How online life shapes youth brain development before 25
The entry into adulthood is typically marked by turning 18, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the mind is fully mature. The prefrontal cortex of the brain—responsible for our cognitive control, stress response, and executive function—isn’t all grown up until age 25. This means that childhood and adolescence is a critical time for brain development. Its progress can be hindered, though, by a variety of environmental factors like nutrition, drugs, illness, toxins, and yes, online experiences. How life online influences brain development When we encounter various stimuli in our lives, from a cute baby’s smile to the sting of a bee, various receptors in our brain begin to learn when something is pleasurable vs. painful. Over time, we form strong neural pathways that encourage us to seek out more of what feels good versus what hurts us. However, these pleasure/pain reactions aren’t limited to things we can touch. Digital experiences can have the same type of impact on our brains. Each time our kids pick up their phones or open TikTok, they’re presented with bright colors, noisy notifications, and videos that are curated to their tastes—or intentionally designed to make them feel a specific emotion. I’ll do a deep dive into how this works in a future article, but at a top level, this screen time plays a significant role in building and altering neural pathways by delivering a sense of reward or pleasure. These pathways are responsible for things like attention, memory recall, and emotional regulation. It happens to adults, too. Have you ever caught yourself picking up your phone to check for notifications even when you know you didn’t hear a ping or feel a buzz? That’s your brain seeking a hit of dopamine, the chemical that is released when we experience something pleasurable. Does all screen time impact brain development? Of course, there are many good aspects of our kids having access to the internet, including educational resources, easy communication with loved ones, and exposure to other people and cultures. But extended exposure to blue light from screens (even if it’s from schoolwork!) can make it harder for kids to fall and stay asleep. This lack of sleep can negatively impact the health of kids’ brains and bodies—plus make it harder to pay attention in school. Can internet use hurt kids' brains in the long term? We’re still learning what the long-term effects of the internet may be on developing brains. Right now, we are seeing some negative impacts on older kids and teens' decision-making abilities, attention span, and ability to switch between different tasks (aka cognitive flexibility). And even positive online interactions—like talking with friends and family—may not engage our brains in as many healthy ways as face-to-face chats and activities do. Luckily, though, neural pathways aren’t set in stone. We can strengthen and weaken our neural pathways over time by changing our behavior. If you notice that your child is displaying signs of screen addiction or is struggling to balance family, school, and gaming with friends, it’s not too late to make healthy changes. Support your child's healthy brain development The answer isn’t to ban kids from using all digital devices—they’re essential for school and preparing to work and live in a connected world. It’s essential, though, that kids grow up knowing how to balance their online and offline lives. Doing so will help them create the right skill sets (and neural pathways!) to be a healthy adult. Here are a few tips to make that happen: Create a screen time balance and healthy digital media boundaries for the whole family. Be aware of what your kids are consuming online. Conversation is invaluable, but you can also rely on the assistance of apps that clue you in to possible in-game cyberbullying or excessive screen time. Encourage screen time use for educational content instead of social media and games. When screen time requires school-age kids to use their brain in a variety of ways, versus scrolling, it can support positive cognitive growth. Build offline hobbies and experiences that the whole family can enjoy together. Work on being a good digital role model—a little less screen time and scrolling on social media can help everyone’s brain health, no matter their age. My goal here—and in future brain health articles I’ll publish on DigitalParenthood.com—is to help you feel empowered about supporting your kids’ healthy development in an online world. If you’re worried and have questions, though, you can always visit ourAsk an Expert section for more advice, or connect with other parents in our discussion forum.Ask Me Anything: TECHWISE with Dr. Scott Kollins
We’ve all heard the buzz about device use and social media impacting our kids' wellness and mental health. Despite the research and news reports, experts are still working to determine whether this digital world is helpful, harmful, or both. That’s why we’re launching a study to explore how kids' digital habits, including social media and online games, connect to their mental wellness, physical activity, and sleep. Hear more about this important research and how you can get involved by joining our event! To join the study, visitaura.com/techwise When:January 30, 2024, 1pm-2pm EST Where: RSVP to the remote live event here!Ask Me Anything: TECHWISE study recording
Thank you for joining us and asking such great questions about TECHWISE. I’ve been conducting clinical research for more than 30 years and I am as excited as I have ever been to launch this important study. So much of the research into the effects of tech/social media use on kids’ mental health is limited by access to ground truth data and we are seeking to fill this important gap. We are seeking youth between 8-17 years of age who have a smartphone or tablet to enroll with their parents for a 3 month study where we will assess a range of mental well-being and mental health outcomes while measuring device use through the Aura app. Help us spread the word about this study! We anticipate sharing our data with researchers interested in tackling a wide range of questions we will be able to address. Check out get.aura.com/techwise for more info. Click here to watch the recording.Ask Me Anything with Dr. Scott Kollins: TECHWISE Study
We’ve all heard the buzz about device use and social media impacting our kids' wellness and mental health. Despite the research and news reports, experts are still working to determine whether this digital world is helpful, harmful, or both. That’s why we’re launching a study to explore how kids' digital habits, including social media and online games, connect to their mental wellness, physical activity, and sleep. Hear more about this important research and how you can get involved by joining our event! When: December 18, 2024, 11am-12pm CST Where: RSVP to the remote live event here! To join the study, visit aura.com/techwiseWhat I Learned From My Child’s Screen Addiction
As a clinical psychologist, I focus on helping families create balanced relationships with technology to improve their digital well-being and mental health. For me, the reason is particularly personal—my own son has struggled with screen addiction. What is screen addiction and why does it happen? Screen addiction is entirely real: It has many of the same characteristics as any other substance abuse or behavioral addiction. Some people have a genetic predisposition to addictive behaviors–in fact, researchers at Washington University in St. Louis analyzed genomic data from more than one million people and discovered inheritable genetic markers signaling addiction disorders. Other genetic traits can lead to dependency on different things, too. For example, children with ADHD may be more likely to develop screen addiction. This was my son’s experience as a child with both ADHD and autism. Many apps are designed to trigger our dopamine receptors, which send a pleasurable signal to the brain. Dopamine activity may be different in people who are neurodiverse—so this digital feedback can be particularly enticing to them. But the truth is, anyone can fall prey to the reward loop created by scrolling their favorite social media platform, though, especially a teen or young adult whose prefrontal cortex is still developing. Young people simply don't have the same level of impulse control as adults do. There can also be environmental changes that trigger a screen or video game addiction. In my son’s case, COVID pandemic-related school closures meant that his screen usage went way up. At first, his teachers said he was more involved than ever, and digital school seemed to suit his learning style. But soon, my son realized he could watch YouTube or browse the internet without his teacher noticing—as long as he was facing the camera, it looked like he was watching class on Zoom. By the time COVID restrictions eased, my son was deep into his digital world and not spending time pursuing the offline activities he once enjoyed. How I discovered my son’s screen addiction Screen or internet addiction can resemble other dependencies, with constant urges to check devices and a “get-it-at-all-costs” mindset that can lead to rule-breaking or lying. If your child is struggling with screen addiction, you might notice signs like exhaustion from excessive screen use and a gradual withdrawal from real-life activities. In my son’s case, I saw his reliance on technology grow alongside symptoms of anxiety and depression. When in-person school resumed, he began missing out on social interactions and academic events, even skipping lunch to find a computer. The turning point came when we realized he was lying to get more screen time. That’s when we knew things had to change. Recovery from screen addiction is a family affair Our whole family has been involved in my son’s recovery from screen addiction. Since both of our kids are old enough, we include them in conversations about screen time, discussing their interests and online activities. Together, we’ve set clear boundaries on both time spent on screens and the types of content they consume. We've also had to be flexible, balancing screen time for school and fun, especially during the school year. And we’re learning to set different boundaries based on each child’s needs. For example, my daughter has a phone to stay in touch during sports, but my son doesn’t have one right now—there isn't a communication need for him yet, and a phone might be too much too soon. As a clinical psychologist, this experience has profoundly shaped my approach. It’s shown me the importance of distinguishing between responsible use, excessive use, and addiction. Now, I feel a renewed purpose in my work, contributing as both a doctor and a dad. Help your kids develop healthy screen time habits While there’s no guaranteed way to prevent screen addiction, there are a few things that can help: Have conversations with your kids early, and often. The American Academy of Pediatrics has some great resources that can help you start these talks. Create a shared media use agreement that the whole family will stick to. This can help to limit excessive use of screens and arguments about too much screen time. Learn to spot the signs of cyberbullying, which may also cause your child’s behavior to change and is different from addiction to electronic devices. Keep an eye out for the warning signs of screen addiction—you know your child best! Finally, if you’re concerned that your kids are spending too much time online and aren’t sure how to handle it yourself, you can get help—by talking to other parents here on DigitalParenthood.com, asking our experts, and searching for a local clinician in your area who specializes in screen addiction. But above all else, know that if your child struggles with screen addiction it’s not a reflection on them, or on you as a parent. You are not alone, and you and your child can overcome screen addiction with help, patience, and communication.
