An interesting new study was just published that suggests that children who have little or no screen time are able to read the emotions of others better than those who spend considerable time in front of a screen.

Though the sample for the study was small, its implications are disturbing, namely, that the decline in face-to-face interaction caused by the rise in the use of technology may inhibit the development of children’s ability to identify, interpret, and react to the emotions of others.

Given that considerable research has shown that ’emotional intelligence’ is vital to success in school, career, and relationships, this finding should be troubling to parents who give their children unfettered use of smartphones, tablets, and computers, and to educators who believe that technology is the panacea to all of our country’s educational woes.