Effect of Media Exposure to Language Development

Abstract

This study was performed in order to evaluate the association of media exposure with language developmental delay. Methods: The sample consisted of 40 patients with language developmental delay who visited the pediatric clinic of Dongtan Sacred Heart Hospital from January 2013 to July 2014. The 66 patients, who visited our clinic without language developmental delay, were included in the control group. The data were collected by using self-report questionnaires (media exposure time, contents, background media or foreground media, age of first exposure, and media exposure with or without parents), and analyzed through a t-test, Chi-square test, bivariate logistic regression model by using the SPSS-Version 21.0. Results: The mean age of the language delay group was 33.6±10 months, while the male-to-female ratio was 2.6:1 in this study. In regard to media exposure time, 63% of the language delay patients were exposed to media for more than 2 hours a day, as compared to 16% of the control group (P<0.001). Among the language delay group, 90% of the patients were under 24 months old at the time of exposure to media, as compared to 58% of the control group (P<0.001). In addition, 79% of the language delay group watched media without anyone, as compared to 41% of the control group (P=0.001). Conclusion: Risk factors of language developmental delay were exposure to media more than 2 hours a day and toddlers under 24 months old at the time of exposure, as compared to the control group. In conclusion, longer exposure and earlier exposure to media would be risk factors in language developmental delay, and watching media alone may negatively influence the language development.