Screen time
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Screen Time: Impacts and Guidelines for Children
Prevalence of Screen Time Among Young Children
Global Adherence to Screen Time Guidelines
Pediatric guidelines recommend that infants under 2 years avoid screen time entirely, while children aged 2 to 5 years should limit screen time to no more than one hour per day. However, adherence to these guidelines is low globally. A meta-analysis found that only 24.7% of children under 2 years and 35.6% of children aged 2 to 5 years meet these guidelines1. This highlights the need for better support and resources to help families adhere to these recommendations.
Measurement Tools and Trends
The tools used to measure screen time in young children vary widely, often lacking in reliability and validity. Most measures focus on the duration of screen time on a typical day, with few assessing the content or context of screen use. Despite an increase in studies on screen time, there is a need for improved measurement tools that can capture the complexity of children's screen time exposure2.
Correlates and Demographics of Screen Time
Sociodemographic Factors
Screen time is influenced by various sociodemographic factors. Boys, overweight or obese children, and those with mothers of lower educational attainment are more likely to exceed recommended screen time limits. Conversely, girls and children with more highly educated mothers are less likely to exceed these limits3. These findings suggest targeted interventions may be necessary to address screen time disparities among different demographic groups.
Early Childhood Screen Time
For children under 3 years, screen time is associated with several negative outcomes, including increased BMI and decreased cognitive and language development. Factors such as the child's age, race/ethnicity, maternal distress, and the mother's own screen time habits are significant correlates of screen time in this age group9. Understanding these correlates can help in designing effective interventions to reduce screen time in young children.
Health and Developmental Impacts
Mental Health and Behavior
Increased screen time is associated with small but significant increases in both externalizing (e.g., aggression, ADHD symptoms) and internalizing (e.g., depression, anxiety) behavior problems in children under 12 years6. Longitudinal studies suggest that the impact of screen time on mental health is generally small, with some variation depending on the type of screen use and the content consumed7.
Sleep Disruption
Screen time, particularly before bedtime, is consistently associated with adverse sleep outcomes, including shorter sleep duration and delayed sleep timing. This effect is observed across different types of screen exposure and is more pronounced in older children and adolescents5. Limiting screen time before bed is recommended to mitigate these negative effects on sleep.
Language Development
Screen time can have both positive and negative effects on children's language development. The negative impacts are more pronounced with higher amounts of screen time and earlier onset of viewing. However, co-viewing with parents and the quality of screen content can mitigate some of these negative effects and even provide some benefits8.
Conceptual and Methodological Challenges
Defining and Measuring Screen Time
The concept of "screen time" is often poorly defined and measured, leading to mixed findings in the literature. Many studies rely on self-reported data, which can be inaccurate. There is a need for standardized, objective measures of screen time that consider the context and content of screen use4. This will help in understanding the true impact of screen time on children's health and development.
Conclusion
Screen time is a complex and multifaceted issue with significant implications for children's health and development. While current guidelines recommend limiting screen time, adherence is low, and the tools used to measure screen time are often inadequate. Sociodemographic factors play a significant role in screen time habits, and increased screen time is associated with various negative outcomes, including behavioral problems, sleep disruption, and impaired language development. Future research should focus on improving measurement tools and understanding the context of screen use to develop more effective interventions and guidelines.
Sources and full results
Most relevant research papers on this topic
Global Prevalence of Meeting Screen Time Guidelines Among Children 5 Years and Younger: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.
Only a minority of children aged 5 years and younger are meeting screen time guidelines, highlighting the need for support and resources for families to implement evidence-based recommendations.
Meta-Analysis
Very Rigorous JournalMeasurement of screen time among young children aged 0–6 years: A systematic review
Improved measures and reporting of screen time exposure in young children are needed to better understand their complex digital landscape and impact on health and development.
Systematic ReviewVery Rigorous JournalPrevalence and correlates of screen time in youth: an international perspective.
Screen time in excess of 2 hours/day is highly prevalent in children aged 4-17, particularly among boys, overweight or obese individuals, and those with lower educational attainment.
Meta-Analysis
Rigorous Journal
Highly CitedThe Conceptual and Methodological Mayhem of “Screen Time”
Screen time research needs improved conceptualisation, standardised measures, and user-focused approaches to better understand its various affordances and impacts.
Rigorous JournalHighly CitedScreen time and sleep among school-aged children and adolescents: a systematic literature review.
Screen time is negatively associated with sleep outcomes in 90% of studies, primarily shortened duration and delayed timing, in school-aged children and adolescents.
Systematic ReviewHighly CitedAssociation of Screen Time With Internalizing and Externalizing Behavior Problems in Children 12 Years or Younger: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.
Increased screen time in children 12 years or younger is associated with small but significant increases in externalizing and internalizing behavior problems.
Meta-AnalysisHighly CitedThe relationship between screen time and mental health in young people: A systematic review of longitudinal studies.
Increased screen time in young people has a small to very small impact on the prevalence of depressive symptoms, but no clear relationship exists with other internalizing mental health symptoms.
Systematic ReviewHighly CitedThe influence of screen time on children’s language development: A scoping review
Increased screen time and early viewing age negatively impact children's language development, with older viewing age showing some benefits, while video characteristics, content, and co-viewing also influence language development.
Systematic ReviewScreen time use in children under 3 years old: a systematic review of correlates
High screen time in infants and toddlers is linked to factors such as age, race/ethnicity, BMI, maternal distress, TV viewing, and cognitive stimulation in the home environment.
Systematic ReviewVery Rigorous JournalHighly CitedThe Problem with Screen Time
Screen time quantity is irrelevant, as it fails to consider the complex context and meaning of media use in children, rather focusing on dosage models and regulatory admonitions.
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