The “Association between Leisure Screen Time and Emotional and Behavioural Problems in Spanish Children” project, led by Àurea Cartanya-Hueso, and published in The Journal of Pediatrics, notes that the risk of emotional or behavioural problems increases as daily exposure to screens increases. In that sense, the researchers pointed out that the risk is 7.7% with an exposure of up to 59 minutes and 11.6% in children who spend more than 180 minutes a day in front of screens. In addition, the study highlighted that, by gender, boys are more likely to develop these disorders than girls - 9.4% versus 6% - and the consequences are different. Boys more often develop emotional problems, while girls are likely to have more attention-related or hyperactivity disorders.

In view of these results, Jose M. Martinez-Sanchez, head of the research group, highlighted the important role parents play in promoting healthy use of screens, particularly mobile phones. In addition, it invites institutions to reinforce their recommendations on screen exposure time and usage pattern (time of day, during meals, content consumed, etc.), “particularly in children under the age of six”. The researchers also pointed out in their study that governments should promote physical activity, which is a major protector of mental health, and provide support to the most vulnerable families with guidelines for the healthy use of screens.