So, mom, dad, or auntie, it’s time for the dreaded “screen talk.” Are you tired of your teen looking down at his or her phone “all the time?” What happens when you ask your teen to please put the phone down or turn it off? Is there eye rolling, moaning “this isn’t fair” and maybe even door slamming after they huff out of the room? If so, know that you are not alone? This is a struggle played out day after day in homes across America.

But why is it such a struggle? Well, some of the best brains and behavioral scientists in the world are working on the answer. But, why do you care about this science stuff? Well, because you want your child to become a happy, productive, adult – equipped to succeed in today’s ever-complex world and we know that science helps us figure this out.

So, let’s learn a bit more about the science. The National Institutes of Health is currently conducting The Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study — the largest long-term study of brain development and child health in the United States. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is funding leading researchers in the fields of adolescent development and neuroscience. The ABCD Research Consortium consists of a Coordinating Center, a Data Analysis and Informatics Center, and 21 research sites across the country.

Using cutting-edge technology, this group of scientists are determining how childhood experiences (such as sports, videogames, social media, unhealthy sleep patterns, and smoking) interact with each other and with a child’s changing biology to affect brain development and social, behavioral, academic, health, and other outcomes.