Many adults believe that kids these days are on their screens too much and rotting their brains away. However, a new study has found that it’s not all bad when it comes to kids’ screen time. An 8-year study done by the University of Jyväskylä in Finland found that screen time may aid cognitive processing later in life. 

The Study

With things becoming more and more digital, it makes sense that kids are using electronic devices more. Everything from schoolwork to hobbies seems to have youngsters sitting in front of a screen for long periods of time. Yes, this sedentary lifestyle will more than likely affect their bodies, but it’s not changing their brains the way many assumed it would.

This study followed 124 girls and 136 boys with an average age of 15.8 years. It measured physical activity and sedentary behavior with a device that combined heart rate and movement measurements, alongside survey questionnaires. The CogState test battery was used to evaluate learning, attention, and working memory. These tests are widely used in clinical trials and healthcare to evaluate processing speed, attention, visual learning, and working memory.

“The findings suggest that screen time can support children’s and adolescents’ cognitive processing,” says Petri Jalanko, doctoral Researcher from the University of Jyväskylä. “Presumably, the essential point here is what kind of things they do in their screen time. Teachers and parents should encourage children to use devices and screens in such ways that promote active thinking, problem-solving, creativity and learning,” states Doctoral Researcher Petri Jalanko from the University of Jyväskylä.

What Are They Doing on Their Screens?

Jalanko raises a good point; not all screen time is created equal. There’s a difference between a kid using screens to do homework/learn a new skill and a kid binge-watching low-effort content. Even some video games require higher-level thinking and problem-solving skills than they are given credit for. 

“We should not regard screen time solely as harmful but seek balance between physical activity and screen time that promotes active thinking,” Jalanko explains.

The researchers found an unexpected link between screen use and cognitive performance. Children who received more screen time at a younger age showed better cognitive processing during adolescence.  There are still concerns that sedentary lifestyles may affect cognitive processing later in adolescence, though. Considering how linked physical activity is to brain development and health, especially as people age. 

Balance is Key

Among girls, this study found that greater amounts of light-intensity physical activity helped with better working memory during adolescence. Whereas boys seemed to have better working memory later on with more guided physical activity. Surprisingly, lower levels of self-reported unsupervised physical activity were associated with better cognitive processing.

The issue here is that the study only tracked heart rate and movement day to day, not cognitive processing itself. So these sensors measure movement and physiological activity but don’t know what the person is doing during those times.

“Our study indicates that the connections of physical activity and sedentary behavior to cognitive processing are complex and depend on the sex, the type and assessment method of physical activity and sedentary time. Moreover, boys and girls may benefit from different types of physical activity in view of brain health,” Jalanko adds.

More Research

As with most complex multi-year studies like this, more research is needed. The findings in this study only show there is an association between screen time, physical activity, and cognitive performance. It in no way indicates to what degree and what types of physical activity/screen time are beneficial vs harmful. 

“However, we need more intervention studies to find out causal relations and sex differences in this respect,” Jalanko. “Moreover, it is important to examine more specifically the effects of the intensity of physical activity on changes taking place in cognitive processing.”

This new study was published in the journal Pediatric Exercise Science. We’ll keep you posted on updates about this research as it develops.