According to a study published in the open-access journal PLOS ONE, less screen time and more time spent in green and clean environment may positively effect mental health of children and adolescents.
The study was conducted by Tassia Oswald of the University of Adelaide, and colleagues.
The prevalence of mental illness among children and adolescents is a serious health problem in most countries including India.
Technological developments in the past two decades have exposed children to screen-based devices which are forcing children and adolescents to spend more time on screen, and less physical activities.
Such devices have also led to a reduction in young people’s contact with nature (green time).
However the biggest problem with the ongoing investigations about the psychological impacts of screen time or green time, is the tendency of researchers to consider each factor in isolation.
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Many studies have been published about the adverse effect of screen time on childen. Similarly, there are many studies on how less green time is affecting mental health of children. But, there is not enough evidence about how the combined factors affect mental health and cognitive outcomes of children.
To address this question, Oswald and colleagues analyzed the findings of 186 studies to collate evidence assessing associations between screen time, green time, and psychological outcomes (including mental health, cognitive functioning, and academic achievement) for children and adolescents.
In general, high levels of screen time appeared to be associated with unfavorable psychological outcomes, while green time appeared to be associated with favorable psychological outcomes.
Young people from low socioeconomic backgrounds were underrepresented in the literature overall and may be disproportionately affected by high screen time and low green time, making this a priority group for future research.
Oswald adds: “This systematic scoping review highlights that nature may currently be an under-utilised public health resource, which could potentially function as an upstream preventative and psychological well-being promotion intervention for children and adolescents in a high-tech era. However, robust evidence is needed to guide policies and recommendations around appropriate screen time and green time at critical life stages, to ultimately ensure optimal psychological well-being for young people.”