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Effects of Screen Time on Children’s Mental, Social, and Cognitive...
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Effects of Screen Time on Children’s Mental, Social, and Cognitive Health

A special issue of Children (ISSN 2227-9067). This special issue belongs to the section "Global Pediatric Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 September 2025 | Viewed by 2635

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Ana Maria Abreu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Health, Universidade Católica Portuguesa, 1649-023 Lisbon, Portugal
Interests: cognitive neuropsychology; neuropsychology; autism spectrum disorders; education; psychophysiology; neuroscience; motor learning; visual attention; sports science; developmental cognitive neuroscience
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to invite contributions to our upcoming Special Issue which will focus on the multifaceted impact of screen use and social media on the mental, social, and cognitive health of children. This Special Issue aims to bring together cutting-edge research and comprehensive reviews that explore how digital media consumption influences various aspects of child development.

Scope and Topics:

  • Mental Health—examining the effects of screen time, social media, and gaming on children’s anxiety, depression, self-esteem, and overall emotional well-being.
  • Social Health—investigating how digital interactions affect children’s social skills, peer relationships, play, and behaviors.
  • Cognitive Health—analyzing the impact of screens, social media, and gaming on attention spans, academic performance, cognitive development, curiosity, creativity, wonder, and learning processes.

We welcome original research articles, reviews, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and case studies that provide insights into both the potential risks and benefits associated with screen use among children. Submissions that offer innovative solutions, strategies for promoting healthy digital habits, and guidelines for parents and educators are highly encouraged.

Dr. Ana Maria Abreu
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Children is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • screen time
  • social media
  • mental health
  • cognition
  • social skills

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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21 pages, 627 KiB  
Article
A Comparative Study of Short-Term Social Media Use with Face-to-Face Interaction in Adolescence
by Inês Mendonça, Franz Coelho, Belén Rando and Ana Maria Abreu
Children 2025, 12(4), 460; https://doi.org/10.3390/children12040460 - 3 Apr 2025
Viewed by 1014
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Previous research suggests that social media use can have immediate cognitive effects, raising concerns about its impact on adolescent cognition. This study aimed to examine the short-term cognitive effects of acute social media exposure and screen time habits by comparing cognitive performance [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Previous research suggests that social media use can have immediate cognitive effects, raising concerns about its impact on adolescent cognition. This study aimed to examine the short-term cognitive effects of acute social media exposure and screen time habits by comparing cognitive performance in adolescents (13–15 years old) following 30 min of social media interaction versus face-to-face conversation, according to their screen time habits (more or less time spent in front of a screen). Methods: A total of 66 participants were divided into four groups: a social media group who used to spend less than 540 min per week in front of a screen (n = 19, a social media group with a habit of more than 540 min per week of screen time (n = 14), a face-to-face conversation group with a habit of less screen time per week (n = 15), and a face-to-face conversation group who used to spend more time per week in front of a screen (n = 18). Cognitive performance was assessed through attention (D2 Test), working memory (Corsi Blocks), abstract reasoning (Abstract Reasoning Test Battery), and inhibitory control (Go/No-Go Task). Additionally, mental effort was measured using a Visual Analogue Scale. Results: Contrary to our hypothesis, no significant differences emerged between groups in any cognitive domain or mental effort, with interaction modality and screen time showing no impact on response variables. Also, we found no significant interaction effect between factors. This suggests that a single 30-min session of social media use does not immediately impair cognition, nor does face-to-face interaction enhance it, despite screen time spent per week (when it varies from 135 to 540 min and from more than 540 to 1320 min). Conclusions: The absence of cognitive effects may be explained by excessive screen time as a key factor in cognitive impact and by the cultural integration of social media, creating a “ceiling effect” that minimizes the impact of short-term exposure and resembles addictive behavior. These findings emphasize the importance of a holistic approach involving families, schools, and governments to address both acute and cumulative social media use in adolescents. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Screen Time on Children’s Mental, Social, and Cognitive Health)
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23 pages, 1007 KiB  
Systematic Review
How Is the Digital Age Shaping Young Minds? A Rapid Systematic Review of Executive Functions in Children and Adolescents with Exposure to ICT
by Reinaldo Maeneja, Joana Rato and Inês Saraiva Ferreira
Children 2025, 12(5), 555; https://doi.org/10.3390/children12050555 - 25 Apr 2025
Viewed by 1006
Abstract
Objectives: This review assesses how daily exposure to Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) affects executive functions in children and adolescents and explores the roles of parents in mitigating potential negative impacts on cognitive development and emotional regulation. Methods: Following PRISMA guidelines, [...] Read more.
Objectives: This review assesses how daily exposure to Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) affects executive functions in children and adolescents and explores the roles of parents in mitigating potential negative impacts on cognitive development and emotional regulation. Methods: Following PRISMA guidelines, a systematic search was conducted from 2022 to 2024 using PubMed, Scopus, and Cochrane Library. The study criteria included cohort studies, randomized controlled trials (RCTs), quasi-RCTs, and systematic reviews. Data extraction and risk-of-bias assessments were performed using ROBIS and ROBINS-E tools. Due to the heterogeneity of the results, a narrative synthesis was carried out. Results: Ten studies were included for analysis, comprising a total of 231,117 children from nine countries on three continents. Most studies indicated that excessive ICT exposure negatively affects executive functions, particularly working memory, inhibitory control, cognitive flexibility, and attention. Adverse effects were linked to increased screen time, poor sleep quality, and multitasking. However, two studies found no significant association, highlighting the influence of contextual factors like socioeconomic status, parental mediation, and screen content type. Shared ICT use with parents or siblings appeared to reduce negative effects. Conclusions: Excessive ICT exposure is associated with impaired executive function development in children and adolescents. Parental supervision and structured ICT use may mitigate risks. Future research should investigate moderating factors, such as socioeconomic status and ICT content, to develop guidelines for healthy digital engagement in youth. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Screen Time on Children’s Mental, Social, and Cognitive Health)
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