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Rayce SB, Okholm GT, Flensborg-Madsen T. Mobile device screen time is associated with poorer language development among toddlers: results from a large-scale survey. BMC Public Health 2024; 24:1050. [PMID: 38622610 PMCID: PMC11020890 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-024-18447-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite young children's widespread use of mobile devices, little research exists on this use and its association with children's language development. The aim of this study was to examine the associations between mobile device screen time and language comprehension and expressive language skills. An additional aim was to examine whether three factors related to the domestic learning environment modify the associations. METHODS The study uses data from the Danish large-scale survey TRACES among two- and three-year-old children (n = 31,125). Mobile device screen time was measured as time spent on mobile devices on a normal day. Measurement of language comprehension and expressive language skills was based on subscales from the Five to Fifteen Toddlers questionnaire. Multivariable linear regression was used to examine the association between child mobile device screen time and language development and logistic regression to examine the risk of experiencing significant language difficulties. Joint exposure analyses were used to examine the association between child mobile device screen time and language development difficulties in combination with three other factors related to the domestic learning environment: parental education, reading to the child and child TV/PC screen time. RESULTS High mobile device screen time of one hour or more per day was significantly associated with poorer language development scores and higher odds for both language comprehension difficulties (1-2 h: AOR = 1.30; ≥ 2 h: AOR = 1.42) and expressive language skills difficulties (1-2 h: AOR = 1.19; ≥ 2 h: AOR = 1.46). The results suggest that reading frequently to the child partly buffers the negative effect of high mobile device screen time on language comprehension difficulties but not on expressive language skills difficulties. No modifying effect of parental education and time spent by the child on TV/PC was found. CONCLUSIONS Mobile device screen time of one hour or more per day is associated with poorer language development among toddlers. Reading frequently to the child may have a buffering effect on language comprehension difficulties but not on expressive language skills difficulties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Signe Boe Rayce
- VIVE- The Danish Center for Social Science Research, Herluf Trolles Gade 11, Copenhagen, 1052, Denmark.
| | - Gunhild Tidemann Okholm
- Center for Clinical Research and Prevention Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg Hospitals The Capital Region, Nordre Fasanvej 57, Frederiksberg, 2000, Denmark
- Unit of Medical Psychology, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Øster Farimagsgade 5, Copenhagen, 1353, Denmark
| | - Trine Flensborg-Madsen
- Unit of Medical Psychology, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Øster Farimagsgade 5, Copenhagen, 1353, Denmark
- The Danish National Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Studiestraede 6, Copenhagen, 1455, Denmark
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Sundqvist A, Barr R, Heimann M, Birberg-Thornberg U, Koch FS. A longitudinal study of the relationship between children's exposure to screen media and vocabulary development. Acta Paediatr 2024; 113:517-522. [PMID: 38014571 DOI: 10.1111/apa.17047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2023] [Revised: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
AIM This study addresses the scarcity of longitudinal research on the influence of screen media on children. It aims to explore the longitudinal relationship between children's vocabulary development and their exposure to screen media. METHODS The study, initiated in 2017, included 72 children (37 boys) in Östergötland, Sweden, at three key developmental stages: preverbal (9.7 months), early verbal (25.5 months) and preliterate (5.4 years). Parents completed online surveys at each time point, reporting their child's screen time. At 10 months and 2 years, age-appropriate vocabulary assessments were conducted online. At age 5, children's vocabulary was laboratory assessed. RESULTS Correlational analysis revealed a negative relationship between language scores and screen media use across all time points. Furthermore, a cross-lagged panel model demonstrated that screen media use showed significant continuity over time, with screen use at age 2 predicting language development at ages 2 and 5. CONCLUSION This longitudinal study, spanned from 9 months to 5 years of age, established a predictive negative association between children's exposure to screen media and their vocabulary development. These findings underscore the need to consider the impact of screen media on early childhood development and may inform guidelines for screen media use in young children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annette Sundqvist
- Department of Behavioural Sciences and Learning, Infant and Child Lab, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Rachel Barr
- Georgetown University, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Mikael Heimann
- Department of Behavioural Sciences and Learning, Infant and Child Lab, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Ulrika Birberg-Thornberg
- Department of Behavioural Sciences and Learning, Infant and Child Lab, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine and Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Felix-Sebastian Koch
- Department of Behavioural Sciences and Learning, Infant and Child Lab, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
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Almeida ML, Garon-Carrier G, Cinar E, Frizzo GB, Fitzpatrick C. Prospective associations between child screen time and parenting stress and later inattention symptoms in preschoolers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1053146. [PMID: 37303895 PMCID: PMC10249107 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1053146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2022] [Accepted: 04/21/2023] [Indexed: 06/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Child attention skills are critical for supporting self-regulation abilities, especially during the first years of life. On the other hand, inattention symptoms in preschoolers have been associated with poor school readiness, literacy skills and academic achievement. Previous research has linked excessive screen time with increased inattention symptoms in early childhood. However, most research has only focused on TV exposure and did not investigate this association during the COVID-19 pandemic. This atypical context has increased screen time in children worldwide, including preschoolers. We hypothesize that higher levels of child screen media and parenting stress at age 3.5 will be associated with higher child inattention symptoms at age 4.5. Method This study draws on participants followed longitudinally over the span of 2-years for an investigation of Canadian preschoolers' screen media use during the pandemic (N = 315, 2020). A follow-up with this sample was completed in 2021 (N = 264). Results Analyses using multiple linear regression, revealed a positive association between child screen time at age 3.5 and inattention symptoms at 4.5 years. Parental stress was also positively associated with child inattention symptoms. Associations were observed above individual (child age, inhibitory control, and sex) and family (parent education and family income) characteristics. Discussion These results confirmed our hypothesis and highlight that preschooler screen use and parenting stress may undermine attentional skills. Since attention is a crucial component for children development, behavior and academic outcomes, our study reinforces the importance for parents of adopting healthy media habits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maíra Lopes Almeida
- Département de l’enseignement au préscolaire et au primaire, Faculté d`Éducation, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Gabrielle Garon-Carrier
- Département de psychoéducation, Faculté d`Éducation, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrook, QC, Canada
| | - Eda Cinar
- Département de psychoéducation, Faculté d`Éducation, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrook, QC, Canada
| | - Giana Bitencourt Frizzo
- Departamento de Psicologia do Desenvolvimento e Personalidade, Instituto de Psicologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Caroline Fitzpatrick
- Département de l’enseignement au préscolaire et au primaire, Faculté d`Éducation, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
- Department of Childhood Education, Faculty of Education, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa
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Sundqvist A, Koch F, Söderberg M, Barr R, Heimann M. Qualitative and quantitative aspects of child‐directed parental talk and the relation to 2‐year‐old's developing vocabulary. Infancy 2022; 27:682-699. [DOI: 10.1111/infa.12476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2021] [Revised: 04/14/2022] [Accepted: 04/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Annette Sundqvist
- Infant and Child Lab, Department of Behavioural Sciences and Learning Linköping University Linköping Sweden
| | - Felix‐Sebastian Koch
- Infant and Child Lab, Department of Behavioural Sciences and Learning Linköping University Linköping Sweden
| | - Mimmi Söderberg
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Vrinnevi Hospital Norrköping Sweden
| | - Rachel Barr
- Georgetown University Washington District of Columbia USA
| | - Mikael Heimann
- Infant and Child Lab, Department of Behavioural Sciences and Learning Linköping University Linköping Sweden
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McArthur BA, Browne D, Racine N, Tough S, Madigan S. Screen Time as a Mechanism Through Which Cumulative Risk is Related to Child Socioemotional and Developmental Outcomes in Early Childhood. Res Child Adolesc Psychopathol 2022; 50:709-720. [PMID: 34997403 DOI: 10.1007/s10802-021-00895-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/21/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Socio-demographic risks are associated with higher child screen time and higher screen time is associated with poor socioemotional and developmental health. Existing studies have not examined children's screen time as a mechanism through which distal risks may be associated with child outcomes. In the current study, we examined whether two proximal factors, screen time and parenting quality, mediate the relation between distal cumulative risk and child outcomes. Participants (N = 1992) were drawn from a birth cohort of mothers and their children (81% white; 46% female). Mothers reported on cumulative risk factors (maternal income, education, depression, stress, marital status, housing instability, unemployment, and maternal history of childhood adversity) during the prenatal period. Parenting quality (ineffective/hostile, positive interactions) and children's screen time (hours/week) were assessed when children were three years of age. Child socioemotional (internalizing and externalizing problems) and developmental (achievement of developmental milestones) outcomes were measured at five years of age. Path analysis revealed indirect effects from cumulative risk to internalizing symptoms and achievement of developmental milestones via screen time. Indirect effects were observed from cumulative risk to internalizing and externalizing behavior via hostile parenting behavior. Over and above the effects of parenting, screen time may be a factor that links structural forms of social disadvantage during the prenatal period to child socioemotional and developmental outcomes. Due to modest effect sizes of screen time, it remains the case that child socioemotional and developmental health should be conceptualized within the context of distal cumulative risk factors such as caregiver psychological and material resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brae Anne McArthur
- University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.,Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | | | - Nicole Racine
- University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.,Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Suzanne Tough
- University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.,Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Sheri Madigan
- University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada. .,Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Calgary, AB, Canada.
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Samson AD, Rohr CS, Park S, Arora A, Ip A, Tansey R, Comessotti T, Madigan S, Dewey D, Bray S. Videogame exposure positively associates with selective attention in a cross-sectional sample of young children. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0257877. [PMID: 34570826 PMCID: PMC8476027 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0257877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2020] [Accepted: 09/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
There is growing interest in how exposure to videogames is associated with young children's development. While videogames may displace time from developmentally important activities and have been related to lower reading skills, work in older children and adolescents has suggested that experience with attention-demanding/fast-reaction games positively associates with attention and visuomotor skills. In the current study, we assessed 154 children aged 4-7 years (77 male; mean age 5.38) whose parents reported average daily weekday recreational videogame time, including information about which videogames were played. We investigated associations between videogame exposure and children's sustained, selective, and executive attention skills. We found that videogame time was significantly positively associated only with selective attention. Longitudinal studies are needed to elucidate the directional association between time spent playing recreational videogames and attention skills.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandria D. Samson
- Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Christiane S. Rohr
- Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Child and Adolescent Imaging Research (CAIR) Program, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Department of Radiology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Suhyeon Park
- Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Child and Adolescent Imaging Research (CAIR) Program, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Anish Arora
- Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Child and Adolescent Imaging Research (CAIR) Program, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Amanda Ip
- Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Child and Adolescent Imaging Research (CAIR) Program, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Department of Radiology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Ryann Tansey
- Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Child and Adolescent Imaging Research (CAIR) Program, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Department of Radiology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Tiana Comessotti
- Child and Adolescent Imaging Research (CAIR) Program, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Sheri Madigan
- Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Deborah Dewey
- Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Department of Community Health Sciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Signe Bray
- Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Child and Adolescent Imaging Research (CAIR) Program, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Department of Radiology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- * E-mail:
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Neville RD, Nelson MA, Madigan S, Browne DT, Lakes KD. Does physical activity moderate the association between screen time and psychosocial development in early childhood? Analysis of a longitudinal infant cohort study in Ireland. Eur J Pediatr 2021; 180:2199-211. [PMID: 33686528 DOI: 10.1007/s00431-021-04008-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2020] [Revised: 02/13/2021] [Accepted: 03/01/2021] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
The objective of this study was to explore the extent to which the association between screen time and psychosocial development in preschool children differed between the sexes and according to their frequency of engagement in physical activity. Data are based on a prospective cohort of Irish children, collected between 2010 and 2013 when children were ages 3 (n=9786) and 5 years (n=9001). Children's screen time (h/day), psychosocial development (Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire), and physical activity (bouts/week) were assessed via caregiver report. The magnitude of the association between screen time and changes in behavioural difficulties differed significantly between the sexes. For boys, the association between increased screen time and the onset of behavioural problems coincided directly with a reduction in their frequency of engagement in physical activity. The association between screen time and changes in behavioural difficulties was not moderated by girls' engagement in physical activity, however; and there was no difference in the association between screen time and prosocial behaviours at different frequencies of engagement in physical activity for either boys or girls.Conclusions: Results support recommendations to establish greater balance between physical activity and sedentary behaviours in token economy systems to minimise the negative effects of excessive screen time. What is Known: • Provision of screen time has become normalised as a behavioural reinforcer for use with young children. • Screen viewing above recommended guidelines is associated with behavioural problems that reflect poor self-regulation. What is New: • Boys' levels of engagement in physical activity moderated the relationship between screen time and changes in behavioural difficulties between the ages of 3 and 5 years. • Neither screen time nor physical activity was significantly associated with changes in prosocial behaviours between the ages of 3 and 5 years for either boys or girls.
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McArthur BA, Browne D, McDonald S, Tough S, Madigan S. Longitudinal Associations Between Screen Use and Reading in Preschool-Aged Children. Pediatrics 2021; 147:peds.2020-011429. [PMID: 34031229 DOI: 10.1542/peds.2020-011429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES The home literacy environment has been identified as a key predictor of children's language, school readiness, academic achievement, and behavioral outcomes. With the increased accessibility and consumption of digital media, it is important to understand whether screen use impacts off-line enrichment activities such as reading or whether reading activities offset screen use. Using a prospective birth cohort, we examined reading and screen use at 24, 36, and 60 months to elucidate the directional association between screen use and reading over time. METHODS This study included data from 2440 mothers and children in Calgary, Alberta, drawn from the All Our Families cohort. Children's screen use and reading activities were assessed via maternal report at age 24, 36, and 60 months. Sociodemographic covariates were also collected. RESULTS Using a random-intercepts cross-lagged panel model, which statistically controls for individual-level confounds, this study revealed that greater screen use at 24 months was associated with lower reading at 36 months (β = -.08; 95% confidence interval: -0.13 to -0.02). In turn, lower reading at 36 months was associated with greater screen use at 60 months (β = -.11; 95% confidence interval: -0.19 to -0.02). Covariates did not modify the associations. CONCLUSIONS A reciprocal relationship between screen use and reading was identified. Early screen use was associated with lower reading activities, resulting in greater screen use at later ages. Findings emphasize the need for practitioners and educators to discuss screen use guidelines and encourage families to engage in device-free activities to foster early literacy exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brae Anne McArthur
- University of Calgary, Calgary Alberta, Canada.,Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Dillon Browne
- University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada; and
| | - Sheila McDonald
- University of Calgary, Calgary Alberta, Canada.,Alberta Health Services, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Suzanne Tough
- University of Calgary, Calgary Alberta, Canada.,Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.,Contributed equally as joint senior authors
| | - Sheri Madigan
- University of Calgary, Calgary Alberta, Canada; .,Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.,Contributed equally as joint senior authors
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenny S. Radesky
- Department of Pediatrics University of Michigan Medical School Ann Arbor MI USA
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