COVID-19 and Screens: How Much Is Too Much?

Screen time has skyrocketed since the COVID-19 pandemic hit. During the period of lockdown that occurred globally beginning in March of 2020, billions of children around the world were drawn to tablets, smartphones, computers, and television to pass the time. One study of low-income kindergartners found that they were using screens for an average of about 46.3 hours per week, or 6.6 hours per day. Comparing usage during lockdown to pre-pandemic levels, 45% of parents reported that their children were using media more than before to occupy their time.

Source: Cara DiYanni

Qustodio (as reported in The New York Times) found that children’s screen time had doubled by May of 2020 as compared with the same period in 2019. In a survey done in China with over 6400 respondents, 46.8% of them reported increased tendencies toward overuse of the internet as a consequence of the pandemic. Similarly, in Germany, a study of 10-17-year-olds found that they played about 138.6 minutes of video games a day during lockdown compared to about 79.2 minutes a day in September of 2019 and that their social media use also increased as a result of the pandemic. The New York Times reports that among younger children, the number of daily users of apps like Roblox increased by 82% between 2019 and 2020. Time spent on YouTube increased from about 57 minutes per day during February of 2020 to 97 minutes per day during March and April of 2020.

In a recent study that I conducted with my research assistants* at Rider University, we asked 67 parents of 79 children ages 3 to 10 about their children’s use of screens for non-school-related purposes before COVID-19, during the time of quarantine, and in the fall of 2020 (the time of data collection). Parents reported that their children spent significantly more hours per week (mean = 17.97) engaged in non-academic screen time during quarantine than they had before the pandemic (mean = 9.14). In the fall of 2020, parents estimated their children’s weekly non-academic screen time at about 11.82 hours per week, which was significantly lower than it was during quarantine, but significantly higher than pre-pandemic levels. We also spoke with 37 of those children. When asked if they had more non-school-based screen time now because of COVID-19, 21 children (56.8%) said yes, only 10 (27%) said no, and 6 (16.2%) said they were allowed the same amount of screen time now as they were before the pandemic.

Source: Cara DiYanni

Risks of excessive screen time

These numbers are concerning because as children engage in more screen-based activities such as video game play and television viewing, other activities — such as creative free play, achievement-related activities like reading and studying, and physical activities — decline. Higher levels of screen time are associated with higher rates of obesity, eating a less healthy diet, a lower quality of life, depression, anxiety and aggression, poorer sleep quality, lower self-esteem, and lower levels of compliance. The parents in our study recognized some of these risks. Of all the possible negative outcomes of the pandemic listed, one of the options that was selected by the most parents (82.3%) was too much screen time.

It is also important to recognize, however, that not all screen time is negative. Children use media for many positive purposes, such as education, socialization, and keeping in touch with distant family and friends. In particular, during the COVID-19 pandemic, media usage has played a crucial role in maintaining at least some aspects of schooling for children. It has also helped to buffer loneliness and social isolation.

A significant number of parents in our study (82.3%) cited their children’s inability to play with their friends as one of the most negative outcomes of COVID-19. According to parents, screens of various types have helped their children to maintain relationships, socialize, and stay entertained during an unprecedented time. Parents often say that they do not feel that they can take away their children’s one safe source of communication with their peers.

Screen time recommendations

In a very complicated and uncertain time, many parents are struggling with concerns about how much screen time to allow and may worry that their children are spending too long each day with technology. It is important to ensure that children do not engage in daily levels of screen time that exceed recommendations. Children who meet the American Academy of Pediatrics’ recommendations of less than two hours a day of total screen time report a significantly lower prevalence of health complaints such as headaches, stomachaches, backaches, dizziness, feeling low, irritability, nervousness, and difficulty falling asleep.

It is therefore crucial that parents do not restrict their children's screen time to unrealistically low levels, but also that they not allow their children to engage in excessive usage of screens. The key — as with many things — is to find a healthy balance. If children regularly engage in a combination of school-related activities, screen time, organized extracurricular activities, free play, and outdoor play, they will all weather this pandemic — and childhood in general — smoothly.

*A special thanks to Jessica Kardasz and Dominique White, whose contributions to study design, participant recruitment, data collection and data analysis were essential in the completion of this study.