Screen Use and Child and Adolescent Development and Mental Health Outcomes (umbrella review)

Which beliefs it touches

• C3 Paper vs screen, deep reading sets a limit on it

  Correlational umbrella review of overall screen exposure, not of reading medium: associated with lower academic achievement (r = −0.15) and language (r = −0.14) but not with reading scores (r = −0.02, CI −0.12 to 0.09). Context only; cannot establish causation and does not test C3 (same text, paper vs screen). Abstract only.

• C6 Phones in lessons sets a limit on it

  Correlational: overall screen exposure associated with lower academic achievement (r = −0.15), but it measures general (mostly out-of-school) use, not phone availability in lessons vs a ban. Cannot establish causation; does not test C6. Abstract only.

• C9 One laptop per pupil sets a limit on it

  Correlational: overall screen exposure associated with lower academic achievement (r = −0.15) but not maths, science or reading scores; it does not study 1:1 school device programmes or Swedish schools. Cannot establish causation; does not test C9. Abstract only.