KIDS, TEENS, AND SCREEN TIME:WHAT’S THE LATEST NEWS
Just as parents and all of us evolve and change our thoughts as we learn in life; so do we, as clinicians and researchers. Initial guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) on screen time for children was specific with the recommended amount of time kids and teens should spend on screen time according to developmental stages. The new guidelines from AAP published in 2026 focus more on the conceptual framework of a socioecological model depicting circles of care including: children’s own characteristics, their caregivers, the digital ecosystem, as well as broader societal systems.1
Parenting around media can feel overwhelming. Technology changes quickly just as children grow and change from infancy to adulthood. The Behavioral Wellness Group hopes to provide some clarity on this important contemporary issue by reviewing the latest research and guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), The American Psychological Association (APA), and the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP).
The American Academy of Pediatrics: The AAP published updated guidelines in February 2026. Pediatric experts emphasize that screen time itself is not the enemy. Dr. Katherine Williamson from Rady Children’s Mission Hospital said it best: “I recommend for parents to think and talk about screen time like dessert. Like a food treat, screen time is not inherently bad.”2 The important task for a parent is to ensure that screens don’t replace the daily activities that support healthy psycho-social development.
The AAP Center of Excellence on Social Media and Youth Mental Health developed the 5 C’s as an age-by-age guide to parenting around media and building healthy digital habits as your child grows. The 5 C’s are: 1. Child-Who is your child and how do they react to media? 2. Content-What is worth your child’s attention? 3. Calm- Does media calm your child’s emotions? 4. Crowding Out- What does media get in the way of? And 5. Communication- How can you talk about media to raise a media savvy, responsible child? To learn more about the 5 C’s with each developmental stage go to:
https://www.healthychildren.org/English/family-life/Media/Pages/kids-and-screen-time-how-to-use-the-5-cs-of-media-guidance.aspx?
AAP emphasizes Balance over Burnout: Screens should not replace sleep, physical activity, family time or free play; device free bedrooms and mealtimes help keep routines healthy. Parents set the tone with co-viewing, talking about content and modeling good digital habits to help children navigate online spaces safely. Tips for Families are: 1. Build digital literacy, 2. Create a Family Media Plan, 3. Choose quality content, 4. Protect sleep and screen-free time, 5. Be intentional about a first phone. For more information go to:
Updated AAP recommendations for screen time: What parents need to know
The American Psychological Association (APA): The APA has addressed three important areas with children, adolescence and technology: 1. Digital guidelines: Promoting healthy technology use for children 3, Health advisory on social media use in adolescence4, and APA resolution on violent video games February 2020 Revision 5.
Digital guidelines: Promoting healthy technology use for children: For children under 18 months, screen time should be avoided except for video chatting with family members. For children 18 months to 24 months, parents should choose high-quality programming and watch with their children. For children 2 to 5, limit screen time to one hour per day of high-quality programming. For children 6 and older, establish consistent limits on time spent using media and the types of media. Parents should focus on teaching healthy media habits, teach children about technology from ja young age, use good judgment about screen time and the content and context of screen time (context example might be occupying a child with screen time on a plane), protect bedtime, pay attention to your child’s online activity and have honest discussions about what sites and type of content are off-limits, teach good online behavior, be sensitive to cyberbullying, discuss digital decision-making-what sites are suspicious, inappropriate, what sites are healthy, foster real-life friendships, and learn more-try to keep tabs on the changing technology landscape.
APA Health advisory on social media use in adolescence: Recommendations from the Health advisory on social media use in adolescence are: 1. Youth using social media should be encouraged to use functions that create opportunities for social support, online companionship, and healthy emotional intimacy that can promote healthy socialization, 2. Social media use, functionality, and permissions/consenting should be tailored to youths’ developmental capabilities; designs created for adults may not be appropriate for children, 3. In early adolescence (10-14), adult monitoring is advised for most youths’ social media use, autonomy may increase gradually as kids age and if they gain digital literacy skills. However, monitoring should be balanced with youths’ appropriate needs for privacy, 4. To reduce the risks of psychological harm, adolescents’ exposure to content on social media that depicts illegal or psychologically maladaptive behavior, including content that instructs or encourages youth to engage in health-risk behaviors, such as self-harm, harm to others, or those that encourage eating-disordered behavior should be minimized, reported,, and removed; moreover, technology should not drive users to this content, 5. To minimize psychological harm, adolescents ‘exposure to “cyberhate” including online discrimination, prejudice, hate, or cyberbullying especially toward a marginalized group or towards an individual because of their identity or allyship with a marginalized group should be minimized, 6. Adolescents should be routinely screened for signs of “problematic social media use” that can impair their ability to engage in daily roles and routines, and may present risk for more serious psychological harm over time, 7. The use of social media should be limited so as to not interfere with adolescents’’ sleep and physical activity, 8. Adolescents should limit use of social media for social comparison, particularly around beauty-or appearance-related content, 9. Adolescents social media use should be preceded by training in social media literacy to ensure that users have developed technologically-informed competencies and skills that will maximize the chances for balanced, safe, and meaningful social media use, 10. Substantial resources should be provided for continued scientific examination of the positive and negative effects of social media on adolescent development.
APA Resolution on Violent Video Games: February 2020 Revision to the 2015 Resolution: In summary and based on years of research, reviews show a link between violent games and increased aggressive behavior, thoughts, and reduced empathy. Attributing real-world gun violence or major crimes to video gaming is scientifically inaccurate, as violence stems from many complex social factors.
American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP): Screen Time and Children: Facts for Families6: On average children age 8-18 in the United States spend 7 1/2hours a day watching screens that include smart phones, tablets, gaming consoles, TVs, and computers. Too much screen time may lead to sleep problems, lower grades in school, reading fewer books, less time with family and friends, not enough outdoor or physical activity, weight problems, mood problems, poor self-image and body issues, fear of missing out, and less time learning other ways to relax and have fun. Like other guidelines AACAP suggests until 18 months of age limit screen use to video chatting along with an adult (for example, with a parent who is out of town), between 18 and 24 months screen time should be limited to watching educational programming with a caregiver, for children 2-5 years old, limit non-educational screen time to about 1 hour per weekday and 3 hours on the weekend days, for ages 6 and older, encourage healthy habits and limit activities that include screens, turn off all screens during family meals and outings, learn about and use parental controls, avoid using screens as pacifiers, babysitters, or to stop tantrums, and turn off screens and remove them from bedrooms 30-60 minutes before bedtime, carefully consider your child’s maturity when allowing access to a new device, familiarize yourself with the content your child sees, to make sure it is age appropriate, talk to your child about what they are seeing—point out good behavior, such as cooperation, friendship, and concern for others, make connections to meaningful events, be aware of advertising and how it influences choices, encourage your child to engage in other activities that do not involve screens such as sports, music, art, and hobbies, set a good example with your own screen habits, teach children about online privacy and safety, encourage using screens in ways that build creativity and connection with family and friends, consider your child or teen’s maturity and habits and realize that a right plan for one family may not be a good fit for another.
Is Excessive Internet Gaming Considered a Disorder: The American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5-TR), which is used by mental health professionals to diagnose mental disorders included Internet Gaming Disorder in a section recommending conditions for further research; so it hasn’t made it in yet. Criteria identified include preoccupation with gaming, withdrawal symptoms when gaming is taken away or not possible (anxiety, sadness, irritability), tolerance, the need to spend more time gaming to satisfy the urge, inability to reduce playing, unsuccessful attempts to quit gaming, giving up other activities. Loss of interest in previously enjoyed activities due to gaming, continuing to game despite problems, deceiving family members or others about the amount of time spent gaming, the use of gaming to relieve negative moods, such as guilt or hopelessness, risk, having jeopardized or lost a job or relationship due to gaming.
Have concerns: The Behavioral Wellness Group is here to help. Contact our Intake Department at 440-392-2222.
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1 Munzer, Tiffany, Parga-Belinkie, Joanna, Matile Milkovich, Libby, Tomopoulos, Suzy, Ajumobi, Taiwo, Cross, Corinn, Gerwin, Roslyn, Madigan, Sheri, Council on Communications and Media (2026). Digital ecosystems, children, and adolescents: Policy statement. Pediatrics (2026) 157 (2): e2025075320.
2 https://choc.org/medical-staff/pediatrics/katherine-williamson-md
3 American Psychological Association (2019, December 12). Digital guidelines: Promoting healthy technology use for children. https://www.apa.org/topics/social-media-internet/technology-use-children.
4 American Psychological Association (2023, May 9). Health advisory on social media use in adolescence. https://www.apa.org/topics/social-mediq-internet/health-advisory-adolescent-social-media-use
5 American Psychological Association (2020). APA Resolution on Violent Video Games: February 2020 Revision to the 2015 Resolution. American Psychological Association. https://www.apa.org/about/policy/resolution-violent-video-games. Pdf.
6 American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, (2015, updated/accessed). Screen Time and Children, Facts for Families, No.54. https://www.aacap.org/AACAP/Families_and_Youth/Facts_for_Families/FFF-Guide/Children-And-Watching-TV-054.aspx
Frank R. Ezzo, Ph.D., ABPP, LLC
The Behavioral Wellness Group
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fezzo@behavioralwellnessgroup.com
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