Digital Media and Developing Brains: Concerns and Opportunities

John S Hutton¹, Jessica Taylor Piotrowski², Kara Bagot³, Fran Blumberg⁴, Turhan Canli⁵, Jason Chein⁶, Dimitri A Christakis⁷, Jordan Grafman⁸, James A Griffin⁹, Tom Hummer¹⁰, Daria J Kuss¹¹, Matthew Lerner¹², Stuart Marcovitch¹³, Martin P Paulus¹⁴, Greg Perlman¹⁵, Rachel Romeo¹⁶, Moriah E Thomason¹⁷, Ofir Turel^{18

19}, Aviv Weinstein²⁰, Gregory West²¹, Pamela Hurst-Della Pietra^{22

23}, Marc N Potenza²⁴

Affiliations

¹ Division of General and Community Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine and Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA and Division of General and Community Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX USA.
² Amsterdam School of Communication Research ASCoR, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
³ Departments of Psychiatry & Pediatrics, Addiction Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY USA.
⁴ Division of Psychological and Educational Services, Fordham University, New York, NY USA.
⁵ Departments of Psychology and Psychiatry, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY USA.
⁶ Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA USA.
⁷ Center for Child Health Behaviour and Development, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Departments of Pediatrics, Psychiatry, and Health Services, University of Washington, Seattle, WA USA.
⁸ The Shirley Ryan AbilityLab & Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL USA.
⁹ The National Institutes of Health, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, USA.
¹⁰ Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN USA.
¹¹ International Gaming Research Unit and Cyberpsychology Group, NTU Psychology, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, UK.
¹² Departments of Psychology, Psychiatry & Pediatrics, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA and AJ Drexel Autism Institute, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA USA.
¹³ Department Of Psychology, University of North Carolina Greensboro, Greensboro, NC USA.
¹⁴ Laureate Institute for Brain Research, Tulsa, OK USA.
¹⁵ Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony, Brook University, Stony Brook, NY USA.
¹⁶ Departments of Human Development & Quantitative Methodology, Hearing & Speech Sciences, and Neuroscience & Cognitive Sciences, University of Maryland College Park, College Park, MD USA.
¹⁷ Departments of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Population Health, New York University, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY USA.
¹⁸ College of Business and Economics, California State University, Fullerton, CA USA.
¹⁹ Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia.
²⁰ The Isadore and Ruth Kastin Chair for Brain Research, Department of Psychology and Behavioral Science, Ariel University, Ariel, Israel.
²¹ Department of Psychology, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada.
²² Children and Screens: Institute of Digital Media and Child Development, Jericho, NY USA.
²³ Department of Family, Population and Preventive Medicine, Stony Brook Medicine, Stony Brook, NY USA.
²⁴ Departments of Psychiatry, Child Study and Neuroscience, Connecticut Mental Health Center, Yale School of Medicine, Wu Tsai Institute, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06517 USA.

PMID: 38606363
PMCID: PMC11003891
DOI: 10.1007/s40429-024-00545-3

Review

Digital Media and Developing Brains: Concerns and Opportunities

John S Hutton et al. Curr Addict Rep. 2024.

. 2024;11(2):287-298.

doi: 10.1007/s40429-024-00545-3. Epub 2024 Mar 4.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Division of General and Community Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine and Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA and Division of General and Community Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX USA.
² Amsterdam School of Communication Research ASCoR, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
³ Departments of Psychiatry & Pediatrics, Addiction Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY USA.
⁴ Division of Psychological and Educational Services, Fordham University, New York, NY USA.
⁵ Departments of Psychology and Psychiatry, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY USA.
⁶ Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA USA.
⁷ Center for Child Health Behaviour and Development, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Departments of Pediatrics, Psychiatry, and Health Services, University of Washington, Seattle, WA USA.
⁸ The Shirley Ryan AbilityLab & Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL USA.
⁹ The National Institutes of Health, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, USA.
¹⁰ Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN USA.
¹¹ International Gaming Research Unit and Cyberpsychology Group, NTU Psychology, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, UK.
¹² Departments of Psychology, Psychiatry & Pediatrics, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA and AJ Drexel Autism Institute, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA USA.
¹³ Department Of Psychology, University of North Carolina Greensboro, Greensboro, NC USA.
¹⁴ Laureate Institute for Brain Research, Tulsa, OK USA.
¹⁵ Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony, Brook University, Stony Brook, NY USA.
¹⁶ Departments of Human Development & Quantitative Methodology, Hearing & Speech Sciences, and Neuroscience & Cognitive Sciences, University of Maryland College Park, College Park, MD USA.
¹⁷ Departments of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Population Health, New York University, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY USA.
¹⁸ College of Business and Economics, California State University, Fullerton, CA USA.
¹⁹ Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia.
²⁰ The Isadore and Ruth Kastin Chair for Brain Research, Department of Psychology and Behavioral Science, Ariel University, Ariel, Israel.
²¹ Department of Psychology, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada.
²² Children and Screens: Institute of Digital Media and Child Development, Jericho, NY USA.
²³ Department of Family, Population and Preventive Medicine, Stony Brook Medicine, Stony Brook, NY USA.
²⁴ Departments of Psychiatry, Child Study and Neuroscience, Connecticut Mental Health Center, Yale School of Medicine, Wu Tsai Institute, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06517 USA.

PMID: 38606363
PMCID: PMC11003891
DOI: 10.1007/s40429-024-00545-3

Abstract

Purpose of review: The incorporation of digital technologies and their use in youth's everyday lives has been increasing rapidly over the past several decades with possible impacts on youth development and mental health. This narrative review aimed to consider how the use of digital technologies may be influencing brain development underlying adaptive and maladaptive screen-related behaviors.

Recent findings: To explore and provide direction for further scientific inquiry, an international group of experts considered what is known, important gaps in knowledge, and how a research agenda might be pursued regarding relationships between screen media activity and neurodevelopment from infancy through childhood and adolescence. While an understanding of brain-behavior relationships involving screen media activity has been emerging, significant gaps exist that have important implications for the health of developing youth.

Summary: Specific considerations regarding brain-behavior relationships involving screen media activity exist for infancy, toddlerhood, and early childhood; middle childhood; and adolescence. Transdiagnostic frameworks may provide a foundation for guiding future research efforts. Translating knowledge gained into better interventions and policy to promote healthy development is important in a rapidly changing digital technology environment.

Keywords: Internet addiction; Pornography; Screen time; Social media; Video games; Youth.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing InterestsNone of the authors have any conflicts of interest. Dr. Potenza has consulted for Opiant Pharmaceuticals, Idorsia Pharmaceuticals, Baria-Tek, AXA, Game Day Data, and the Addiction Policy Forum; has been involved in a patent application with Yale University and Novartis; has received research support (to Yale) from Mohegan Sun Casino, Children and Screens and the Connecticut Council on Problem Gambling; and has consulted for and/or advised gambling and legal entities on issues related to impulse control, internet use and addictive disorders. Dr. Potenza has received grant support from Children and Screens (CSDMB001). All authors received support from Children and Screens to attend the Brain Retreat. Dr. Pamela Hurst-Della Pietra is the Founder of Children and Screens and directed the organization at the time of the conference.

References

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Digital Media and Developing Brains: Concerns and Opportunities

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Digital Media and Developing Brains: Concerns and Opportunities

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Conflict of interest statement

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