More screen time, sharper minds? It’s complicated

An eight-year Finnish study suggests that increased screen time in children may be associated with better cognitive processing in adolescence, but the relationship is complex and involves the type of activities performed on screens. The study, part of Finland's Physical Activity and Nutrition in Children (Panic) project, followed 260 participants aged 15 to 17 and examined physical activity, sedentary behavior, and screen use.

Researchers found that greater self-reported screen time was linked to better overall cognition and faster responses on working-memory tasks. However, the study did not prove causation, and the wider research picture is mixed, with some studies showing poorer academic achievement among frequent recreational digital device users.

The discrepancy in findings may be due to the diverse range of activities performed on screens, which place different demands on the brain.

Brief written by urgent.news from Free Malaysia Today's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.