תבהלת המסכים: ניתוח ביקורתי ומטא-אנליזה של הנחיות ארגון הבריאות העולמי להגבלת השימוש במסכים בקרב ילדים

In April 2019, the World Health Organization (WHO) published strict guidelines regarding children's screen time. This article provides a step-by-step, critical review and meta-analysis of the psychological literature underlying these guidelines. Out of 33 studies reported by the WHO, 31 were of very low-quality and two were irrelevant or methodologically problematic.Altogether, the studies produced mixed findings, including counterfactual, positive and null results. A meta-analysis revealed a very small overall effect (r = 0.095) and a significant publication bias (adjusted r = 0.06). These findings corroborate with current literature and suggest that, to date, there is no convincing causal evidence that screen-time (per se) impairs psychological development. Future research is recommended to distinguish between normative and pathological screen use, direct and indirect effects of screens, and different screen content. Future guidelines may provide parents with more nuanced recommendations regarding children’s screen use and help reduce the moral panic over screens.