Robbins, M., & Rollins, E. (2014)
The Mere Presence of a Cell Phone May Be Distracting.
Social Psychology, 45(6), 479–488.
Key finding:
Participants performed worse on attention-demanding tasks when a cell phone was present.
Beland, L. P., & Murphy, R. (2016)
Ill Communication: Technology, Distraction & Student Performance.
Labour Economics, 41, 61–76.
Key finding:
Schools that restricted smartphone use experienced measurable improvements in student academic performance.
Sana, F., Weston, T., & Cepeda, N. J. (2013)
Laptop Multitasking Hinders Classroom Learning for Both Users and Nearby Peers.
Computers & Education, 62, 24–31.
Key finding:
Digital distractions reduce learning for both the user and students nearby, demonstrating that device distractions affect the entire learning environment.
OECD (2024)
PISA 2022 Results: Students, Digital Devices and Learning.
Key finding:
Students who experienced frequent digital distractions at school generally demonstrated lower academic performance and reduced classroom engagement.
Phone-free spaces give students something far more valuable than a place to put their devices—they give them the opportunity to be fully present. Whether in the classroom, at home, or with friends, reducing phone distractions creates more time for learning, laughter, meaningful conversations, and real-life experiences that support healthy brain development.
Every hour you spend practicing something helps shape who you become. Whether it’s playing an instrument, coding, painting, writing, sports, reading, or building something new, consistent practice builds skills that last a lifetime. The challenge is that time spent on recreational screens is time that can’t be spent developing your talents. Your future is shaped by what you practice today.
Research has found that:
Every choice about how we spend our time is also a choice about what we are training our brains to do.
Ericsson, K. A., Krampe, R. T., & Tesch-Römer, C. (1993)
The Role of Deliberate Practice in the Acquisition of Expert Performance.
Psychological Review, 100(3), 363–406.
Key finding:
Expert performance develops through years of focused, deliberate practice rather than talent alone.
Note: While Malcolm Gladwell popularized the “10,000-hour rule,” Ericsson later clarified that 10,000 hours is not a magic number. The broader scientific principle is that expertise comes from sustained, high-quality deliberate practice, and the amount of practice varies by person and activity.
Draganski, B., et al. (2004)
Neuroplasticity: Changes in Grey Matter Induced by Training.
Nature, 427, 311–312.
Key finding:
Learning new skills produces measurable structural changes in the brain, demonstrating that the brain physically adapts to practice.
Mueller, P. A., & Oppenheimer, D. M. (2014)
The Pen Is Mightier Than the Keyboard.
Psychological Science, 25(6), 1159–1168.
Key finding:
Deep learning requires active engagement and practice rather than passive exposure to information.
Common Sense Media (2021)
The Common Sense Census: Media Use by Tweens and Teens.
Key finding:
American teenagers average approximately 8½ hours of entertainment screen media each day, not including schoolwork.
Hillman, C. H., Erickson, K. I., & Kramer, A. F. (2008)
Be Smart, Exercise Your Heart: Exercise Effects on Brain and Cognition.
Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 9(1), 58–65.
Key finding:
Regular physical activity improves attention, memory, learning, and overall brain health.
The brain becomes stronger at whatever it practices most often. Every hour spent learning, creating, moving, reading, solving problems, or building relationships is an investment in the person you’re becoming. Screens can entertain you for a moment—but your dreams are built through practice, persistence, and purpose.
Smartphones can be useful tools, but they should never become barriers to real life. Excessive phone and social media use can crowd out face-to-face relationships, hobbies, physical activity, sleep, and other experiences that support healthy brain development and emotional well-being. Choosing connection over constant screen time helps students build happier, healthier, and more meaningful lives.
Research has found that excessive smartphone and social media use may be associated with:
The strongest evidence suggests that balance matters. Healthy technology habits leave plenty of time for friendships, family, learning, movement, creativity, and sleep.
Twenge, J. M., Joiner, T. E., Rogers, M. L., & Martin, G. N. (2018)
Increases in Depressive Symptoms, Suicide-Related Outcomes, and Suicide Rates Among U.S. Adolescents After 2010 and Links to Increased New Media Screen Time.
Clinical Psychological Science, 6(1), 3–17.
Key finding:
Higher levels of new media screen use were associated with greater depressive symptoms and lower psychological well-being among adolescents.
Keles, B., McCrae, N., & Grealish, A. (2020)
A Systematic Review: The Influence of Social Media on Depression, Anxiety and Psychological Distress in Adolescents.
International Journal of Adolescence and Youth, 25(1), 79–93.
Key finding:
Many studies found associations between heavy social media use and increased symptoms of anxiety, depression, and psychological distress in adolescents.
Odgers, C. L., & Jensen, M. R. (2020)
Annual Research Review: Adolescent Mental Health in the Digital Age.
Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 61(3), 336–348.
Key finding:
Digital technology has both benefits and risks. Excessive or problematic use appears to present the greatest challenges for adolescent well-being, highlighting the importance of balanced use.
Carter, B., et al. (2016)
Association Between Portable Screen-Based Media Device Access or Use and Sleep Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.
JAMA Pediatrics, 170(12), 1202–1208.
Key finding:
Evening screen use was associated with poorer sleep quality and shorter sleep duration in children and adolescents.
Twenge, J. M., & Campbell, W. K. (2018)
Associations Between Screen Time and Lower Psychological Well-Being Among Children and Adolescents.
Preventive Medicine Reports, 12, 271–283.
Key finding:
Higher recreational screen time was associated with lower psychological well-being, reduced self-control, and lower curiosity.
Life happens beyond the screen. Every hour spent talking with a friend, learning a new skill, playing a sport, reading a book, helping someone else, or simply enjoying the world around you helps build a healthier brain and a more meaningful life. Phones are valuable tools, but your greatest experiences—and your greatest growth—happen when you are fully present in the real world.
Childhood is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to build a strong brain. As children grow, their brains develop best through face-to-face relationships, outdoor play, reading, creativity, movement, and meaningful responsibilities—not constant digital entertainment. The ScreenStrong Journey encourages families to introduce technology gradually and intentionally, giving children the time they need to develop healthy habits, strong relationships, and lifelong resilience.
Research has found that:
The goal is not to avoid technology forever. The goal is to introduce it in ways that support, rather than compete with, healthy childhood development.
National Scientific Council on the Developing Child (Harvard University)
The Foundations of Lifelong Health Are Built in Early Childhood.
Key finding:
Early experiences—including nurturing relationships, play, language, and responsive caregiving—build the architecture of the developing brain.
Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University
Brain Architecture.
Key finding:
The brain develops through repeated experiences and relationships. Positive experiences strengthen neural connections that support lifelong learning and health.
Casey, B. J., Jones, R. M., & Hare, T. A. (2008)
The Adolescent Brain.
Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1124, 111–126.
Key finding:
The prefrontal cortex—the part of the brain responsible for judgment, planning, and self-control—continues developing well into young adulthood.
Giedd, J. N. (2008)
The Teen Brain: Insights from Neuroimaging.
Journal of Adolescent Health, 42(4), 335–343.
Key finding:
Adolescence is a period of remarkable brain growth, making healthy experiences especially important during these years.
American Academy of Pediatrics
Media and Young Minds (2016) and Media Use in School-Aged Children and Adolescents (2016).
Key finding:
Children benefit from balancing media use with sleep, physical activity, learning, family interaction, and unstructured play.
World Health Organization (2019)
Guidelines on Physical Activity, Sedentary Behaviour and Sleep for Children Under 5 Years of Age.
Key finding:
Young children thrive when screen time is limited and balanced with movement, sleep, and interactive play.
Hillman, C. H., Erickson, K. I., & Kramer, A. F. (2008)
Be Smart, Exercise Your Heart: Exercise Effects on Brain and Cognition.
Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 9(1), 58–65.
Key finding:
Regular physical activity supports learning, attention, memory, and overall brain health throughout childhood and adolescence.
Children only experience childhood once. The habits they develop during these years shape their brains, relationships, character, and future opportunities. By protecting childhood and introducing technology thoughtfully, families can give children the strongest possible foundation for lifelong learning, healthy relationships, and emotional well-being.
The brain is not fully developed until around age 25. (NCBI)
Activities you do as a child changes your brain. (Zero to Three)
The brain will prune pathways that are not being used. (Heathline) (YouTube—Neuronal Pruning)
Four critical factors for healthy development and learning are movement, touch, human connection, and nature (Rowan C 2010, Insel R 2001, Korkman M 2001)
The past decade has seen an unprecedented rise in numbers of referrals to occupational therapists for children with disorders such as printing and reading delays, attention and learning difficulties, and significant behavior problems, which has placed the occupational therapist under considerable workload management stress (Davidson & Bressler, 2010)
American Physiotherapy Association reports two-thirds of over 400 members surveyed report they’ve seen an increase in early motor delays in infants over the past six years (Jennings J 2005).
Infants with low tone, toddlers failing to reach motor milestones, and children who are unable to pay attention or achieve basic foundation skills for literacy, are frequent visitors to pediatric physiotherapy and occupational therapy clinics. Infant flat head has increased 600% in the past 5 years (Jennings J 2005).
For healthy growth and development, caregivers should minimize the time infants (aged less than 1 year), toddlers (aged 1–2 years) and preschoolers (aged 3–4 years) spend being sedentary during waking hours. (PaticipAction & CSEP 2014)
A team of researchers from the Division of Growth and Development, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University and King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand found that infants exposed to adult TV programs since 6 months of age had higher pervasive developmental problems, oppositional defiant scores, emotional reactive problems, aggression, and externalizing behaviors (Chonchaiya 2015).
A comparative study of two different types of neonatal infant care: the use of a ‘kangaroo care’ where the infant was carried in a pouch-type device at all times by the caregiver optimizing skin-to-skin contact, and the use of traditional incubators concluded that kangaroo care had a significant positive impact on the infant’s perceptual-cognitive and motor development and on the parenting process, and speculated that kangaroo care has both a direct impact on infant development by contributing to neurophysiological organization and an indirect effect by improving parental mood, perceptions, and interactive behavior (Feldman, R 2002).
Toddlers (aged 1–2 years) and preschoolers (aged 3–4 years) should accumulate at least 180 minutes of physical activity at any intensity spread throughout the day. (PaticipAction & CSEP 2014)
Experts have warned that parents who allow babies and toddlers to access tablet computers for several hours a day are in danger of causing “dangerous” long-term effects. Children as young as four are becoming so addicted to smartphones and iPads that they require psychological treatment (Ward V, 2013).
Study shows toddler tantrum intensity associated with problematic media use. Participants included 269 toddlers (2–3 years old) and their parents, who completed several observational tasks and questionnaires. Analyses revealed that higher levels of media emotion regulation was associated with more problematic media use and more extreme emotions when media was removed in toddlers. (ScienceDirect)
The well-known Harvard Grant Study, concluded that childhood chores, hard work and meaningful relationships lead to success and happiness in life. Childhood screens should take a backseat to developing those qualities first in your student’s life. (Harvard)
”The American Academy of Pediatrics issued a policy statement in 2004 indicating that children 0 to 2 years of age should not be exposed to any form of technology, and elementary-aged children, should be limited to 1 to 2 hours technology per day. Today’s ‘Virtual Child’ is using on average four times the recommended amount of technologies, with grave and long reaching results.” (C Rowan, 2010)
Countries such as China and South Korea are seeing such an increase in technology dependence in young people that public health officials are sounding the alarm. According to Greenfield, 20% of South Korean youth are addicted to technology, making for one of the highest rates in the world. (Social Work Today)
Children use an average of 7.5 hours a day of entertainment technology (television, video games, movies, internet, cell phones, iPods and other devices). This figure does not include any educational based technologies. (Kaiser Foundation Report)
Teens spend 9 hours on screens daily (Washington Post), (WVEA). A child frequently uses 2-3 devices at a time raising actual usage to 11 hours per day (Kaiser Foundation Report).
60% of teens ages 13 to 17 say that spending too much time online is a “major” problem. (PEW)
Over 75% of children have technology in their bedrooms away from parental supervision. (Kaiser)
30% of parents do set rules around technology and of those kids 30% use it less. (Kaiser)
30% of children first play with mobile devices when in diapers (AAP)
75% of 5 year olds can use an iPad but only 10% can tie their shoes. (Daily Mail)
71% of children under the age of two have watched television. (Common Sense Media)
After just 9 min. of viewing fast-paced TV cartoons, studies showed an immediate decrease in cognitive function. (AAP)
Fast Paced cartoons can cause there’s a downside to having deficits in executive function. Watching fast-paced cartoons like SpongeBob, even for just 9 minutes, hinders abstract thinking, short-term memory and impulse control in preschoolers. “What kids watch matters, it’s not just how much they watch,” he said. They are compromised in their ability to learn and use self-control immediately after watching such shows. Our brains didn’t evolve to process things that happen at this surreal speed, so it becomes exhausting to kids’ brains,” says Dr. Dimitri Christakis, director of the center for Child Health, Behavior and Development at Seattle Children’s Hospital. (ABC News)
Children who overuse fast paced technologies such as video games, are ‘pruning’ their brains to not access their frontal lobes, known for executive function and impulse control. (Small 2008, Murray 2006)[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]
Multiple studies have shown atrophy in gray matter brain processing areas in internet/gaming addiction (Zhou 2011, Yuan 2011, Weng 2013,and Weng 2012). Areas affected included the important frontal lobe, which governs executive functions, such as planning, planning, prioritizing, organizing, and impulse control. Volume loss was also seen in the striatum, which is involved in reward pathways and the suppression of socially unacceptable impulses. A finding of particular concern was damage to an area known as the insula, which is involved in our capacity to develop empathy and compassion for others and our ability to integrate physical signals with emotion. Aside from the obvious link to violent behavior, these skills dictate the depth and quality of personal relationships.
Research has also demonstrated loss of integrity to the brain’s white matter (Lin 2012, Yuan 2011, Hong 2013 and Weng 2013). “Spotty” white matter translates into loss of communication within the brain, including connections to and from various lobes of the same hemisphere, links between the right and left hemispheres, and paths between higher (cognitive) and lower (emotional and survival) brain centers. White matter also connects networks from the brain to the body and vice versa. Interrupted connections may slow down signals, “short-circuit” them, or cause them to be erratic (“misfire”).
PET scan studies showed that technology use of greater than 5 hours per day was consistent with neurological “pruning” of tracks to the frontal cortex, known for executive functioning and impulse control (Gentile D 2009).
Graphic imaging studies highlight how gray matter, the working tissue of the brain’s cortex, diminishes, likely reflecting the pruning of unused neuronal connections during the teen years (Thompson, 2004).
Hong and colleagues found reduced cortical thickness in internet-addicted teen boys (Hong 2013), and Yuan et al found reduced cortical thickness in the frontal lobe of online gaming addicts correlated with impairment of a cognitive task (Yuan 2013).
Imaging studies have found less efficient information processing and reduced impulse inhibition and increased sensitivity to rewards and insensitivity to loss (Dong & Devito 2013), as well as abnormal spontaneous brain activity associated with poor task performance in youth who have internet addiction (Yuan 2011).
Proportion of gun use in TV violence statistically parallels U.S. gun homicide trends. (ScienceDaily)
Media violence has been categorized as a ‘public health risk’ in the US due to extensive research documenting links to aggression in both the toddler and the child populations. (Anderson 2007, Christakis 2007, Huesmann 2007)
A meta-analysis examined 380 studies that involved over 130,000 participants showing media violence causes aggression (Markman, 2010).
The American Academy of Pediatrics in 2016 released a policy statement called Virtual Violence regarding the causal impact of violent media content on consequent aggressive behavior, recommending no violent media exposure for children less than 6 years of age, and no first person online shooter games for ANY child (AAP 2016).
Today’s children experience screen violence on many different platforms, including computers, video games, and touch-screen devices, in addition to longstanding platforms, such as televisions. Increasingly, media researchers and pediatricians refer to children’s “media diets” as a way of conveying the amount and type of media that is consumed. Like food diets, media diets can be healthy or unhealthy, balanced or imbalanced, or healthy in quality but unhealthy in quantity. (AAP)
Tyrone Spellman, 27, played long hours on his Xbox, so when his 17-month-old daughter pulled on some cords and tipped the Xbox to the ground, breaking it, he become completely enraged. He struck her with such force that it “cracked her skull several times.” The autopsy too, revealed a broken arm that was at least two weeks old which social workers had failed to identify previously (CBS News, 2008).
Studies regarding the effects of violent video games on children found even violent cartoons increased aggression in 9-12 year old children. Violence is defined as doing intentional harm to another, not how graphic or gory the game is. Increased exposure to violent videogames results in more pro-violent attitudes, hostile personalities, less forgiveness, belief that violence is typical, and causes children to behave more aggressively in their everyday life (Anderson C 2007).
Young children are most vulnerable to media violence as they are more impressionable, can’t distinguish between fantasy and reality, cannot discern motives for violence, and learn by observing and imitating (Buchanan A 2002).
American Physician, Pediatrician, Psychiatrist and Psychologist Associations in 2001 declared media violence a Public Health Risk, stating violence is the leading cause of death in children (Committee on Public Education – Media Violence 2001).
Exposure to violent online games was associated with being a perpetrator as well as a perpetrator-and-victim of cyberbullying (Lam et.al., 2013).
A study on prosocial, neutral and violent video game usage in college students indicated that prosocial games reduced state hostility and increased positive state affect. Violent video games had the opposite effects. These effects were moderated by trait physical aggression (Saleem et.al., 2012).
A longitudinal study of the association between violent video game play and aggressive behavior in adolescents has reported that sustained violent video game play was significantly related to steeper increases in adolescents’ trajectory of aggressive behavior over time. Moreover, greater violent video game play predicted higher levels of aggression over time, after controlling for previous levels of aggression, supporting the socialization hypothesis (Willoughby et al., 2012).
Through intensive video game play, elements from the game world can trigger thoughts and imagery outside the game world, influencing the perception and interpretation of stimuli in everyday life (Poels 2015).
Game Transfer Phenomena, where the player transfers visual and auditory imagery and behaviors from the virtual to the real, is reported to affect 30-40% of gamers (Ortiz de Gortari, Aronsson, & Griffiths, 2011, Ortiz de Gortari & Griffiths, 2014), putting into question possible associations to the current rise in mass killings.
3-D gaming increases anger because the players felt more immersed in the violence when they played violent games. As the technology in video games improves, it has the ability to have stronger effects on players (Grabmeier 2015).
Media exposure is now often active, meaning the user is more immersed and more participatory in the gaming experience (Dunckley 2015).
Six hundred and seven 8th- and 9th-grade students from four schools participated in a study examining the effects of violent video game habits on adolescent hostility, aggressive behaviors, and school performance. Adolescents who expose themselves to greater amounts of video game violence were more hostile, reported getting into arguments with teachers more frequently, were more likely to be involved in physical fights, and performed more poorly in school (Gentile et.al., 2004).
The evidence strongly suggests that exposure to violent video games is a causal risk factor for increased aggressive behavior, aggressive cognition, and aggressive affect and for decreased empathy and prosocial behaviour (Moore, 2010)
In the short term, media violence can increase aggression by priming aggressive thoughts and decision processes increasing physiological arousal, and triggering a tendency to imitate observed behaviors. In the long-term, repeated exposure can produce lasting increases in aggressive thought patterns and aggression-supporting beliefs about social behaviors, and can reduce individuals normal negative emotional responses to violence (Anderson C 2003).
Lieutenant Colonel Dave Grossman is the nation’s kill specialist, a retired West Point psychology professor and author of many books including: On Killing: The Psychological Cost of Learning to Kill in War and Society, Stop Teaching Our Kids to Kill: A Call to Action Against TV, Movie and Video Game Violence, The Assassination Generation, and more. He explains why we are drawn to watch violence. “Survival in nature has always depended on the human brain adapting quickly to changes in the environment, and violence is the ultimate survival data… If there is violence in their environment [like a schoolyard fight or media violence], children are driven to witness it so they can adapt to it as quickly as possible.”
“There is a biological impact of violent video games on developing human brains,” Grossman says. “Social learning, role models, and our powerful innate need to search for survival data all combine to make violent video games attractive, addictive, and extraordinarily powerful tools to train our children to become violent human beings.”
Source: Are Video Games Making Our Kids More Violent? and Assassination Generation: Video Games, Aggression, and the Psychology of Killing, pg. 60
See also: Chronology of Findings, Statements, and Actions on Media Violence (excerpt from Assassination Generation by Lt. Col. Dave Grossman)
“Children not only learn to read more quickly when they first learn to write by hand, but they also remain better able to generate ideas and retain information. In other words, it’s not just what we write that matters — but how.” (NY Times)
According to a study conducted by the University of Washington, learning to print, write in cursive, and type on a keyboard all contribute to brain development in students. But instruction in cursive writing in particular seems to produce the greatest neurological effects.
The key difference is that cursive writing stimulates brain synapses and the synchronicity between both sides of the brain, unlike printing or typing. William Klemm, senior professor of neuroscience at Texas A&M University, states, “Handwriting (cursive writing) dynamically engages widespread areas of both cerebral hemispheres.” He references brain scans taken during handwriting that show activation of extensive regions of the brain involved in thinking, language, and working memory.
Handwriting expert Jeanette Farmer provides a strong argument for setting aside time for cursive instruction. “Handwriting has a physiological/psychological link in the brain,” she states. “This link is so strong that nothing else done in the classroom can begin to compare with the powerful impact that repetitively manipulating the thumb and fingers over time has on the young brain.” (We Are Teachers)
Teachers spend an average 14 minutes per day teaching handwriting, far less than the 45 minutes per day spent in the 60’s and 70’s, and slightly less than the 15 minutes per day mandated in the 80’s. A US study by Steven Graham reports that 90% of US primary school teachers’ college education did not adequately prepare them to provide lessons in penmanship, and therefore do not devote much time to teaching printing. Textbooks offer less information on teaching printing, and universities have less instruction. Handwriting teaching methods and methods for student evaluation are inconsistent and non-standardized. 100% of the 169 primary teachers who participated in this study reported they thought printing should be taught as a separate subject (Graham S 2008).
Another study by Graham documents that in 1996 70% of teachers indicated that handwriting was “not as good as it should be”, and expressed concern regarding the “downward plunge in the standards of handwriting legibility required of elementary school children”. Authors also state that students who have difficulty with automaticity of writing, thus achieving poor quality and quantity of written output, results in avoidance and minimization of the writing process. Authors state that for beginning writers, both visual and verbal modeling appears to be the most effective means of introducing a letter prior to practice i.e. the teacher demonstrates how a letter is made while describing how it is formed (Graham S et al 1993). Graham goes on to report in 2000 study how poor ability to produce quality and quantity of written output can result in a long term disability in written expression (Graham S et al 2000).
In Steven Graham’s 2006 book Handbook of Handwriting Research, this meta-analysis concludes that printing strategy instruction is effective in improving student’s writing performance in the areas of quality, elements, length, and revisions, with results maintained over time and generalized to new tasks and situations.
Steven Graham’s 2007 book Best Practices in Handwriting Instruction draws the correlation between poor printing and subsequent difficulty with spelling, sentence composition, math, science and any subject requiring printing skill. Graham states “Failure to develop legible and automatic letter and word formation interferes with content in writing.” and “Because of the excessive labor and unattractive results involved in such writing, students are more likely to avoid or minimize the process when possible”. Graham instructs that for beginners, both visual and verbal modeling is the most effective means of introducing a letter prior to practice.
Brain scans show that more of the areas of the brain associated with memory formation are activated when writing than when typing (Darling, 2014).
An Australian cross sectional study was conducted in order to look at the trend in children’s after school activities. Out of 2,940 reports of children’s activities, 25% involved physical activity, including organized sports and free play. 51% of activities were sedentary in nature. Among sedentary activities, television and screen time were the most commonly reported. 81% of activities were indoor activities. Outdoor activities were more likely to be active than indoor activities (69% vs. 14%). (Engelen et. Al., 2014).
Research published in the journal Pediatrics found that kids who engaged in a regular physical activity program had improved cognitive performance and brain function. (Mercola October 2014)
Child access to ‘green space’ for 20 minutes a day significantly reduces ADHD and 20 minutes of cardio exercise per day significantly increases attention. (Kuo 2004, Ratey 2008)
A boy who spent an entire day kneeling down playing computer games needed hospital treatment for a blood clot in his leg (BBC News, 2004).
These environmental changes are faster than human being’s ability to adapt and evolve. Children who immerse themselves in virtual reality may exhibit signs of sensory deprivation, as they become disconnected from the world of physical play and meaningful interactions (Tannock M 2008).
Scottish study reports toddlers aged 3 years engaged in only 20 minutes per day of moderate to vigorous physical activity, which correlated with a decline in total energy expenditure and sedentary behavior. Study identifies TV, video games, strollers as “culprits” (Reilly J 2004).
Delayed vestibular maturation correlates significantly with sensory integrative dysfunctions, slow vision processing, impaired hearing, and reading disability (Solan H 2007).
Developing children require 2-3 hours per day of active rough and tumble play to achieve adequate stimulation to the vestibular, proprioceptive, tactile and attachment systems (National Association for Sport and Physical Education 2002). This type of sensory input ensures normal development of posture, bilateral coordination and optimal arousal states necessary for attainment of printing and reading literacy (Schaff R 2007, Braswell J 2006, Rine R, 2004).
On cognitive testing, adult musicians and musically trained children showed enhanced performance on several aspects of executive functioning. On fMRI, the children with musical training showed enhanced activation of specific areas of the prefrontal cortex during a test that made them switch between mental tasks. These areas, the supplementary motor area, the pre-supplementary area and the right ventrolateral prefrontal cortex, are known to be linked to executive function. (ScienceDaily)
Overuse of TV and video games may result in children lacking essential connection with themselves, others and nature. Child now fear nature, limiting outdoor play which is essential for achieving sensory and motor development (Louv R 2005).
Prison inmates spend more time outside than the average child. (Fee)
Many of today’s parents perceive outdoor play is ‘unsafe’, even though most crimes against children are instigated by family members, limiting essential developmental components usually attained in outdoor rough and tumble play. (Burdette H 2005)
The health effects of “forest bathing”, or taking walks in the woods, are measured in several recent studies. Subjects in a study by Qing Li and his colleagues take a walk in a forest park in Saitama prefecture, north of Tokyo, Japan, in September 2010. The sample size is small, but the results indicate that time spent in forests may have such salutary effects as lowered blood pressure and noradrenaline levels (Philips, 2001).
There is a positive correlation between physical activity and seven categories of cognitive performance: perceptual skills, intelligence quotient, achievement, verbal tests, math tests, developmental level, and academic readiness. Studies show that a reduction of 240 minutes per week of academic class time, replaced with increased time for PE, led to higher math scores. Adding PE time alone does not improve grades, it is vigorous exercise that improves cognition e.g. climbing walls, exercise bikes, tread mills, dancing (Ratey J 2008).
Reading for pleasure at 15 is a top predictor for academic & life success. (Renaissance)
Patricia Greenfield, distinguished professor of psychology at UCLA, analyzed more than 50 studies on learning and points out that reading for pleasure among young people has decreased in recent decades, which is problematic because “studies show that reading develops imagination, induction, reflection and critical thinking, as well as vocabulary…in a way that visual media such as video games and television do not.” (TIME)
Between kindergarten and twelfth grade students with an average daily reading time of 30+ minutes are projected to encounter 13.7 million words. At graduation, their peers who averaged less than 15 minutes of reading per day are likely to be exposed to only 1.5 million words. The difference is more than 12 million words. (Renaissance)
See also: Proust and the Squid: The Story and Science of the Reading Brain by Maryanne Wolf
Comparative study of digital (screen) reading vs. print reading reports the following problems with screen reading:
Literacy is defined as competency in handwriting, reading, math and communication skill. A foundation in spoken language competence in the early years, is important for the successful achievement of literacy, academic and social competence. Printing is a precursor to reading and speech fluency, and poor handwriting skill is related to language disorders. Motor planning required for automatic letter production when printing “maps” the sensorimotor cortex for eventual visual letter recognition for reading, and word finding for oral sentence production (Shanahan T 2007, Goldberg E 1999, Tomblin B 2006).
In the U.S., more than eight million students in grades 4-12 read below grade level, and while they can decode, they cannot comprehend what they read. Between 1971 and 2004, the reading level of America’s 17 year olds showed no improvement at all. 40% of high school graduates lack the literacy skills employers seek. Early exposure to print is largest predictor of reading ability (National Center for Education Statistics 2005).
Children who cannot print are illiterate. Teacher misperception that the computer will replace the need to print, is unfounded and shortsighted. Slow printing speed resulting from inadequate teaching of letter and number formation, impacts on every subject and is the leading cause of illiteracy (Rowan C 2010).
The Psychology of How Mind-Wandering and “Positive Constructive Daydreaming” Boost Our Creativity and Social Skills (Brain Pickings).
Scott Barry Kaufman, NYU psychology professor and author of Ungifted: Intelligence Redefined wrote that mind-wandering can offer significant personal rewards: “These rewards include self- awareness, creative incubation, improvisation and evaluation, memory consolidation, autobiographical planning, goal driven thought, future planning, retrieval of deeply personal memories, reflective consideration of the meaning of events and experiences, simulating the perspective of another person, evaluating the implications of self and others’ emotional reactions, moral reasoning, and reflective compassion… From this personal perspective, it is much easier to understand why people are drawn to mind wandering and willing to invest nearly 50 percent of their waking hours engaged in it.” (HuffPost)
“We all – adults and children, writers and readers – have an obligation to daydream. We have an obligation to imagine. It is easy to pretend that nobody can change anything, that we are in a world in which society is huge and the individual is less than nothing: an atom in a wall, a grain of rice in a rice field. But the truth is, individuals change their world over and over, individuals make the future, and they do it by imagining that things can be different.” (Neil Gaiman)
“There are countless research studies showing that kids who are more involved in extracurriculars fair better on just about every conceivable metric— they earn better grades, have higher self-esteem, are less likely to get in trouble and so forth…[t]hese longer-term studies come to the same conclusion: more participation in activities predicts better outcomes.” (Duckworth 2016)
One study found that: youths who participated in organized activities for 2 years demonstrated more favorable educational and civic outcomes in young adulthood than those who participated for 1 year. More intensive participation was also associated with greater educational, civic, and occupational success in young adulthood particularly among youths who participated in activities for 2 years…[o]f note, analyses revealed that both temporal measures of participation were positively associated with young adult outcomes as many as 8 years after high school. (NCBI)
The number of overweight or obese infants/young children aged 0-5 increased from 32 million globally in 1990, to 42 million in 2013 (WHO, 2014).
Early childhood screen overuse can cause irreversible lifelong problems including obesity due to the sedentary nature of screen activities. New research found that obese children had a thinner pre-frontal cortex than normal weight children. The thinner cortex could be a factor in the decreased executive function earlier studies observed among children with higher BMI. The new study confirmed that the obese subjects in the study had poorer working memory compared with normal weight children. (NCBI)
Sedentary lifestyle is resulting in one in three children with developmental delay, and one in six children with obesity at school entry. (Kershaw P 2009)
Professor Andrew Prentice told the British Association’s science festival in Leicester that due to the secondary effects of obesity on child cardiovascular systems and potential for diabetes, the 21st century generation may be the first generation to not outlive their parents (BBC News, 2002).
There is a large body of evidence from all study designs which suggests that decreasing any type of sedentary time is associated with lower health risk in youth aged 5-17 years. In particular, the evidence suggests that daily TV viewing in excess of 2 hours is associated with reduced physical and psychosocial health, and that lowering sedentary time leads to reductions in BMI (Tremblay et al., 2011).
TV and video game use accounts for 60% of childhood obesity, and is now considered a North American ‘epidemic’ (Tremblay M 2005, Strauss R 2001).
Health care providers are finding more and more children with type 2 diabetes, a disease usually diagnosed in adults aged 40 years or older (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2010).
Health study intervention lowered obesity rate in youth at high diabetes risk. Interventions included healthier food choices, longer, more intense periods of physical activity, and participation in activities that promoted long-term healthy behaviors (National Institute of Health, 2010).
Climbing obesity rates in European countries have lead a team of child health experts to recommend placing obese children in foster care, citing that parents of obese children are negligent in some way as to have indicated that the parents have caused their child’s obesity. By neglecting to identify child technology overuse as a causal link to obesity, these experts are subjecting whole families to what might be an unnecessary and uncalled for traumatic and catastrophic event (Vilner R, 2010).
One in four adults wake up at least once during the night to check their smartphones. One in three teens do the same. (Common Sense Media)
Biological sleep patterns shift toward later times for both sleeping and waking during adolescence — meaning it is natural to not be able to fall asleep before 11:00 pm.
Teens need about 8 to 10 hours of sleep each night to function best. Most teens do not get enough sleep — one study found that only 15% reported sleeping 8 1/2 hours on school nights.
Teens tend to have irregular sleep patterns across the week — they typically stay up late and sleep in late on the weekends, which can affect their biological clocks and hurt the quality of their sleep.
Despite concerns about screen media potentially disrupting sleep, many children watch TV or videos, play games, or use screen media for other purposes in the hour before bedtime. (Common Sense Media)
For teens, not getting enough sleep or having sleep difficulties can:
Source: The Sleep Foundation
“The evening when children should be finishing homework or reading a book or cuddling with their parents is now used for screen time or gaming. They are given a reward for finishing the day. It takes away from ideal sleep.” —Dr. Kenneth Weeks
According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology (2014), 42% of the U.S. population has myopia.
Myopia is associated with potentially blinding complications such as glaucoma, retinal detachment, and myopic macular degeneration.
Eye experts attribute the alarming rise of myopia or nearsightedness to the overuse of handheld devices (Yang, 2013).
Dr. Liu, head of the new Myopia Control Clinic at UC Berkeley’s School of Optometry states children are particularly vulnerable to developing myopia because of their high tablet usage as their eyes are still developing and may begin to interpret nearsightedness as a normal state (Liu, 2013).
Research shows increasing time spent outdoors may be a simple strategy by which to reduce the risk of developing myopia and its progression in children and adolescents. Myopia is irreversible (Sherwin et al., 2012).
There’s a 49% increase risk of expressive speech delay for every 30 min of screen time. (Science Daily)
One in five toddlers have speech and language delays associated with overexposure to television, and Dr. Sally Ward recommends improving quality and quantity of communication with parents to optimize speech and language acquisition (Ward S 2004).
Dimitri Christakis, pediatric researcher at Children’s Hospital and Regional Medical Center in Seattle, reports that children learn language skills largely from verbal interactions with their parents. In his recent 2009 study where he used digital recorders on both parents and children in their homes, Dr. Christakis found that adults typically utter approximately 941 words per hour, yet these adult words are almost completely eliminated when television is audible to the child. Dr. Christakis found that each hour of audible television was associated with significant reductions in child vocalizations, vocalization duration, and conversational turns. On average, each additional hour of television exposure was also associated with a decrease of 770 words the child heard from an adult during the recording session. Since 30 percent of American households now report having the television always on, even when no one is watching, researchers report these findings have grave implications for language acquisition and therefore perhaps even early brain development (Christakis, 2009).
Researchers found that the heart’s capacity for friendship obeys the biological law “use it or lose it”, and when humans don’t engage in face to face interaction, they actually lose the biological ability to do so (Frederickson, 2013).
A study on the effect of background television on the quantity and quality of parental speech directed at toddlers has found that background TV reduced words per minute, utterances per minute, and number of new words (Pempek et.al., 2014).
In a study conducted on the Use of Therapeutic Robot Companions as Social Agents for Reducing Pain and Anxiety in Pediatric Patients, Dr. Okita reports that when a child and parent were together during robot therapy sessions, the patients’ pain ratings decreased significantly. There were no differences in the pain ratings when the child interacted with the robot animal without the parent present (Okita, 2013.)
A recent study revealed that 20% of parents did not know how to “play” with their children, and one third of parents found play “boring” (Guardian News, 2010).
Parent time spent connected to various forms of technologies is disconnecting them from forming healthy, primary attachments with their children. This parent-child “disconnection” is a major contributing factor to the reported increased incidence of mental diagnoses (Flores P 2004).
Too many parents are distracted by mobile devices when they should be watching their kids, causing a recent rise in injuries of 12% between 2007 and 2010, after falling for much of the prior decade, according to the most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Worthen, 2012).
40 out of 55 parents were observed to use their cell phones during a restaurant meal, and highly absorbed parents responded more harshly to child behavior (Radesky 2014).
95% of children report they would rather go outside and play than use technology (participACTION 2013).
Parents who stay in touch with their university aged children using social networking (texts, email, Facebook), have children who are more anxious, lonely and who indicate loneliness, anxious attachment, as well as conflict within the parental relationship, than children who’s parents stay in touch by phone (Gentzler, 2010).
Dr. Montagu reports that when children lack touch and human connection, they may respond by ‘turning in’ (anxiety, depression) or ‘turning out’ (aggression) (Montagu A 1972).
Dr. Larry Rosen, American professor of psychology reports that our obsession with technology is causing an epidemic of psychological disorders, with social networking related to narcissism, and texting to obsessive compulsive disorder and ADHD (Naish, 2013).
Research shows that with increased technology use, including discussion forums & social media, at the consequence of face-to-face, human interaction, we lose empathy and our humanity (CLBB & Boston Society for Neurology and Psychiatry, 2013).
Teens who visit social-networking sites every day but see their friends in person less frequently are the most likely to agree with the statements “A lot of times I feel lonely,” “I often feel left out of things,” and “I often wish I had more good friends.” Teens’ feelings of loneliness spiked in 2013 and have remained high since.
Forty-eight percent more girls said they often felt left out in 2015 than in 2010, compared with 27 percent more boys. Girls use social media more often, giving them additional opportunities to feel excluded and lonely when they see their friends or classmates getting together without them.
The more time teens spend looking at screens, the more likely they are to report symptoms of depression. Eighth-graders who are heavy users of social media increase their risk of depression by 27 percent.
Teens who spend three hours a day or more on electronic devices are 35 percent more likely to have a risk factor for suicide, such as making a suicide plan.
Since 2007, the homicide rate among teens has declined, but the suicide rate has increased. As teens have started spending less time together, they have become less likely to kill one another, and more likely to kill themselves. In 2011, for the first time in 24 years, the teen suicide rate was higher than the teen homicide rate.
Source: The Atlantic. Condensed from Dr. Jean Twenge’s research.
Teens who spend five or more hours per day on their devices are considered heavy users. These heavy users are 71% more likely to have one risk factor for suicide. (NPR)
Heavy screen users are 48% to 171% more likely to be unhappy, to be in low in well-being, or to have suicide risk factors such as depression, suicidal ideation, or past suicide attempts. Heavy users were twice as likely to report having attempted suicide. (NCBI)
Every hour of technology use per day is associated with a 10% increased risk of attention problems. (CDK)
ADHD should be re-termed “attention inconsistency”, as these children have episodic attention ability. Attention Restorative Theory has three tenants: 1) attention ability is subject to fatigue and restoration 2) voluntary and interesting tasks are less fatiguing than involuntary and uninteresting tasks 3) attention ability is subject to environment modifications (Kaplan S 1995).
The rise of A.D.H.D. diagnoses and prescriptions for stimulants over the years coincided with a remarkably successful two-decade campaign by pharmaceutical companies to publicize the syndrome and promote the pills to doctors, educators and parents. With the children’s market booming, the industry is now employing similar marketing techniques as it focuses on adult A.D.H.D., which could become even more profitable (Schwarz, 2013).
ADD/ADHD has become an epidemic in the last 30 years. Now one in seven boys has received this diagnosis by the time he reaches the age of 18, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Peper 2014)
50% of children on ADHD stimulant medication get depressed and are prescribed antidepressants, and 50% develop obsessive compulsive disorder, which looks like a manic phase of bipolar disorder and are often prescribed lithium. (Breggin P 2008)
Study investigating sensory over-responsivity in children with ADHD shows substantiated links between sensory over-responsivity and anxiety, in both typical and ADHD children. Results suggest that ADHD should be considered in conjunction with anxiety and sensory responsivity; both may be related to bottom-up processing differences, and deficits in prefrontal cortex/hippocampal synaptic gating (Lane, S 2010).
Inattention was greater in ADHD than SMD, while SMD had more sensory issues, somatic complaints, anxiety/depression, and difficulty adapting than ADHD, as well as greater physiological/electrodermal reactivity to sensory stimuli than ADHD. Evidence suggests ADHD and SMD are distinct diagnoses (Miller LJ 2012).
Exposure to “green space” results in a significant reduction in ADHD, in both areas of impulse control and attention ability. Nature not only has attention restorative benefits, but also activates all the senses to enhance multi-sensory learning ability (Faber-Taylor A 2001, Kuo F 2004).
Studies have shown that access to “green space” for 20 minutes per day significantly reduced ADHD symptoms, yet drug use continues to climb. Inner city children suffer from ADHD at three times the rate of children in rural areas (Kuo F 2004).
Sensory Processing Disorder affects 1 in 20 children (SPDF Foundation)
The ability of a child to adapt to sensory responses in their environments emerges early in life as a protective and discriminative mechanism, and as children grow they typically become better at tolerating uncomfortable sensory stimuli by applying strategies to self regulate. Sensory over-responsivity reflects a failure to achieve a balance between sensitization and habituation, and can affect many aspects of a child’s life in both home and school settings. A study long term study looked at infants with sensory over-responsivity when they entered the school system and found that early sensory sensitivities were associated with sensory over-reactivity status at school-age (Ben-Sasson, 2010). Technology overuse may result in sensory over-reactivity (Rowan, 2010).
Children with photosensitivity have increased risk of epilepsy when using video games or other high speed visual technologies (Singh R 2004 and Kasteleijn-Nolst Trenite DG 2002).
15% of elementary-aged children are now taking some form of psychotropic medication, such as stimulants, anti-depressants, anti-anxiety and anti-psychotics despite mounting research indicating psychotropic medication is not effective, in many cases proven harmful and in some cases is actually fatal. (Zito J, et.al, Raine ADHD Study)
A French study used to explore the association between Internet addiction symptoms, body image esteem, body image avoidance, and disordered eating found that body image avoidance was associated with Internet addiction symptoms among both genders. Controlling for body–mass index, Internet addiction symptoms, and body image avoidance were both significant predictors of disordered eating among women. These findings support the self-presentational theory of Internet addiction and suggest that body image avoidance is an important factor (Rodgers et.al, 2013).
Facebook usage by teen girls was significantly correlated with weight dissatisfaction, drive for thinness, thin ideal internalization, and self-objectification (Meier, 2013).
The DSM-5 suggests that IGD may be identified by five or more of the following criteria within a 12-month period. These criteria include:
Source: American Academy of Pediatrics
Compared with healthy subjects, Online Gaming Addicts (OGA) individuals showed significant gray matter atrophy in the right orbitofrontal cortex, bilateral insula, and right supplementary motor area. According to tract-based spatial statistics analysis, OGA subjects had significantly reduced FA in the right genu of corpus callosum, bilateral frontal lobe white matter, and right external capsule (Weng et al., 2013).
Persuasive design of technology includes built-in elements to keep students hooked on certain entertainment technologies which become hard to resist during class time. One of these elements is the lack of stoppage cues, the natural stopping point for non-addictive screens. (Medium)
In 2018, the World Health Organization listed Internet Gaming Disorder as an official diagnosis.
8.5% of gamers (ages 8 to 18) are clinically addicted to playing video games. (Washington Post)
Gamers can be risky, unsafe drivers. (NHPR)
Forty-one percent of people who play online video games admitted that they played computer games as an escape from the real world. (Hussain)
People who have higher levels of trait anxiety, aggressive behavior, and neuroticism are at a higher risk for video game addiction. (Mehroof)
The same regions of the brain that are activated when craving occur in alcohol and drug addicts are also activated in video game addicts when they see images of computer games. (Ko)
In a study examining the amount of time spent playing video games and indicators of positive and negative psychosocial adjustment. Lower playing time was associated with higher life satisfaction and prosocial behavior and lower externalizing and internalizing problems, whereas the opposite was found for high levels of play (Przybylski, 2014).
People who spend more time playing video games have more attention problems, and individuals who are more impulsive or have more attention problems subsequently spend more time playing video games (Swing et al, 2010).
12% of boys and 8% of girl video game players exhibit pathological patterns of play, and fit the DSM IV category of addiction. Study also showed that pathological gamers are twice as likely to have ADD or ADHD (Gentile D 2009).
Research on video games have shown dopamine (implicated in reward processing and addiction) is released during gaming (Koepp 1998 and Kuhn 2011) and that craving or urges for gaming produces brain changes that are similar to drug cravings (Ko 2009, Han 2011). Other findings in internet addiction include reduced numbers of dopamine receptors and transporters (Kim 2011 and Hou 2012).
A Harris Interactive Poll in the US release in April 2007 found that 8.5% of youth gamers could be classified as “pathological” or “clinically addicted” to playing video games. A British survey of gamers indicated 12% reported being “addicted”. 2.4 % of South Korea from ages 9 – 39 have video game addiction according to a government funded survey. Another 10.2% were found to be borderline cases at risk of addiction. Addiction was defined as an obsession with playing electronic games to the point of sleep deprivation, disruption of daily life and a loosening grip on reality, depression and with drawl when not playing. 10 South Koreans died in 2005 from disruption in blood circulation caused by prolonged use. S. Korea has government funded counseling and clinics for gamers. Most addictive video games are the MMORPG’s massively multiplayer online role playing games (Washington Post 2006).
Children who were more impulsive and less comfortable with other children spent more time playing video games, the study found. Two years later, these heavy gamers, who played an average of 31 hours a week, compared with 19 hours a week for other students, were more likely to suffer from depression, anxiety and social phobias (Rabin, 2011).
There have been various research studies and reports suggesting that excessive video gaming, particularly among teenagers, can have a negative impact on the development of social skills. While it’s important to note that not all studies agree on the extent or direction of this impact, here are a few research findings that indicate the potential negative effects of excessive gaming on social skills:
What about moderate, balanced gaming can offer opportunities for social interaction and skill development?
While video games can provide social interaction and teamwork opportunities, some studies suggest that boys, in particular, may not always develop the same social skills in gaming as they would through face-to-face interactions. Here are a few studies that explore this aspect:
95 percent of teens have access to a smartphone. (Pew Research Center)
The risk of smartphone addiction is highest in young people, especially females. (NCBI)
One in four youth is dealing with problematic smartphone usage. (BMC Psychiatry)
“…from a behavioral standpoint, children who use smartphones today are more isolated, less likely to play outside, more prone to anxiety, and less happy than their cohorts of even a decade ago.” (Social Work Today)
There is slightly less consensus among teens who say social media has had a mostly negative effect on people their age.
The top response (mentioned by 27% of these teens) is that social media has led to more bullying and the overall spread of rumors.
17% of these respondents feel [social media] platforms harm relationships and result in less meaningful human interactions.
Similar shares think social media distorts reality and gives teens an unrealistic view of other people’s lives (15%), or that teens spend too much time on social media (14%).
Source: The Pew Research Center
More than one in five teen drivers involved in a car accident were distracted due to smartphone use. (Carsurance)
15.6% of young drivers (ages 18-24) have admitted to texting while driving and 20% of them claim to be “not familiar at all” with their state’s texting while driving laws. This is compared with 12.2% who also reported as being “not at all familiar” with state laws. (The Zebra)
14% of fatal crashes involved the use of cell phones. (The Zebra)
14% of distracted driving deaths in driving accidents were attributed specifically to cell phone use, as opposed to other forms of distracted driving. (The Zebra)
In 2016, almost four thousand people were killed due to the actions of a distracted driver. (The Zebra)
4,637 people died in car crashes in 2018 due to cell phone use and electronic device use. (The Zebra)
3,255 = number of teen (15 to 19) drivers involved in fatal crashes in 2017. (NHTSA)
Research has found that dialing a phone number while driving increases your teen’s risk of crashing by six times, and texting while driving increases the risk by 23 times. (NHTSA)
Time spent using social media was associated with a larger number of online social network “friends.” However, time spent using social media was not associated with larger offline networks, or feeling emotionally closer to offline network members (Pollet T 2011).
A study on the effect of Facebook on negative interpersonal relationship outcomes indicate that a high level of Facebook usage is associated with negative relationship outcomes, and that these relationships are indeed mediated by Facebook-related conflict (Clayton, 2013).
A new University of Michigan study on college aged adults finds that the more they used Facebook, the worse they felt (Hu, 2013).
Survey of 3,767 grade 6, 7, 8 students who attended six schools in the US found 11% had been electronically bullied and 4% indicated they had bullied a victim in the past month. Half of the electronic bully victims reported not knowing the perpetrator’s identity (Kowalski R 2007).
Internet bullying is correlated with school behavior problems, and media literacy programs may mitigate the negative effects of electronic media on youth (Worthen M 2007).
A study examined perceptions and experiences of cyberbullying in a series of 18 focus groups conducted with young people aged 9–19 in the UK. The results suggest that cyberbullying is perceived to be problematic and serious but relatively routine part of young people’s online lives and interactions (Bryce, 2013).
Cyberbullies demonstrated less empathic responsiveness than non-cyberbullies, and were also more afraid of becoming victims of cyberbullying. The findings confirm and substantially extend the research on the relationship between empathy and aggressive behavior. From an educational point of view, the present findings suggest that training of empathy skills might be an important tool to decrease cyber bullying (Steffgen G 2011).
In 2006, 42.7% of Internet users viewed porn. (Family Safe)
Every 39 minutes a new pornographic video is being produced in the United States. (Deseret News)
First time porn viewing is now as early as 3 years old. (FND)
64% of young people, ages 13–24, actively seek out pornography weekly or more often. (FND)
Porn could have a bigger economic influence on the US than Netflix. (Quartz)
Porn sites get more visitors each month than Netflix, Amazon and Twitter combined. (Huffpost)
PornHub, the largest porn website on the internet, had 42 billion visits in 2019, which breaks down to 115 million views a day. (Forbes)
Researchers report 42% of children ages 10-17 actively use pornography, with average age of first exposure 6 years (Wolack et al., 2007).
Dr. Phil Zimbardo, a psychology professor at Stanford University, discussed the demise of guys, stating that boys are flaming out academically and wiping out socially with girls and sexually with women. Of all the activities on the Internet, porn has the most potential to be addictive. Everything in the porn user’s life is boring except porn. As a result of watching porn, boys’ brains are being digitally rewired into a never-ending desire for change, constant arousal, novelty and excitement. This creates real issues when it comes to romantic relationships that grow gradually and subtly (Baumgardner, 2013).
The rate of speed at which erotic images are delivered can alter brain chemistry and rewire the pleasure center of the brain, creating other changes in body and sexual function, including addiction and erectile dysfunction. Because an increasing amount of extreme images are sought (in part because of these brain changes), more violent and humiliating images are needed (Sellers, 2013)
Six-year-old children were acting out sex and drug scenes from Grand Theft Auto reports headteacher (The Telegraph 2014).
Children who use pornography are significantly more likely to report delinquent behavior and substance use in the previous year, as well as depression and lower levels of emotional bonding with their caregiver (Ybarra et al., 2005).
An unfortunate consequence of porn addiction is desensitization and tolerance, requiring increased intensity of stimuli to satiate craving, including prostitution and sexual depravity (children, sexual violence), (Klein 2009).
Universities are hiring rape counsellors and forming rape prevention teams due to an escalation in campus sexual violence (MacLeans 2013).
According to a survey of nearly 1,300 middle school students in Los Angeles, adolescents who sent or received sexually explicit photos or text messages were three to seven times more likely to be sexually active than their peers not involved in sexting (Goodier, 2014).
Studies show 25% of 10 year old children are sexting, 40% of teen girls (girls 2x boys) have posted or sent sexually explicit images and 80% of teens under the age of 18 have sexted. Sexted was defined as sending a nude photo of oneself (Englander, 2012).
Results demonstrate that more frequent viewing of pornography is associated with a higher incidence of hooking up and a higher number of unique hook up partners. (Braithwate et al September 2014)
Research shows at least 90% of kids between the ages of 8 and 16 have watched pornography online at least once. Boys ages 12-17 are actually the largest consumers of online porn and is actually being compared to being the drug of choice for youth (Woda, 2014).
—Continue with “How Porn Changes The Brain” by FightTheNewDrug
[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Porn consumption follows a very predictable pattern that’s eerily similar to drug use. Over time, excessive levels of “pleasure” chemicals cause the porn consumer’s brain to develop tolerance, just like the brain of a drug user. In the same way that a junkie eventually requires more and more of a drug to get a buzz or even feel normal, regular porn consumers will end up turning to porn more often or seeking out more extreme versions—or both—to feel excited again. And once the porn habit is established, quitting can even lead to withdrawal symptoms similar to drugs.
—Continue with “How Porn Affects The Brain Like A Drug” by FightTheNewDrug
82% of online sex crimes against minors started when the perpetrator used the victim’s social networking site to gain information and introduction. (Prescott)
Children can be groomed online in under 45 minutes (Telegraph)
Tech has normalized communication with strangers. (NY Times)
The number of internet child pornography images has increased 1500% since 1988. (Clancy)
624,000+ child porn traders have been discovered online in the U.S. (FND)
In 2019, Cybertipline reports included 69.1 million images, videos and other files related to child sexual exploitation. (NCMEC)
17% of Dutch adolescents surveyed reported real-life encounters with online contacts; one third of these adolescents did not tell their parents about the encounters. Low self-esteem and certain Internet-related parenting techniques were related to the prevalence of such encounters (Van Den Eijnden et al., 2011).
Damaging effects from sextortion crimes including depression, anxiety, hopelessness, fear, and suicidal thoughts. “The trauma level we see with these kids is significant,” says Catherine Connell, licensed social worker and child/adolescent forensic interviewer and program manager with the FBI. (FBI)
Games and social media platforms connected to predator arrests: Fortnite, Minecraft, Roblox, Instagram, Xbox Live, LiveMe, Omegle, Musical.ly, TikTok, Skype, Facebook Messenger, Snapchat, Twitter’s Periscope, Discord, Kik Messenger, Yubo, PlayStation, Clash of Clans, League of Legends, and more. (NY Times)
Participants who multitasked on a laptop during a lecture scored lower on a test compared to those who did not multitask, and participants who were in direct view of a multitasking peer scored lower on a test compared to those who were not. The results demonstrate that multitasking on a laptop poses a significant distraction to both users and fellow students and can be detrimental to comprehension of lecture content (Sana, 2013)
Education technology is not evidenced based, yet – whole school districts are moving rapidly toward both virtual teaching. Referred to as the “$100 curriculum in a box”, TeacherMates, XO’s and iPad are replacing teaching, referencing the teacher as a “moderator” (Fast Company, April 2010).
Schools that ban screens during school show a 6.4% increase in overall test scores (The Guardian)
While almost three quarters of pupils in the countries surveyed used computers at schools, the report by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development found technology had caused no noticeable improvement in results. (Health24)
Education psychologist and author of Failure to Connect: How Computers Affect Our Children’s Minds Jane Healy spent years doing research into computer use in schools and, while she expected to find that computers in the classroom would be beneficial, now feels that “time on the computer might interfere with development of everything from the young child’s motor skills to his or her ability to think logically and distinguish between reality and fantasy.” (TIME)
John Vallance, a Cambridge scholar and headmaster of Australia’s top K-through-12 school, Sydney Grammer, has said: “I think when people come to write the history of this period in education…this investment in classroom technology is going to be seen as a huge fraud.” (TIME)
“Where computers are used in the classroom, their impact on student performance is mixed at best…Students who use computers very frequently at school do a lot worse in most learning outcomes, even after accounting for social background and student demographics.” —OECD’s education director Andreas Schleicher. (Health24)
OECD 2015 report “Students, Computers and Learning: Making The Connection” says that even countries which have invested heavily in information and communication technologies (ICT) for education, have seen no noticeable improvement in their performances in PISA results for reading, mathematics or science (OECD 2015).
In 2012, 96% of 15-year-old students in OECD countries reported having a computer at home, but only 72% reported using one at school. Overall, students who use computers moderately at school tend to have somewhat better learning outcomes than students who use computers rarely. But students who use computers very frequently at school do much worse, even after accounting for social background and student demographics (OECD 2015).
Average final exam scores among students assigned to classrooms that allowed computers were 18 percent of a standard deviation lower than exam scores of students in classrooms that prohibited computers{Payne Carter, Greenberg, Walker, 2016).
Teens with cell phones send 440 text messages a week and 110 a week while in the classroom. (USA Today)
76% of parents say that cell phone cheating happens at their teens’ schools, but only 3% believe their own teen has ever used a cell phone to cheat. (LA Times)
In a poll conducted by Benenson Strategy Group on “Hi-Tech Cheating” the following statistics were discovered:
Screen addiction is defined as a general inability to limit time spent on entertainment screens (gaming, social media) and continue to play despite negative consequences. Warning signs include attention problems in the classroom, anxiety, falling asleep in class and inability to control impulses.
✔ Schools at all levels should routinely include education about IGD (Internet Gaming Disorder) and expand the infrastructure they have in place for other potentially problematic behaviors (drugs, alcohol, risky sex, gambling, etc.) to include problems with electronic media.
✔ Because of the consistent link between IGD and poor school performance, schools may be an excellent place for screening for IGD and for providing referrals for services when problems with IGD or related issues are uncovered.
✔ Many schools provide computers and/or encourage computer use in and out of classes, as this can have tremendous educational and practical benefit. Many schools consider “gamifying” their educational processes. What message does it send if a school supports gaming as education, in light of the real potential for the development of IGD? Schools should provide training to parents and educators to recognize potential problems.
✔ Schools and community centers can be of particular value in helping parents to identify non-gaming creative opportunities.
Screen overuse weakens a student’s connection with teachers, family, and community. School connectedness is the belief by students that adults and peers in their school environment care about their learning as well as about them as individuals.
Individual or environmental characteristics, conditions, or behaviors that reduce the effects of stressful life events. These factors also increase an individual’s ability to avoid risks or hazards, and promote social and emotional competence to thrive in all aspects of life, now and in the future. (CDC)
These protective factors all lead to positive health and educational outcomes, according to the Center for Disease Control.
