From screen time to the digital level of analysis: a scoping review of measures for digital media use in children and adolescents

OBJECTIVES

This scoping review aims to facilitate psychometric developments in the field of digital media usage and well-being in young people by (1) identifying core concepts in the area of "screen time" and digital media use in children, adolescents, and young adults, (2) synthesising existing research paradigms and measurement tools that quantify these dimensions, and (3) highlighting important areas of need to guide future measure development.

DESIGN

A scoping review of 140 sources (126 database, 14 grey literature) published between 2014 and 2019 yielded 162 measurement tools across a range of domains, users, and cultures. Database sources from Ovid MEDLINE, PsycINFO and Scopus were extracted, in addition to grey literature obtained from knowledge experts and organisations relevant to digital media use in children. To be included, the source had to: (1) be an empirical investigation or present original research, (2) investigate a sample/target population that included children or young persons between the ages of 0 and 25 years of age, and (3) include at least one assessment method for measuring digital media use. Reviews, editorials, letters, comments and animal model studies were all excluded.

MEASURES

Basic information, level of risk of bias, study setting, paradigm, data type, digital media type, device, usage characteristics, applications or websites, sample characteristics, recruitment methods, measurement tool information, reliability and validity.

RESULTS

Significant variability in nomenclature surrounding problematic use and criteria for identifying clinical impairment was discovered. Moreover, there was a paucity of measures in key domains, including tools for young children, whole families, disadvantaged groups, and for certain patterns and types of usage.

CONCLUSION

This knowledge synthesis exercise highlights the need for the widespread development and implementation of comprehensive, multi-method, multilevel, and multi-informant measurement suites.

From 'screen time' to the digital level of analysis: protocol for a scoping review of digital media use in children and adolescents

INTRODUCTION

Research on the relationship between digital media exposure and child development is complex, inconsistent and fraught with debate. A highlighted area of inadequacy surrounds the methodological limitations of measuring digital media use for both researchers and clinicians, alike. This protocol aims to (1) identify core concepts in the area of screen time and digital media use in children and adolescents (2) map existing research paradigms and screening/measurement tools that serve to underpin and operationalise core concepts and (3) provide an initial step in integrating these findings into a consolidated screening toolkit. It is expected this enterprise will help advance research and clinical evaluation in fields concerned with digital media use, namely medicine, child development and the social sciences.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

The planned scoping review will search relevant electronic databases, including Ovid MEDLINE, PsycINFO and Scopus, in addition to grey literature. All empirical investigations and presentation of original research will be considered, and measurement/screening tools for digital media usage in children and adolescents will be identified and reported on. Two reviewers will pilot test the screening criteria, and data extraction forms prior to independently screening all relevant literature and extracting the data. A three-stage synthesis process will be used to map the existent measurement and screening tools for digital media usage in children and adolescents.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

There are no ethical considerations for this scoping review. Plans for dissemination include publication in a top-tier, open-access journal, public presentations and conference proceedings. Presentation of the full scoping review has been accepted to the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry 66th Annual Meeting.

Web-based assessment and brief intervention for alcohol use in women of childbearing potential: a report of the primary findings

BACKGROUND

There is a need for more effective assessment and primary prevention programs aimed at accurately measuring and reducing alcohol consumption among women before conception in underserved, high-risk populations. Health information technology may serve this purpose; however, the effectiveness of such tools within this population is not known.

METHODS

We conducted a small-scale randomized controlled trial to test the effectiveness of an adapted Web-based alcohol assessment and intervention tool among low-income, nonpregnant women of reproductive age who were receiving Women Infant and Children (WIC) services in San Diego County and who reported currently drinking at a moderate risk level. A total of 150 risky drinking participants completed a Web-based assessment and were randomly assigned to either receive a personalized feedback intervention or general health information about alcohol consumption and fetal alcohol syndrome. Follow-up assessments on reported alcohol consumption were conducted via telephone at 1- and 2-months postbaseline. Participants ranged in age from 18 to 44 and were predominately Hispanic/Latina (44%).

RESULTS

At baseline, all respondents reported consuming ≥3 standard drinks on ≥1 occasion in the previous month. Outcome data were available for 131 participants. The main outcome measure was reduction in the number of risky drinking occasions, which did not differ significantly between treatment conditions (odds ratio 1.200, 95% CI 0.567 to 2.539, p=0.634). Over 70% of the participants, however, reported a reduction in risky drinking occasions regardless of treatment condition (control 43/63, 68%; experimental 49/68, 72%).

CONCLUSIONS

The results of this study demonstrate that web-based assessment of alcohol consumption among low-income women of reproductive age, as represented by WIC clients, is feasible and acceptable. The findings also suggest that detailed and interactive assessments of alcohol consumption may be sufficient for the reduction of risky drinking within this population without personalized feedback.