The impact of technology on the development of children and adolescents

Abstract

Technologies have brought significant advances and provided great opportunities for all of us, but they have also generated major complications, especially for children and adolescents. Excessive screen use harms cognitive, social, and emotional development, and can affect young people's self-esteem and identity through social media, for example. Screen dependency can result in problems such as gaming addiction, mental disorders, and exposure to inappropriate content. However, technologies also offer benefits, such as learning opportunities and personal development. Recommended strategies to combat exposure to risks include rigorous parental control, where explanation and understanding of limits by the child is fundamental to ensuring healthy development.