Watching television in a home environment: effects on children’s attention, problem solving and comprehension

Rose, Sarah E.; Lamont, Alexandra; Reyland, Nicholas

doi:10.1080/15213269.2021.1901744

Cited by 4 publications

(8 citation statements)

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“…In contrast to these studies, Rose et al [ 29 ] more recently delved into the effects of TV program pacing on problem-solving abilities through ecologically valid research. In this study, each child underwent exposure to both fast and slow programs during two distinct sessions to ensure comparability and control over other variables.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, following exposure to the fast-paced program, both age groups demonstrated a non-significant increase in EF scores (p = 0.71). Additionally, the study by Rose et al [ 29 ] aimed to ensure content parity between the fast and slow programs, leading to a smaller pacing difference compared to certain other studies. Refer to Table 2 for a concise overview of EF studies.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Several studies indicate that fast-paced television programs have a negative effect on children's attention and EFs [ 13 , 28 , 37 , 38 ]. In contrast, some studies have shown positive results [ 12 , 39 ], while other studies found no significant impact [ 14 , 27 , 29 , 40 ]. Similar findings are observed for the fantasy feature.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In another study by Lillard and Peterson [ 13 ], the impact of pacing on Cool EF was investigated, revealing a reduced performance in EF tasks after exposure to fast-paced programs. Regarding higher-order EFs, the 2022 study [ 29 ] concluded that exposure to a fast-paced TV program did not immediately affect children's problem-solving abilities. Moreover, Jiang et al [ 26 ] evaluated EFs based on Miyake's model, indicating that fantastical events negatively affected inhibitory control and flexibility, whereas working memory remained unaffected.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The immediate impacts of TV programs on preschoolers' executive functions and attention: a systematic review

Namazi,

Sadeghi

2024

BMC Psychol

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Background Previous research has presented varying perspectives on the potential effect of screen media use among preschoolers. In this study, we systematically reviewed experimental studies that investigated how pacing and fantasy features of TV programs affect children's attention and executive functions (EFs). Methods A systematic search was conducted across eight online databases to identify pertinent studies published until August 2023. We followed the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis) guidelines. Results Fifteen papers involving 1855 participants aged 2–7 years fulfilled all the inclusion criteria for this review and were entered into the narrative synthesis. Despite the challenge of reaching general conclusions and encountering conflicting outcomes, a nuanced analysis reveals distinct patterns within various subgroups. The impact of pacing on attention is discernible, particularly in bottom-up attention processes, although the nature of this effect remains contradictory. Conversely, consistent findings emerge regarding top-down attention, suggesting any impact. Moreover, a subgroup analysis of different EF components yields valuable insights, highlighting the negative effect of fantasy on inhibitory control within the EF framework. Conclusion The complexity of these outcomes highlights the need for further research, considering factors such as content, child-specific characteristics, environmental factors, and methodological approaches. These findings collectively emphasize the necessity of conducting more comprehensive and detailed research, especially in terms of the underlying mechanisms and their impact on brain function.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The immediate impacts of TV programs on preschoolers' executive functions and attention: a systematic review

Namazi,

Sadeghi

2024

BMC Psychol

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“…It is important to note that while few studies have used naturalistic methods in studying child media use, they often lack ecological validity, due to asking about screen time in general or researchers assigning specific media to different groups of children (Rose et al, 2021). This limits the ability to understand the ways that a variety of media is used in a child’s naturalistic environment.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Media in the moment: An observational assessment of the digital media context in early childhood.

Coyne,

Gale,

Ashby

et al. 2023

Translational Issues in Psychological Science

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The majority of research on media use in the digital age during early childhood has consisted of parental reports or experimental lab research; however, little research has captured media use in the home. Thus, the purpose of the current study was to capture early childhood media use in the moment it occurs. Participants included 231 parentchild dyads (M child age = 41.17 months) who completed a 1-week study. Parents were contacted multiple times per day via text. If children happened to be using media (or be in a room where media was present) when parents received the notification, parents were asked to take a 10-15 s video of their child. Most families submitted at least one video over the course of the week. These videos were coded in the current study using a coding scheme to capture the context around media use in early childhood (including the environment, child behavior, and media characteristics). Results revealed that children were most likely to view media on a television or tablet. Although most children were paying attention to media, about half were also physically active while consuming media. Another person was present in the majority of videos with children, most frequently siblings or peers. Most children showed a very flat and calm affect while viewing media. These findings were generally consistent across gender and family income. Overall, this study adds to the literature on children and media that uses other methods but provides additional insight into the importance of the specific context during early childhood media use in the digital age.What is the significance of this article for the general public? Young children viewed television more than other types of media. This was used by capturing media in the moment when it occurred. Most young children in the sample used media with another person present, most typically a peer or sibling. Very few young children in the sample used media in their bedrooms.

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Early Childhood Screen Use Contexts and Cognitive and Psychosocial Outcomes

Mallawaarachchi,

Burley,

Mavilidi

et al. 2024

JAMA Pediatr

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ImportanceThe multifaceted nature of screen use has been largely overlooked in favor of a simplistic unidimensional measure of overall screen time when evaluating the benefits and risks of screen use to early childhood development.ObjectiveTo conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to examine associations of screen use contexts in early childhood with cognitive and psychosocial outcomes.Data SourcesPsycINFO, Embase, MEDLINE Ovid, ProQuest, CINAHL, Web of Science, and Scopus were searched from inception to December 31, 2023.Study SelectionA total of 7441 studies were initially identified. Studies were included if they examined associations between a contextual factor of screen use among children aged 0 to 5.99 years and cognitive or psychosocial development. Observational, experimental, and randomized clinical trial study designs were included.Data Extraction and SynthesisAll studies were independently screened in duplicate following PRISMA guidelines. Effect sizes of associations (r) from observational studies were pooled using random-effects 3-level meta-analyses. The remaining study designs were narratively synthesized.Main Outcomes and MeasuresScreen use contexts included content (child directed and age inappropriate), type (program viewing and game or app use), co-use (or solo use), background television, caregiver screen use during child routines, and purpose. Outcomes were cognitive (executive functioning, language, and academic skills) or psychosocial (internalizing and externalizing behavior problems and socioemotional competence).ResultsOverall, 100 studies (176 742 participants) were included, and of these, 64 observational studies (pooled sample sizes ranging from 711 to 69 232) were included in meta-analyses. Program viewing (n = 14; k = 48; r, −0.16; 95% CI, −0.24 to −0.08) and background television (n = 8; k = 18; r, −0.10; 95% CI, −0.18 to −0.02) were negatively associated with cognitive outcomes, while program viewing (n = 6; k = 31; r, −0.04; 95% CI, −0.07 to −0.01), age-inappropriate content (n = 9; k = 36; r, −0.11; 95% CI, −0.17 to −0.04), and caregiver screen use during routines (n = 6; k = 14; r, −0.11; 95% CI, −0.20 to −0.03) were negatively associated with psychosocial outcomes. Co-use was positively associated with cognitive outcomes (n = 8; k = 28; r, 0.14; 95% CI, 0.03 to 0.25).Conclusions and RelevanceFindings show small to moderate effect sizes that highlight the need to consider screen use contexts when making recommendations for families, clinicians, and educators beyond screen time limits; including encouraging intentional and productive screen use, age-appropriate content, and co-use with caregivers.

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Watching television in a home environment: effects on children’s attention, problem solving and comprehension

Abstract: Brown who assisted with the coding, Danielle Cheetham who post-tested the comprehension test used, and all the children and parents who participated.

Cited by 4 publications

References 66 publications

The immediate impacts of TV programs on preschoolers' executive functions and attention: a systematic review

The immediate impacts of TV programs on preschoolers' executive functions and attention: a systematic review

Media in the moment: An observational assessment of the digital media context in early childhood.

Early Childhood Screen Use Contexts and Cognitive and Psychosocial Outcomes

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