UNIGOU Training 2024

Czech-Brazilian Academic Program

Psychological Effects of Technology on Children and

Adolescents After COVID-19
Marina Carlos Tostes a
a Institute of Human Sciences, Faculty of Psychology, Paulista University, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil,
[email protected]

Abstract. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought challenges to the continuity of normal life in
every corner of the world, leading to the adoption of social distancing and, subsequently, mobility
restrictions. As a result, there has been a significant increase in the use of technology in everyday
life, both for work and entertainment. During the quarantine, the use of technology among
adolescents and children has become even more common, generating both positive and negative
impacts on their lives. Objective: This review provides the reflection that excessive use of
technology can affect brain function, impairing sleep and cognitive abilities, and increasing the
risk of developing some mental illnesses, such as depression, anxiety, and Alzheimer's. Method:
An integrative review was conducted in three academic databases (Google Scholar, PubMed and
Web of Science). Conclusion: The increased use of technology during the pandemic has brought
both benefits and challenges, depending on how it is used. Parents need to monitor whether this
increased use is having negative effects on their children. It is recommended that parents
promote educational and creative games at home, in addition to encouraging their children to
stay motivated.

Keywords. Technology, Children, Adolescents, Cellphone, COVID-19, Psychological Effects.

1. Introduction played a vital role in helping societies adapt to the

restrictions imposed by the pandemic, helping to
Excessive technology use can have a variety of keep education, work, commerce and healthcare
psychological effects on children, both positive and functioning. At the same time, it has enabled people
negative. On the positive side, technology can to connect and better cope with social isolation [2].
provide educational tools, cognitive skill
development, and even socialization in digital In the case of education, with schools closed, online
environments. Educational platforms, interactive teaching platforms and videoconferencing tools
games, and video communication can help children allowed students and teachers to continue their
learn and keep them connected to family and friends, educational activities. This made it possible to
especially in times of isolation, such as during the maintain learning despite physical limitations and
COVID-19 pandemic. introduced new forms of teaching, such as recorded
lessons, interactive exercises and discussion
However, prolonged and unsupervised use of forums.[2].
technology can have a number of negative
consequences. One of the main impacts is related to While the pandemic has brought many challenges,
children’s emotional and behavioral development. technology has provided significant benefits for
Excessive exposure to inappropriate content, social children, from continued education to emotional and
media, and video games can increase anxiety, social support. It has allowed children to maintain
attention problems, and even lead to the onset of their learning and development routines while
depressive symptoms. In addition, excessive screen exploring new ways of interacting and being creative.
time is associated with a decrease in face-to-face However, these benefits have also come with the
social interaction, which is essential for the need for supervision and balance to avoid the
development of socio-emotional skills such as negative effects of overuse of technological devices
empathy and communication. [1] [3].

1.1 COVID-19 Pandemic and Technology 1.2 Children and Technology

During the COVID-19 pandemic, technology has According to the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC), which responded during the
COVID-19 pandemic, caregivers were advised to analysis format.
avoid face-to-face meetings between children to
ensure social distancing. Alternatively, they The review includes empirical and review articles
recommend supervised phone calls and video calls published between January 2011 and December
between children and their friends [3]. 2023 written in English.

Therefore, addiction to cell phones and technological 3. Results

devices has intensified after the pandemic due to the
increased use of technology during isolation. In this review, 92 (ninety-two) articles were used,
Although cell phones have been an essential tool primarily with the keywords “technology”,
during this period, their uncontrolled use can lead to “children”, “COVID-19”. Of these 92, 58 (fifty-eight)
mental health problems, interfere with social were excluded due to lack of connection between the
relationships, and compromise productivity and terms, thus leaving only 34 (thirty-four). In a more
sleep. Combating this addiction requires both detailed analysis, 14 (fourteen) were removed from
awareness and the implementation of practices that the base studies, leaving only 20 (twenty) articles
help restore balance in the use of technology [1]. that will support these studies.

1.3 Unsafe Technology As empirical articles, we have 4 (four) [5, 10, 11, 12]
where there is data collection in a small population
According to Hardell in 2017, in recent years, several of examinees. Review articles are those that only
studies have been conducted to investigate the contain bibliographic review and are the remaining
effects of electromagnetic radiation emitted by 17 (seventeen) [1 - 4, 6 - 9, 13 - 20].
smartphones on human health. These devices
generate a lot of electromagnetic waves, and children About the empirical articles, the themes are diverse
are particularly vulnerable, as their heads are more but based on a cognitive analysis of cell phone
sensitive and their cranial bones are thinner than addiction and the effects on children's psychology, as
those of adults [5]. it is a universal problem [5], and how social isolation,
loneliness and cell phone addiction are increasingly
The developing brain, which continues to mature becoming part of children and adolescents [10], as
until around the age of 20, is increasingly sensitive to well as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in children
radiofrequency (RF). The greater the exposure, the and adolescents addicted to technology [11]. Not
greater the absorption of radio waves and, only this, but also studying the relationship between
consequently, the risk of developing brain tumors in online gaming addiction and motivation to learn at
growing brains [1]. school during the COVID-19 pandemic [12].
The use of technology influences neuroplasticity in
children and adolescents, causing changes that may 4. Discussion
be temporary or long-lasting [6]. Childhood and Campbell (2005) presented the cell phone as an
adolescence are fundamental phases for brain evolution from a technological tool to a social device,
development and reorganization, making amid the growing adoption of smartphones in our
experiences and environmental factors especially daily lives. Initially, the landline telephone was
relevant for future brain functioning [7, 8]. launched in the early 19th century with the main
purpose of facilitating business communication, and
Thus, this informação aims to provide an
not to promote social interactions.
introduction to the topic and present a brief
conceptual overview of the findings in the literature. Since 1973, when Motorola developed the first
portable mobile phone, the use of these devices, and
2. Methodology later smartphones, has increased exponentially,
gradually surpassing the number of landlines. Today,
Different databases were used to search for studies
with over 5 billion global users, landlines are almost
for the current review, these databases included
extinct (Statista, 2019).
“Google Scholar”, “PubMed” and “Web of Science”.
The keywords for searching included “technology”, Currently, especially in recent years with the arrival
“COVID-19”, “Children”, “Adolescents”, “Technology of the 2019 pandemic, technology has been crucial in
use in COVID-19”, “Psychological effects of bringing us together and connecting us to those who
technology and children in the pandemic” and were in difficult conditions of contagion. Not only
“Neurological effects of confinement”. Active reading that, but education and commerce have only
was carried out twice of the 20 selected articles, thus continued due to technology, which, from this
enabling greater data collection and observation on perspective, seems to be something harmless, but in
the fact analyzed. the long term it has brought problems, mainly
psychological, to our children and adolescents.
2.1 A Qualitative Analysis
A qualitative analysis of the most relevant The connection with those who were far away made
information was carried out, with comparisons us lose contact with those who were close and the
between the different publications, without the digital world was gaining more and more strength
application of a quantitative analysis in the meta- taking us away from the real world.
Although the lockdown has been effective in radiation are more likely to develop gliomas and
controlling the spread of the virus, concerns have acoustic neuromas in young people, with the risk
been raised about its behavioral, emotional, being highest in people under 20 years of age [1].
psychological, and neurological effects, as well as the
worsening of pre-existing neurological disorders Children and adolescents are more vulnerable to RF
during the pandemic [15, 16]. radiation emitted by wireless phones due to their
smaller head size, higher conductivity, and thinner
With the implementation of the lockdown, cases of skulls compared to adults, which facilitates the
anxiety, somatic symptoms, obsessive-compulsive absorption of radiation by the child's brain [1].
disorder, post-traumatic stress, and thought
problems have been reported in children aged 1.5 to In addition, exposure to RF radiation from
18 years [15]. Children have expressed fear of the smartphones is also associated with sleep disorders.
pandemic, anxiety due to isolation, and feeling lonely Cell phone use has been linked to reduced levels of
due to the prolonged closure of parks, schools, the Beta-trace protein (lipocalin-like prostaglandin D
theaters, and the lack of outdoor activities [13, 14]. synthase), which is responsible for the synthesis of
prostaglandin D, a neurohormone essential for
Previous studies have identified that anxiety, promoting sleep [1].
depression, irritability, lack of attention, mood
swings, and poor sleep quality were common In addition to the risk of brain tumors, the WHO has
problems during the COVID-19 pandemic quarantine identified that wireless phones pose a health threat,
period [17, 18]. In addition, it was found that contributing to problems such as attention deficit,
students face difficulties due to the interruption of cognitive impairment, learning disabilities, sleep
studies and uncertainty about the future [19]. disorders, and sensitivity to stress. Other conditions
include Alzheimer's, dementia, depression, anxiety,
The use of smartphones and other technologies and the possibility of developing neurodegenerative
increased significantly during the pandemic, driven diseases [1].
by isolation and the lack of leisure alternatives. Both
parents and children began to use technology more, There is both positive and negative evidence
whether to play games, attend online classes, pass regarding the impact of technology on
the time, or access social networks [20]. neurodevelopment or neuroplasticity. Among the
negative effects, excessive exposure to screens can
In childhood, neural connections form at a much impair brain development, in addition to increasing
faster rate than in adulthood, which highlights the the risk of cognitive, behavioral, and emotional
significant impact of early experiences on brain problems in adolescents and young adults, and
development. dementia in old age [1].

Neuroplasticity is the process of structural and 5. Conclusion

functional changes that the brain undergoes over
time, resulting from neuronal development and the During the COVID-19 pandemic, technology has
influences of lived experiences [17]. become indispensable. In a time of isolation and
social distancing, the world has depended on
The use of technology affects neuroplasticity in technology to learn, live, and stay connected. When
children and adolescents, generating changes that used appropriately, technology can promote the
can be both temporary and permanent [17]. social, physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual
Childhood and adolescence are essential periods for well-being of children, especially in contexts where
the growth and reorganization of the brain, which they interact with an adult [2].
makes experiences and environmental factors
decisive for brain development and functioning in The increased use of technology during the pandemic
the future [18, 19]. has had both positive and negative impacts,
depending on how it is used. While smartphones
Technology addiction has reached worrying levels offer a way to alleviate loneliness during lockdown,
and continues to grow among children and they have also been linked to the emergence of
adolescents in many regions around the world. serious mental health problems, such as depression,
Among technologies, smartphones are the most anxiety, sleep disorders and cognitive impairment.
widely used device. This excessive use is associated
with several worrying conditions, as discussed in the The RF radiation emitted by smartphones raises
previous section. concerns about the possible risk of brain tumors in
children. Furthermore, although television is not
Smartphones are believed to emit radiofrequency used as much as smartphones, it also has some
(RF) radiation that can reach the brain, which can impact on children. Video games have been shown to
lead to unwanted effects. The frequency range be an effective stress-relieving tool in children and
between 30 KHz and 300 GHz is considered a adults, helping to reduce depression and anxiety, as
possible human carcinogen [1]. well as stimulating creativity, cognition and skills.
There are reports that this RF emission can increase With balance and supervision from parents and/or
the risk of brain tumors in children and adolescents. guardians, it is possible to reduce smartphone
Studies show that areas of the brain exposed to RF addiction and have a better quality of life.
6. References [11] Shen L, Wu X, Zhen R and Zhou X (2021) Post-
Traumatic Stress Disorder, Mobile Phone
[1] Limone,P.;Toto,G.A. Psychological and Emotional Dependence, and Academic Boredom in Adolescents
Effects of Digital Technology on Children in COVID- During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Front. Psychol.
19 Pandemic. Brain Sci. 2021, 11,1126. 12:724732. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.724732
https://doi.org/10.3390/ brainsci11091126
[12] Rahayu, I. S., Karana, I. ., Hardiansyah, M. A.,
[2] Mustapha, I., Thuy Van, N., Shahverdi, M., Qureshi, Dewi, D. H., & Elihami, E. (2021). The relationship of
M. I., & Khan, N. (2021). Effectiveness of Digital online game addiction with learning motivation in
Technology in Education During COVID-19 school age children on COVID-19 pandemic.
Pandemic. A Bibliometric Analysis. International Linguistics and Culture Review, 5(1), 384-396.
Journal of Interactive Mobile Technologies (iJIM),
15(08), pp. 136–154. [13] Duan, L.; Shao, X.; Wang, Y.; Huang, Y.; Miao, J.;
https://doi.org/10.3991/ijim.v15i08.20415 Yang, X.; Zhu, G. An investigation of mental health
status of children and adolescents in china during the
[3] Mesce M, Ragona A, Cimino S, Cerniglia L. The outbreak of COVID-19. J. Affect. Disord. 2020, 275,
impact of media on children during the COVID-19 112–118. [CrossRef]
pandemic: A narrative review. Heliyon. 2022
Dec;8(12):e12489. doi: [14] Yeasmin, S.; Banik, R.; Hossain, S.; Hossain, M.N.;
10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e12489. Epub 2022 Dec 19. Mahumud, R.; Salma, N.; Hossain, M.M. Impact of
PMID: 36568660; PMCID: PMC9762042. COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of children
in Bangladesh: A cross-sectional study. Child. Youth
[4] Goldschmidt K. The COVID-19 Pandemic: Serv. Rev. 2020, 117, 105277. [CrossRef]
Technology use to Support the Wellbeing of Children.
J Pediatr Nurs. 2020 Jul-Aug;53:88-90. doi: [15] Conti, E.; Sgandurra, G.; De Nicola, G.; Biagioni,
10.1016/j.pedn.2020.04.013. Epub 2020 Apr 16. T.; Boldrini, S.; Bonaventura, E.; Buchignani, B.; Della
PMID: 32317129; PMCID: PMC7161478. Vecchia, S.; Falcone, F.;Fedi, C. Behavioural and
emotional changes during COVID-19 lockdown in an
[5] DR. SYEDA MALIHA BEGUM DR. SYED SHUJAT italian paediatric population with neurologic and
HUSSAIN. A cognitive analysis of cell phone addiction psychiatric disorders. Brain Sci. 2020, 10, 918.
and its effects on children’s psychology as an [CrossRef] [PubMed]
international dilemma. Pakistan Journal of
International Affairs, v. 6, n. 1, 2023. [16] Panda, P.K.; Gupta, J.; Chowdhury, S.R.; Kumar,
R.; Meena, A.K.; Madaan, P.; Sharawat, I.K.; Gulati, S.
[6] Bavelier, D.; Green, C.S.; Dye, M.W. Children, Psychological and behavioral impact of lockdown
wired: For better and for worse. Neuron 2010, 67, and quarantine measures for COVID-19 pandemic on
692–701. [CrossRef] [PubMed] children, adolescents and caregivers: A systematic
review and meta-analysis. J. Trop. Pediatrics 2021,
[7] Irwin, L. Early Child Development: A Powerful 67, fmaa122. [CrossRef] [PubMed]
Equalizer. Final Report for the World Health
Organization’s Commission on the Social [17] Duan, L.; Shao, X.; Wang, Y.; Huang, Y.; Miao, J.;
Determinants of Health. Available online: Yang, X.; Zhu, G. An investigation of mental health
http://www.who.int/social_determinants/resource status of children and adolescents in china during the
s/ecd_kn_report_07_2007. pdf (accessed on outbreak of COVID-19. J. Affect. Disord. 2020, 275,
September 19) 112–118. [CrossRef]

[8] Petanjek, Z.; Judaš, M.; Šimic ́, G.; Rašin, M.R.; [18] Colizzi, M.; Sironi, E.; Antonini, F.; Ciceri, M.L.;
Uylings, H.B.; Rakic, P.; Kostovic ́, I. Extraordinary Bovo, C.; Zoccante, L. Psychosocial and behavioral
neoteny of synaptic spines in the human prefrontal impact of COVID-19 in autism spectrum disorder: An
cortex. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 2011, 108, 13281– online parent survey. Brain Sci. 2020, 10, 341.
13286. [CrossRef] [PubMed] [CrossRef]

[9] Ammar, A.; Trabelsi, K.; Brach, M.; Chtourou, H.; [19] Lee, J. Mental health effects of school closures
Boukhris, O.; Masmoudi, L.; Bouaziz, B.; Bentlage, E.; during COVID-19. Lancet Child Adolesc. Health 2020,
How, D.; Ahmed, M. Effects of home confinement on 4, 421. [CrossRef]
mental health and lifestyle behaviours during the
COVID-19 outbreak: Insights from the ECLB- [20] Drouin, M.; McDaniel, B.T.; Pater, J.; Toscos, T.
COVID19 multicentre study. Biol. Sport 2021, 38, 9. How parents and their children used social media
[CrossRef] [PubMed] and technology at the beginning of the COVID-19
pandemic and associations with anxiety.
[10] Zhen R, Li L, Li G, Zhou X. Social Isolation, Cyberpsychol. Behav. Soc. Netw. 2020, 23, 727–736.
Loneliness, and Mobile Phone Dependence among [CrossRef]
Adolescents During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Roles of
Parent-Child Communication Patterns. Int J Ment
Health Addict. 2021 Nov 11:1-15. doi:
10.1007/s11469-021-00700-1. Epub ahead of print.
PMID: 34785993; PMCID: PMC8584639.