Screens and the Developing Mind: Digital Technology, Mental Health, and Wellbeing in Children and Adolescents

Digital technology and the pervasiveness of screens have become defining features of modern childhood and adolescence. Over the past two decades, smartphones, tablets, streaming media, video games, and social platforms have transformed how young people learn, communicate, and play. While these tools enhance educational opportunities and global connectivity, their pervasive presence has prompted urgent questions about their influence on mental health and neurodevelopment. Current evidence paints a complex picture—some studies reveal associations between excessive screen exposure and disruptions to sleep, emotion regulation, attention, and social interaction, while others highlight potential cognitive, creative, and therapeutic benefits depending on context, content, and usage patterns. Amid ongoing debates, the need persists for a comprehensive understanding of how digital environments intersect with developmental, psychological, and social processes.This Research Topic aims to elucidate how digital technology use influences the mental health and wellbeing of children and adolescents, identifying when and how screen exposure fosters positive or negative developmental outcomes. It focuses on behavioral, neurobiological, and contextual factors—such as age, sex, neurodevelopmental profile, and socioeconomic context—that moderate these effects. By drawing on perspectives from psychology, neuroscience, education, and public health, the initiative seeks to provide evidence-based guidance for parents, educators, clinicians, and policymakers. It further invites studies on the growing impact of generative artificial intelligence and immersive digital environments on youth development.To gather further insights into how digital exposure and interaction affect young minds, this collection welcomes interdisciplinary contributions that span individual, social, and structural determinants of digital wellbeing. The topic is limited to research focusing on individuals aged 0–18 years but encourages both human and translational research relevant to developmental pathways. This collection welcome submissions that address, but are not limited to, the following themes:o Social media engagement and mental health outcomes, including anxiety, depression, loneliness, body image, and self-esteem.o Interventions designed to promote digital wellbeing, such as school-based programs, parental guidance frameworks, and public health policies.o Effects of screen time on physical health, including sleep, sedentary behavior, physical activity, obesity, and visual health.o Screen exposure and its impact on neurodevelopment, cognition, executive function, attention, memory, and emotion regulation.o The influence of generative AI, virtual and augmented reality, and algorithmic content on digital behavior and wellbeing in youth. Topic editors: PV AshaRani, Janhavi Ajit Vaingankar, Serenella Tolomeo Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/80943/screens-and-the-developing-mind-digital-technology-mental-health-and-wellbeing-in-children-and-adolescents