Study Shows Children’s Screen Time Linked To Weaker Language Skills‌ ‌

The findings showed that parents who use screens a lot also have children who use screens a lot. ALIAKSEI SMALENSKI VIA PEXELS.

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A new study finds that children in families who spend a lot of time in front of a screen have weaker language skills.

And video games had the biggest negative effect on vocabulary, say scientists.

Screens – whether a telly, laptop, mobile phone, or tablet – have become as much a part of children’s lives as adults.

Scientists in Estonia studied the effect of screen time on children’s developing brains, especially their critical language skills.

They surveyed the parents of more than 400 youngsters about their screen use, their children’s screen use, and their children’s language skills.

The team found that parents who use screens a lot also have children who use screens a lot.

According to the findings published in the journal Frontiers in Developmental Psychology, children’s higher screen time was associated with poorer language skills.

Study lead author Dr. Tiia Tulviste, of the University of Tartu, said: “Our study reveals that children’s screen use patterns are similar to those of their parents.

“Child language researchers emphasize the importance of everyday interactions with adults in early language development, where children are actively involved.

“At the same time, we know that all family members tend to their screen devices.

“Because time is finite, we need to find out how this fierce competition between face-to-face interaction and screen time affects child language development.”