And zero until the age of three. And this is not what we say, but the WHO!
The use of smartphones worsens mental health, greatly affects our cultural life, and overall worsens our quality of life - Melinda Hal, a clinical psychologist and economist, stated in the relaunched news background program 48 Minutes of the current channel M1 on Thursday evening.
As the new host, the conversation led by Zoltán Martí, online director of the MTVA, included Melinda Hal, a clinical psychologist, economist, leading researcher of the MCC Learning Research Institute, and István F. Takács, a psychologist and trainer, who discussed the mental, philosophical, psychological background, advantages and benefits of using mobile phones. disadvantages were discussed.
Contrary to the opinion of his colleague István F. Takács, he believed that it is not certain that central regulation is needed regarding the use of smart devices, but it is important to talk about it, it is good if there is a scientific discussion about it.
Quoting the WHO recommendation, Melinda Hal spoke about how
the World Health Organization recommends zero minutes of screen time until the age of three, and a total of no more than one hour a day until the teenage years.
The provision that has just been introduced in Hungarian schools aims to bring it closer to one hour, which according to science is still acceptable and does not cause lasting damage, because the average use of smart devices by today's young people is 6.5 hours.
Photo: Pixabay
According to István F. Takács, there is currently no suitable scientific measurement tool for where addictive behavior or problematic device use begins. However, his interlocutor sees it as follows: when we experience a deterioration in the quality of life in young people - for example, locomotor problems, depression, anxiety, personality distortion or significant pornography use - then intervention and treatment are necessary.
Examples from Slovakia, Italy, Finland and the United States about the use of mobile devices at school were also presented in the program. In Slovakia, mobile phones are regulated by age differences from January, and in Italy, mobile phones are prohibited from being brought into kindergartens and the first five classes of schools from the current school year. In Finland, the use of smart devices is also banned in the lower grades of some schools, and in the United States, society is divided because, due to school shootings, many people see them as an important means of communication.
István F. Takács sees it as follows: not with a ban, but with sufficient preparation and personal involvement on the part of teachers to ensure that children do not use their mobile phones in class. But Melinda Hal went on to say that
the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and international studies have established that even when switched off, smart devices have a distracting effect, which tends to worsen cognitive performance.
We fear the use of smart devices because adults don't have a good solution for correct use either, so the simple social reaction is to ban them. The goal to be achieved would be to teach the use of smart devices in such a way that there is no need to ban them, said István F. Takács.
Due to the undeveloped emotional system and decision-making ability of young people between the ages of 20 and 22, it is necessary to restrict mobile phones, just as other addictive substances, alcohol, cigarettes and drugs must also be banned. It is not possible to build only on love and acceptance - but education is above all important - because we are already at such a late hour that central regulation is necessary
Melinda Hal explained.
István F. Takács suggested that the teacher, the adult, should give the child confidence, that the responsibility of the individual is important in how they manage the children. Melinda Hal took the position that a mobile phone is not necessary for the development of trust and normative attachment, trust cannot be formed if the smart device is present.
He also noted that the excessive use of digital devices causes bonding problems and an emotional defect, which also leads to generational problems. "Digital autism" has also appeared among young children, which already appears in kindergarten in the form of tantrums and anxiety.
At the end of the conversation, István F. Takács and Melinda Hal confirmed that harassment is one of the most important problems in the online space.
MTI
Featured Image: Pixabay
