Screen Time and Executive Function in Toddlerhood: A Longitudinal Study

Abstract

Technology is pervasive in homes with young children. Emerging evidence that electronic screen-based media use has adverse effects on executive functions may help explain negative relations between media use and early academic skills. However, longitudinal investigations are needed to test this idea. In a sample of 193 British toddlers tracked from age 2 to 3 years, we test concurrent and predictive relations between screen use and children's executive function. We find no concurrent association between screen use and executive function; however, screen time at age 2 is negatively associated with the development of executive functions in toddlerhood from age 2 to 3, controlling for a range of covariates including verbal ability. Implications for parenting, education, and pediatric recommendations are discussed.

Selective Attention and Concentration Are Related to Lifestyle in Chilean Schoolchildren

“…Similarly, a previous study has shown that inappropriate ST has negative consequences on cognitive function and other areas related to health [30]; however, a systematic review reported that ST had no negative effects on cognitive development [31]. Therefore, more investigation related to ST and executive function are needed [28]. Along this same line, it is important to evaluate the association between a healthy lifestyle and selective attention and concentration.…”

“…A recent study indicated that a low level of ST was associated with better cognitive function [27]. In this sense, unhealthy lifestyle factors, such as excessive ST, could have negative effects on executive function [28]. Likewise, it has been indicated that ST affects the accuracy of cognitive tasks [29].…”

Associations between touchscreen exposure and hot and cool inhibitory control in 10-month-old infants

“…Mobile devices have also enabled exposure to interactive screen-based media to occur at a much earlier age, especially as these devices can be easily navigated via simple swiping motions ( Ahearne et al, 2016 ); thus, increasing their accessibility for young infants with limited fine motor control ( Cristia & Seidl, 2015 ). Despite the earlier age of onset and the dramatic increase in touchscreen use ( Chassiakos et al, 2016 ), the majority of studies have focused on the use of screen-based media in toddlers (2–3 years), preschoolers (3–5 years), and school-aged children (6–8 years) (e.g., Linebarger et al, 2014 ; McHarg et al, 2020b ; McNeill et al, 2019 ). The potential impact of early touchscreen exposure on cognitive development may vary in important ways for infants under 1 year of age as infants could be engaging with screens quite differently ( Cheung, 2016 ).…”

“…This is important as higher exposure to adult-directed content at 12- to 18-months has been linked to poorer IC at age 4 years ( Barr et al, 2010 ), suggesting that the adverse impact of screen exposure could potentially affect infant’s EF development more strongly than in older children. Indeed, a study that examined the effects of screen use during toddlerhood found that while higher screen use at age 2 predicted lower EF a year later, no association was found between concurrent screen time and EF at age 3 ( McHarg et al, 2020b ), implying that early screen exposure may be more detrimental to EF development compared to later exposure.…”

Prolonged Screen Exposure During COVID-19—The Brain Development and Well-Being Concerns of Our Younger Generation

“…In particular, a recent cross-sectional study which adopted diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) has found an inverse association between screen-based media use and microstructural integrity of brain white matter tracts (that support language, executive functions, and emergent literacy skills) in children aged 3–5 ( 8 ). Recent longitudinal studies have provided evidence on directions of effect: with screen time predicting more negative child outcomes over time, such as executive function, even after controlling for covariates such as verbal ability ( 9 ). One study with a particularly strong design (because it assessed change over three time points) revealed that increased screen time levels at age 2 and 3 were significantly related to poorer performance on developmental screening tests at age 3 and 5, respectively ( 10 ).…”