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Berard M, Peries M, Loubersac J, Picot MC, Bernard JY, Munir K, Baghdadli A. Screen time and associated risks in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders during a discrete COVID-19 lockdown period. Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:1026191. [PMID: 36532191 PMCID: PMC9751585 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.1026191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Accepted: 11/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The COVID-19 pandemic may affect the screen time of children and adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). This study aimed to examine the screen time of children and adolescents with ASD during a discrete lockdown period in France and identify risk factors for excessive screen time. METHODS The study sample consisted of 249 ASD subjects, 3-17 years of age, enrolled in the ELENA cohort. Information about the screen time was collected using the COVID-19 questionnaire specially created for this study. The clinical, socio-demographic and familial characteristics were collected from the last ELENA follow-up visit. RESULTS More than one third of subjects exceeded recommended levels of screen time and almost half of parents reported that their child spent more time using screen since COVID-19 pandemic beginning. Excessive screen time was significantly related to age with higher screen time in adolescents. Risk factors for excessive screen time were high withdrawn behaviors and low socioeconomic status for children, and older age and male gender for adolescents. CONCLUSION These results imply to adapt the recommendations already formulated in general population concerning the good use of screens in youth with ASD. Specific recommendations and suitable guidance are needed to help children and adolescents with ASD and their parents implement the more optimal use of screen time activities for educational, therapeutic and social goals. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER NCT02625116.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathilde Berard
- Centre de Ressource Autisme Languedoc-Roussillon, CHU Montpellier, Montpellier, France.,Centre d'Excellence sur l'Autisme et les Troubles Neuro-développementaux, CHU Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Marianne Peries
- Centre de Ressource Autisme Languedoc-Roussillon, CHU Montpellier, Montpellier, France.,Centre d'Excellence sur l'Autisme et les Troubles Neuro-développementaux, CHU Montpellier, Montpellier, France.,Université Paris-Saclay, UVSQ, Inserm, CESP, Team DevPsy, Villejuif, France
| | - Julie Loubersac
- Centre de Ressource Autisme Languedoc-Roussillon, CHU Montpellier, Montpellier, France.,Centre d'Excellence sur l'Autisme et les Troubles Neuro-développementaux, CHU Montpellier, Montpellier, France.,Université Paris-Saclay, UVSQ, Inserm, CESP, Team DevPsy, Villejuif, France
| | - Marie-Christine Picot
- Centre d'Excellence sur l'Autisme et les Troubles Neuro-développementaux, CHU Montpellier, Montpellier, France.,Université Paris-Saclay, UVSQ, Inserm, CESP, Team DevPsy, Villejuif, France.,Clinical Research and Epidemiology Unit, Department of Medical Information, University Hospital, CHU Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Jonathan Y Bernard
- Université Paris Cité, Inserm, INRAE, Centre de Recherche en Épidémiologie et Statistiques, Paris, France.,Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences (SICS), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (ASTAR), Singapore, Singapore
| | - Kerim Munir
- Developmental Medicine Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Amaria Baghdadli
- Centre de Ressource Autisme Languedoc-Roussillon, CHU Montpellier, Montpellier, France.,Centre d'Excellence sur l'Autisme et les Troubles Neuro-développementaux, CHU Montpellier, Montpellier, France.,Université Paris-Saclay, UVSQ, Inserm, CESP, Team DevPsy, Villejuif, France.,Faculté de Médecine, Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
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Byrne R, Terranova CO, Trost SG. Measurement of screen time among young children aged 0-6 years: A systematic review. Obes Rev 2021; 22:e13260. [PMID: 33960616 PMCID: PMC8365769 DOI: 10.1111/obr.13260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2021] [Revised: 03/24/2021] [Accepted: 03/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The impact of screen-based devices on children's health and development cannot be properly understood without valid and reliable tools that measure screen time within the evolving digital landscape. This review aimed to summarize characteristics of measurement tools used to assess screen time in young children; evaluate reporting of psychometric properties; and examine time trends related to measurement and reporting of screen time. A systematic review of articles published in English across three databases from January 2009 to April 2020 was undertaken using PROSPERO protocol (registration: CRD42019132599) and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Included articles measured screen time as outcome, exposure, or confounder in children 0-6 years. The search identified 35,868 records, 1035 full-text articles were screened for eligibility, and 622 met inclusion criteria. Most measures (60%) consisted of one to three items and assessed duration of screen time on a usual day. Few measures assessed content (11%) or coviewing (7%). Only 40% of articles provided a citation for the measure, and only 69 (11%) reported psychometric properties-reliability n = 58, validity n = 19, reliability and validity n = 8. Between 2009 and 2019, the number of published articles increased from 28 to 71. From 2015, there was a notable increase in the proportion of articles published each year that assessed exposure to mobile devices in addition to television. The increasing number of published articles reflects increasing interest in screen time exposure among young children. Measures of screen time have generally evolved to reflect children's contemporary digital landscape; however, the psychometric properties of measurement tools are rarely reported. There is a need for improved measures and reporting to capture the complexity of children's screen time exposures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Byrne
- School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Faculty of Health, Centre for Children's Health Research (CCHR)Queensland University of Technology (QUT)South BrisbaneQueenslandAustralia
| | - Caroline O. Terranova
- School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Faculty of Health, Centre for Children's Health Research (CCHR)Queensland University of Technology (QUT)South BrisbaneQueenslandAustralia
| | - Stewart G. Trost
- School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Faculty of Health, Centre for Children's Health Research (CCHR)Queensland University of Technology (QUT)South BrisbaneQueenslandAustralia
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Yousef AM, Roshdy EH, Abdel Fattah NR, Said RM, Atia MM, Hafez EM, Mohamed AE. Prevalence and risk factors of autism spectrum disorders in preschool children in Sharkia, Egypt: a community-based study. MIDDLE EAST CURRENT PSYCHIATRY 2021. [DOI: 10.1186/s43045-021-00114-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Background
Lateness in the diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) results in significant disability and pressure on affected children and their families. We aimed to detect the preschool children who have high-risk criteria for ASD in Sharkia Governorate in Egypt and assess the prevalence and risk factors of ASD. A cross-sectional community-based study was done in 39 kindergartens throughout Sharkia Governorate, Egypt, using a multi-stage random sampling technique. The study included two phases, the screening phase, where 3722 preschool children were screened by Modified Check List for Toddlers/Revised (M-CHAT-R), and the diagnostic phase where the diagnosis of ASD among the high-risk children was made according to the research diagnostic criteria of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5th edition (DSM-5) of ASD administrated by experienced psychiatrists and the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS).
Results
This study showed that 2.8% of children were at high risk for ASD. The prevalence of ASD in Sharkia Governorate was 5.4/1000. The significant risk factors for the disorder were the presence of factories near the house, first and middle child order, congenital anomalies, child medication during the first year of life, child chronic medical condition, child attachment to TV, a medical condition affecting mother during pregnancy, and psychiatric disorders history in the family.
Conclusion
Autism spectrum disorder is prevalent in preschool children in Sharkia, Egypt, and multiple risk factors contribute to this prevalence.
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Harlé B. Intensive early screen exposure as a causal factor for symptoms of autistic spectrum disorder: The case for «Virtual autism». Trends Neurosci Educ 2019; 17:100119. [PMID: 31685125 DOI: 10.1016/j.tine.2019.100119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2019] [Revised: 08/21/2019] [Accepted: 10/09/2019] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Intensive Early Screen Exposure (IESE) has been associated with detrimental outcomes on different variables including attention, language, emotion regulation and socialisation, some of which are central to the diagnosis of neurodevelopmental disorders, such as ADHD and learning disorders. Following Bradford-Hill's recommendations, we argue that there is growing clinical and empirical evidence supporting a causal relationship between intensive early screen exposure (more than 4 h a day) and subsequent symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorders in some possibly vulnerable younger children (less than 6 years old). Clinicians should also be aware of the existence of cases of recovery or dramatic improvement after parents accept to stop screen exposure for a few months, associated with daily moments of dyadic interaction, since this intervention has repeatedly been found to be effective with no known side-effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruno Harlé
- Hôpital de Saint-Cyr-au-Mont-d'Or, Lyon, France.
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Slobodin O, Heffler KF, Davidovitch M. Screen Media and Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Literature Review. J Dev Behav Pediatr 2019; 40:303-311. [PMID: 30908423 DOI: 10.1097/dbp.0000000000000654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Previous studies suggest that psychiatric disorders are associated with problematic use of screen media. This article systematically reviews the literature on the associations between screen media and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The review uses the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. METHOD Electronic databases were searched from inception to April 2018, using the term "ASD/autism" along with one of the following terms: "screen time"/"media"/"computer"/"phone"/"television"/"video game." RESULTS A total of 16 studies met the inclusion criteria. The studies support the view that children and adolescents with ASD are exposed to more screen time than their typically developing peers or other clinical groups and that the exposure starts at a younger age. The content and context of screen use (e.g., with parents vs alone) may affect the behaviors associated with media exposure. Correlates and long-term consequences of early screen exposure (before the age of 3 years) remain largely unexamined. CONCLUSION The current review provides important information about how ASD is associated with screen use and exposure. Future longitudinal research should examine the impact of early screen exposure on child development while accounting for potential moderating environmental factors (e.g., socioeconomic status, parent-child relationship). This will help determine whether-and if so, how much-exposure is detrimental and allow appropriate recommendations and interventions related to screen time among children with ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ortal Slobodin
- Department of Education, Ben-Gurion University, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Karen Frankel Heffler
- Department of Ophthalmology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Michael Davidovitch
- Medical Department and Research Institute, Maccabi Healthcare Services, Tel Aviv, Israel
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