A study by the University of Yamanashi, Japan, found a link between boys being allowed more screen time as children and a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) later on. However, the researchers didn’t find a similar connection with girls.
The researchers concluded that one-year-old boys who had a lot of screen time were more likely to display symptoms of ASD by three years old. While many studies have investigated the link between screen time and ASD, fewer have looked into how screen time can cause one-year-old children to develop the disorder.
Despite the few studies on the topic, most haven’t shown a clear association between the two phenomena. One of these was a Canadian study published in Psychiatry in 2021. The researchers, who conducted this study during the pandemic, found that parents of children with and without ASD reported negative and positive effects of screen time regardless of the child’s diagnosis.
Scientist warns on confusing correlation with causation
Although this new study yielded positive results, Dr. Azadeh Kushki, a senior scientist at the Autism Research Center who led the Canadian research, warned scientists to consider the difference between correlation and causation.
Causation is when one factor directly leads to another. Correlation, on the other hand, is where two factors might change together without either being the cause of the other. In this case, Dr. Kushki states that more screen time might not be why children develop autism.
Moreover, increased screen time could be a sign of autism and not the cause. Children with ASD often have different social motivations, sensory experiences, and interests, making them prefer screen time.
How researchers conducted the study
With this new study, researchers asked mothers how many hours their children spent on T.V when they were a year old. After the child reached 3, there was a follow-up study to see if the child had received an autism diagnosis.
The team found a substantial difference among boys who had more screen time as children. These boys were more likely to have autism. However, there were no differences among the girls.
In addition, the team accounted for variables like anxiety disorders and predisposition for ASD. More studies are necessary to confirm the results.
