Effects of more screen time

A recent study published in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine and reviewed by ScienceDaily.com concludes that teenagers who spent more time in front of a screen playing video games reported feeling less attachement to their parents and friends.

The study surveyed 3,043 adolescents aged 14 and 15 in 2004.

"Overall, the more time teens spent watching television or playing on a computer, the more likely they were to report low attachment to parents (in other words, difficulty forming a relationship or emotional bond). The risk of having low attachment to parents increased 4 percent for every hour spent viewing television and 5 percent for every hour spent playing on a computer. Conversely, teens who spend more time reading and doing homework reported a higher level of attachment to parents," reported the press release on March 1, 2010.