US EditionBabies with too much screen time become anxious teens, Singapore study finds
A longitudinal study of 168 children found infant screen exposure linked to faster brain network maturation, slower decision-making, and higher teen anxiety; parent-child reading showed protective effects.
- A group of Singaporean researchers linked higher infant screen exposure before age two to accelerated brain network maturation and increased adolescent anxiety, based on longitudinal data.
- Using GUSTO data, the analysis tracked 168 children from the Growing Up in Singapore Towards healthy Outcomes study with diffusion MRI at ages 4.5, 6.0, and 7.5; GUSTO has followed more than 1,400 mother–child pairs since 2009 with a related paper published last year.
- Structural equation modelling showed higher infant screen time linked to steeper decline in visual–cognitive control network integration and longer CGT deliberation at age 8.5.
- Asst Prof Tan Ai Peng said, `This research gives us a biological explanation for why limiting screen time in the first two years is crucial. But it also highlights the importance of parental engagement, showing that parent-child activities, like reading together, can make a real difference.`
- The research team noted that their data, collected between 2010 and 2014, precede recent global increases in screen use during the COVID-19 pandemic, making early intervention and policy efforts targeting sensory processing urgent.
31 Articles
31 Articles
Too much screen time too soon? A*STAR study links infant screen exposure to brain changes and teen anxiety
Children exposed to high levels of screen time before age two showed changes in brain development that were linked to slower decision-making and increased anxiety by their teenage years. This was done using data from the Growing Up in Singapore Towards healthy Outcomes (GUSTO) cohort. This is the first paper on screen time to incorporate measures spanning over ten years, highlighting the long-lasting consequences of screen time in infancy.
Singapore Study Links Heavy Infant Screen Time to Teen Anxiety
A study by a Singapore government agency has found that children exposed to high levels of screen time before age two showed brain development changes linked to slower decision-making and higher anxiety in adolescence, adding to concerns about early digital exposure.
Parents warned against allowing screen time for babies as study reveals shocking effects
Giving babies screen time in their first years of life alters how their brains are wired - and increases anxiety by their teens - a major new study shows. Researchers who followed children from infancy into early adolescence found that heavy screen exposure before the age of two is linked to lasting changes in brain development, slower thinking in childhood and higher anxiety by the age of 13.The findings come as UK figures show screens are now …
Screen time disrupts and negatively affects their brain development.
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