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Screen‌‌Time:‌‌Should‌‌There‌‌be‌‌Parental‌‌Limits?‌

Jacob‌‌Ponds‌

Lake-Sumter‌‌State‌‌College‌

ENC‌‌1101‌

Jacklyn‌‌Pierce‌

September‌‌28,‌‌2021‌
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Screen‌‌Time:‌‌Should‌‌There‌‌be‌‌Parental‌‌Limits?‌

Since‌‌the‌‌introduction‌‌of‌‌the‌‌iPhone‌‌in‌‌late‌‌June‌‌of‌‌2007,‌‌the‌‌number‌‌of‌‌hours‌‌kids‌‌and‌

adults‌‌alike‌‌have‌‌spent‌‌in‌‌front‌‌of‌‌screens‌‌and‌‌monitors‌‌has‌‌grown‌‌exponentially.‌‌One‌‌is‌‌fortunate‌

to‌‌attend‌‌any‌‌function‌‌and‌‌find‌‌someone‌‌who‌‌does‌‌not‌‌use/or‌‌have‌‌access‌‌to‌‌some‌‌sort‌‌of‌‌device.‌

Even‌‌though‌‌the‌‌public‌‌has‌‌had‌‌access‌‌to‌‌such‌‌devices‌‌since‌‌the‌‌early‌‌2000’s‌‌it‌‌is‌‌only‌‌recently‌‌that‌

studies‌‌have‌‌come‌‌out,‌‌describing‌‌their‌‌effect‌‌on‌‌the‌‌human‌‌body‌‌and‌‌mind.‌‌This‌‌raises‌‌the‌

question,‌‌knowing‌‌that‌‌there‌‌are‌‌possible‌‌adverse‌‌effects,‌‌should‌‌parents‌‌limit‌‌the‌‌amount‌‌of‌‌time‌

that‌‌kids‌‌spend‌‌on‌‌their‌‌phones‌‌and‌‌other‌‌devices?‌‌Some‌‌of‌‌the‌‌effects,‌‌as‌‌illustrated‌‌by‌‌recent‌

studies,‌‌maybe‌‌that‌‌screen‌‌time‌‌stimulates‌‌children’s‌‌brains‌‌and‌‌eyes,‌‌preventing‌‌them‌‌from‌‌getting‌

a‌‌good‌‌night’s‌‌sleep.‌‌Another‌‌could‌‌be‌‌that‌‌extended‌‌amounts‌‌of‌‌time‌‌in‌‌front‌‌of‌‌screens‌‌seem‌‌to‌

have‌‌a‌‌correlation‌‌to‌‌depression‌‌and‌‌anxiety‌‌in‌‌teens‌‌and‌‌young‌‌adults.‌‌While‌‌another‌‌effect‌‌that‌

has‌‌been‌‌observed‌‌is‌‌the‌‌lack‌‌of‌‌social‌‌skills,‌‌which‌‌children‌‌who‌‌spend‌‌a‌‌lot‌‌of‌‌time‌‌in‌‌front‌‌of‌‌a‌

screen‌‌tend‌‌to‌‌have.‌‌For‌‌these‌‌reasons,‌‌I‌‌believe‌‌that‌‌parents‌‌should‌‌limit‌‌their‌‌children’s‌‌screen‌

time,‌‌for‌‌both‌‌phones‌‌and‌‌other‌‌devices.‌

To‌‌begin‌‌with,‌‌long‌‌amounts‌‌of‌‌screen‌‌time‌‌have‌has‌‌‌been‌‌proven‌‌to‌‌cause‌‌adverse‌‌effects‌

on‌‌children’s‌‌sleep‌‌schedule‌‌and‌‌quality.‌‌A‌‌study‌‌written‌‌by‌‌Xu‌‌F.,‌‌states‌‌that‌‌screen‌‌time‌‌and‌‌sleep‌

quality‌‌seem‌‌to‌‌have‌‌an‌‌inverse‌‌relationship‌‌with‌‌one‌‌another,‌‌with‌‌larger‌‌amounts‌‌of‌‌screen‌‌time‌

normally‌‌resulting‌‌in‌‌a‌‌decrease‌‌in‌‌hours‌‌of‌‌sleep,‌‌as‌‌well‌‌as‌‌a‌‌decrease‌‌in‌‌sleep‌‌quality‌‌(Zu‌‌Et‌‌al.,‌

2019).‌‌The‌‌work‌‌also‌‌cited‌‌a‌‌Department‌‌of‌‌Health‌‌and‌‌Human‌‌Services‌‌survey,‌‌conducted‌‌in‌‌the‌

early‌‌2010s‌2010’s‌.‌‌This‌‌survey‌‌stated‌‌that‌‌“…adolescents‌‌who‌‌reported‌‌multiple‌‌forms‌‌of‌‌screen‌

time‌‌use‌‌(e.g.,‌‌smartphones‌smartphonea‌‌smart‌‌phone‌,‌‌computer,‌‌and‌‌television)‌‌had‌‌decreased‌
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sleep‌‌quantity”‌‌(Zu‌‌Et‌‌Al.,‌‌2019).‌‌The‌‌study‌‌also‌‌stated‌‌that‌‌individuals‌‌who‌‌got‌‌the‌‌recommended‌

physical‌‌activity,‌‌which‌‌is‌‌anywhere‌‌between‌‌30‌‌minutes‌‌to‌‌an‌‌hour‌‌a‌‌day,‌‌tend‌‌to‌‌have‌‌a‌‌deeper‌

and‌‌more‌‌productive‌‌sleep.‌‌However,‌‌the‌‌survey‌‌noted‌‌that‌‌even‌‌if‌‌a‌‌person‌‌is‌‌active‌‌and‌‌healthy,‌

overuse‌‌of‌‌screens‌‌will‌‌still‌‌result‌‌in‌‌a‌‌decrease‌‌in‌‌sleep‌‌quality.‌‌These‌‌trends‌‌illustrate‌‌that‌‌even‌

with‌‌other‌‌positive‌‌attributing‌‌factors,‌‌excessive‌‌screen‌‌time‌‌has‌‌been‌‌proven‌‌to‌‌lower‌‌sleep‌‌quality‌

(Zu‌‌Et‌‌Al.,‌‌2019).‌‌According‌‌to‌‌the‌‌American‌‌Sleep‌‌Foundation,‌‌“s‌creen‌‌time‌‌is‌‌linked‌‌to‌‌a‌‌host‌‌of‌

insomnia‌‌symptoms‌‌in‌‌teenagers.‌‌By‌‌delaying‌‌the‌‌release‌‌of‌‌melatonin,‌‌screen‌‌time‌‌pushes‌‌back‌

bedtime‌‌and‌‌leads‌‌to‌‌less‌‌restful‌‌sleep”‌‌(Pacheco,‌‌2021).‌‌Melatonin‌‌is‌‌the‌‌body’s‌‌natural‌‌hormone‌

that‌‌prepares‌‌it‌‌to‌‌go‌‌to‌‌sleep.‌‌The‌‌stimulation‌‌caused‌‌by‌‌screen‌‌time‌‌prevents‌‌melatonin‌‌‌from‌‌being‌

released‌‌and‌‌delays‌‌sleep.‌‌This‌‌lack‌‌of‌‌quality‌‌sleep‌‌can‌‌lead‌‌to‌‌a‌‌severe‌‌decrease‌‌in‌‌productivity‌

the‌‌following‌‌day,‌‌or‌‌even‌‌a‌‌couple‌‌of‌‌days.‌

Additionally‌,‌‌extended‌‌amounts‌‌of‌‌screen‌‌time‌‌have‌‌shown‌‌a‌‌tendency‌‌to‌‌limit‌‌a‌‌person’s‌

social‌‌life‌‌outside‌‌of‌‌their‌‌phones.‌‌‌A‌‌research‌‌paper‌‌published‌‌in‌‌2021‌‌states‌‌that‌‌the‌‌majority‌‌of‌

children‌‌spend‌‌far‌‌more‌‌than‌‌the‌‌recommended‌‌2-hour‌‌limit‌‌on‌‌their‌‌phones.‌‌The‌‌research‌‌showed‌

that‌‌the‌‌average‌‌teen‌‌spent‌‌between‌‌3‌‌to‌‌6‌‌hours‌‌a‌‌day‌‌on‌‌their‌‌phone.‌‌The‌‌study‌‌theorized‌‌that‌‌an‌

increased‌‌amount‌‌of‌‌screen‌‌time‌‌is‌‌directly‌‌related‌‌to‌‌an‌‌increased‌‌amount‌‌of‌‌social‌‌anxiety.‌‌Social‌

anxiety‌‌is‌‌described‌‌as‌‌a‌‌feeling‌‌of‌‌stress‌‌or‌‌discomfort‌‌in‌‌social‌‌situations.‌‌Some‌‌associated‌

conditions,‌‌along‌‌with‌‌social‌‌anxiety,‌‌are‌‌obsessive-compulsive‌obsessive‌‌compulsive‌‌‌disorder‌‌and‌

post-traumatic‌‌stress‌‌disorder‌‌(West‌‌Et‌‌Al.,‌‌2021).‌‌The‌‌study‌‌also‌‌discusses‌‌the‌‌general‌‌number‌‌of‌

participants‌‌whose‌‌parents‌‌limit‌‌the‌‌amount‌‌of‌‌time‌‌they‌‌are‌‌allowed‌‌on‌‌screens.‌‌Out‌‌of‌‌the‌

participating‌‌groups,‌‌31%‌‌of‌‌participating‌‌males‌‌and‌‌15%‌‌of‌‌female‌‌participants‌‌stated‌‌that‌‌their‌

parents‌‌placed‌‌some‌‌sort‌‌of‌‌restriction‌‌on‌‌their‌‌screen‌‌time.‌‌The‌‌participants‌‌who‌‌reported‌‌that‌‌their‌
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parents‌‌restricted‌‌their‌‌screen‌‌time‌‌mostly‌‌reported‌‌that‌‌the‌‌absence‌‌of‌‌screens‌‌for‌‌extended‌

periods‌periods‌‌of‌‌time‌‌‌has‌‌lowered‌‌their‌‌anxiety‌‌in‌‌public‌‌situations.‌‌This‌‌does‌‌not‌‌mean‌‌that‌‌this‌

group‌‌experiences‌‌no‌‌anxiety,‌‌however,‌‌they‌‌have‌‌reported‌‌lower‌‌levels‌‌of‌‌anxiety‌‌when‌‌it‌‌comes‌

to‌‌social‌‌situations.‌‌In‌‌a‌‌study‌‌conducted‌‌by‌‌the‌‌Winchester‌‌Hospital,‌‌researchers‌‌concluded‌‌that‌

“preteens‌‌who‌‌spent‌‌time‌‌away‌‌from‌‌screens‌‌became‌‌better‌‌at‌‌reading‌‌human‌‌emotions‌‌compared‌

to‌‌their‌‌peers‌‌who‌‌were‌‌not‌‌restricted‌‌from‌‌screens‌,‌”‌‌(Winchester‌‌Hospital‌‌2021)‌.‌‌The‌‌lack‌‌of‌

emotional‌‌openness‌‌in‌‌forms‌‌of‌‌communication,‌‌such‌‌as‌‌text,‌‌has‌‌limited‌‌children‌‌and‌‌teen’s‌

communication‌‌skills‌‌to‌‌the‌‌point‌‌where‌‌they‌‌have‌‌trouble‌‌differentiation‌‌some‌‌of‌‌the‌‌most‌‌basic‌

forms‌‌of‌‌human‌‌emotion.‌‌‌The‌‌combination‌‌of‌‌increased‌‌levels‌‌of‌‌social‌‌anxiety‌‌and‌‌lack‌‌of‌‌ability‌

to‌‌read‌‌emotions‌‌contribute‌‌to‌‌a‌‌very‌‌limited‌‌social‌‌life.‌

Along‌‌with‌‌social‌‌anxiety‌,‌‌researchers‌‌have‌‌noted‌‌an‌‌increase‌‌in‌‌depression‌‌levels‌‌in‌

children‌‌who‌‌have‌‌too‌‌much‌‌screen‌‌time.‌‌A‌‌2018‌‌study,‌‌published‌‌in‌‌the‌‌Emotion‌‌journal,‌

concluded‌‌that‌‌“Adolescents‌‌who‌‌spent‌‌more‌‌time‌‌on‌‌electronic‌‌communication‌‌and‌‌scree‌ns‌‌‌(e.g.,‌

social‌‌media,‌‌texting,‌‌electronic‌‌games,‌‌Internet)‌‌were‌‌less‌‌happy,‌‌less‌‌satisfied‌‌with‌‌their‌‌lives,‌‌and‌

had‌‌lower‌‌self-esteem,‌‌especially‌‌among‌‌8th‌
‌ ‌ ‌and‌‌10‌th‌‌ ‌graders”‌‌(Twenge‌‌Et.‌‌Al.,‌‌2018).‌‌This‌‌is‌

illustrated‌‌in‌‌figure‌‌three‌‌of‌‌the‌‌article.‌‌This‌‌figure‌‌shows‌‌the‌‌direct‌‌correlation‌‌between‌‌the‌

introduction‌‌of‌‌phones‌‌and‌‌the‌‌decrease‌‌in‌‌general‌‌happiness.‌‌The‌‌first‌‌iPhone‌‌was‌‌introduced‌‌in‌

2007,‌‌which‌‌was‌‌also‌‌recorded‌‌as‌‌the‌‌height‌‌of‌‌adolescents’‌‌well-being,‌‌at‌‌2.13‌‌for‌‌12‌th‌‌ ‌graders,‌

2.08‌‌for‌‌10‌th‌‌ ‌graders,‌‌and‌‌2.07‌‌for‌‌8th‌
‌ ‌ ‌graders,‌‌on‌‌the‌‌figures‌‌1-3‌‌scale.‌‌From‌‌2007‌‌to‌‌2016‌‌the‌‌level‌

of‌‌well-being‌‌significantly‌‌dropped.‌‌Dropping‌‌to‌‌2.03‌‌for‌‌12‌th‌ ‌graders,‌‌2.03‌‌for‌‌10‌th‌‌ ‌graders,‌‌and‌

around‌‌1.97‌‌for‌‌8th‌
‌ ‌ ‌graders‌‌(Twenge‌‌Et.‌‌Al.,‌‌2018).‌‌This‌‌rapid‌‌drop‌‌on‌‌the‌‌s‌c‌ale‌‌is‌‌attributed‌‌to‌‌the‌

introduction‌‌and‌‌increase‌‌in‌‌screen‌‌time‌‌since‌‌2007,‌‌with‌‌cases‌‌of‌‌self-esteem‌‌issues,‌‌depression,‌
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and‌‌anxiety‌‌issues‌‌being‌‌on‌‌the‌‌rise.‌ ‌Although‌‌screen‌‌time‌‌is‌‌not‌‌the‌‌sole‌‌reason‌‌for‌‌an‌‌individual’s‌

depression,‌‌it‌‌is‌‌certainty‌‌a‌‌cause‌‌that‌‌can‌‌be‌‌avoided‌‌through‌‌screen‌‌time‌‌restrictions.‌

In‌‌conclusion,‌‌respected‌‌and‌‌tested‌‌science‌‌has‌‌proven‌‌that‌‌excessive‌‌screen‌‌time‌‌has‌

negative‌‌effects‌‌on‌‌the‌‌human‌‌body‌‌and‌‌mind,‌‌especially‌‌in‌‌children.‌‌Excessive‌‌screen‌‌time‌‌can‌

lead‌‌to‌‌sleep‌‌problems‌‌that‌‌can‌‌be‌‌mistaken‌‌as‌‌insomnia,‌‌as‌‌well‌‌as‌‌being‌‌proven‌‌to‌‌cause‌‌increased‌

levels‌‌of‌‌anxiety‌‌related‌‌to‌‌social‌‌situations,‌‌leading‌‌to‌‌a‌‌decrease‌‌in‌‌social‌‌interactions.‌‌Large‌

amounts‌‌of‌‌screen‌‌time‌‌have‌‌also‌‌been‌‌attributed‌‌to‌‌higher‌‌levels‌‌of‌‌depression‌‌and‌‌anxiety‌‌in‌

children‌‌and‌‌teens.‌‌These‌‌effects‌affects‌‌‌could‌‌be‌‌mediated,‌‌or‌‌negated‌‌altogether‌all‌‌together‌,‌‌if‌

parents‌‌were‌‌to‌‌step‌‌in‌‌and‌‌place‌‌limits‌‌on‌‌children’s‌‌access‌‌to‌‌screens,‌‌or‌‌other‌‌forms‌‌of‌

stimulating‌‌technology.‌

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References‌

Pacheco,‌‌D.‌‌(2021,‌‌February‌‌5).‌‌How‌‌screen‌‌time‌‌may‌‌cause‌‌insomnia‌‌in‌‌teens.‌‌‌Sleep‌

Foundation‌.‌‌from‌

https://www.sleepfoundation.org/teens-and-sleep/screen-time-and-insomnia-for-teens‌.‌

Screen‌‌time‌‌may‌‌affect‌‌social‌‌interaction‌‌skills‌‌in‌‌children‌.‌‌Winchester‌‌Hospital.‌‌(n.d.).,‌‌from‌

https://www.winchesterhospital.org/health-library/article?id=907792‌

Twenge,‌‌J.‌‌M.,‌‌Martin,‌‌G.‌‌N.,‌‌&‌‌Campbell,‌‌W.‌‌K.‌‌(2018).‌‌Decreases‌‌in‌‌psychological‌‌well-being‌‌among‌

American‌‌adolescents‌‌after‌‌2012‌‌and‌‌links‌‌to‌‌screen‌‌time‌‌during‌‌the‌‌rise‌‌of‌‌smartphone‌‌technology.‌

Emotion‌,‌‌18‌(6),‌‌765–780.‌‌https://doi.org/10.1037/emo0000403‌

West,‌‌S.,‌‌Puszczynski,‌‌R.,‌‌&‌‌Cohn,‌‌T.‌‌(2021).‌‌Exploring‌‌recreational‌‌screen‌‌time‌‌and‌‌social‌‌anxiety‌‌in‌

adolescents.‌‌Pediatric‌‌Nursing‌,‌‌47‌(3),‌‌133–.‌

Xu,‌‌F.,‌‌Adams,‌‌S.‌‌K.,‌‌Cohen,‌‌S.‌‌A.,‌‌Earp,‌‌J.‌‌E.,‌‌&‌‌Greaney,‌‌M.‌‌L.‌‌(2019).‌‌Relationship‌‌between‌‌physical‌

activity,‌‌screen‌‌time,‌‌and‌‌sleep‌‌quantity‌‌and‌‌quality‌‌in‌‌US‌‌adolescents‌‌Aged‌‌16−19.‌‌International‌
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Journal‌‌of‌‌Environmental‌‌Research‌‌and‌‌Public‌‌Health,‌‌‌16‌(9),‌‌1524–.‌

https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16091524‌