Effect of Nighttime Interactive Screen Use (e.g., Video Games/Chat) on Empathy Fatigue in Children

Abstract

The use of interactive screens as items found at night, is a widespread occurrence in the everyday lives of children through playing online video games or having late night chats. Despite the fact that these activities raise entertainment levels as well as social bond, they can cause downward effect on sleep, emotional control and empathy. This paper will review the relationship between interactivity exposure to screens at night and empathy fatigue in children. An 8-14 year cross-sectional survey of children (n=200) was used with self-report questionnaires, parental report and two week sleep diary. Results showed that increased nighttime interactive screen viewing was associated with a reduction of sleep duration, delayed sleep onset as well as high levels of empathy fatigue. This was mediated in part by sleep disruption and poor emotional regulation. The conclusion of the study is that interactive screens in the night at children can make them more susceptible to emotional fatigue and less empathy responsiveness, the content type (prosocial or violent) acts as a mediator.