FolioStart free

Psychology · Literature

Research papers on Screen time and child development

Recent and highly-cited academic work on screen time and child development, gathered from Semantic Scholar, CrossRef and OpenAlex.

Search all 200M+ papers on this topic, free →Or track new screen time and child development papers automatically as they publish

  1. The effect of multiple adverse childhood experiences on health: a systematic review and meta-analysis

    Karen Hughes, Mark A Bellis, Katherine A. Hardcastle, et al. · 2017 · The Lancet Public Health · 5,289 citations

    BACKGROUND: A growing body of research identifies the harmful effects that adverse childhood experiences (ACEs; occurring during childhood or adolescence; eg, child maltreatment or exposure to domestic violence) have on health throughout life. Studies have quantified such effects for individual ACEs. However, ACEs frequently co-occur and no synthesis of findings from studies measuring the effect of multiple ACE types has been done. METHODS: In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched five electronic databases for cross-sectional, case-control, or cohort studies published up to May 6, 2016, reporting risks of health outcomes, consisting of substance use, sexual health, mental hea

    Save this paper

  2. High-quality health systems in the Sustainable Development Goals era: time for a revolution

    Margaret E. Kruk, Anna Gage, Catherine Arsenault, et al. · 2018 · The Lancet Global Health · 4,120 citations

    deaths from cardio vascular disease, 1 million newborn deaths, 900 000 deaths from tubercu losis, and half of all maternal deaths each year.Quality of care will become an even larger driver of population health as utilisation of health systems increases and as the burden of disease shifts to more complex conditions.The high mortality rates in LMICs for treatable causes, such as injuries and surgical con ditions, maternal and newborn complications, cardio vascular disease, and vaccine preventable diseases, illustrate the breadth and depth of the healthcare quality challenge.Poor-quality care can lead to other adverse outcomes, including un necessary health-related suffering, persistent sympto

    Save this paper

  3. Childhood adversities and adult psychopathology in the WHO World Mental Health Surveys

    Ronald C. Kessler, Katie A. McLaughlin, Jennifer Green, et al. · 2010 · The British Journal of Psychiatry · 2,524 citations

    BACKGROUND: Although significant associations of childhood adversities with adult mental disorders are widely documented, most studies focus on single childhood adversities predicting single disorders. AIMS: To examine joint associations of 12 childhood adversities with first onset of 20 DSM-IV disorders in World Mental Health (WMH) Surveys in 21 countries. METHOD: Nationally or regionally representative surveys of 51 945 adults assessed childhood adversities and lifetime DSM-IV disorders with the WHO Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI). RESULTS: Childhood adversities were highly prevalent and interrelated. Childhood adversities associated with maladaptive family functioning

    Save this paper

  4. Tracking of Blood Pressure From Childhood to Adulthood

    Xiaoli Chen, Youfa Wang · 2008 · Circulation · 1,509 citations

    BACKGROUND: A large number of studies have examined the tracking of blood pressure (BP) from childhood to adulthood, but the reported findings are inconsistent and few systematic analyses have been conducted. METHODS AND RESULTS: We conducted a systematic search of PubMed for studies that examined the tracking of BP from childhood to adulthood published between January 1970 and July 2006. From 301 retrieved papers, 50 cohort studies met our inclusion criteria and provided 617 data points (Pearson/Spearman correlation coefficients) for systolic BP (SBP) and 547 data points for diastolic BP (DBP) for our meta-analysis. Information on sample characteristics and BP measurement protocols was extr

    Save this paper

  8. Parental Reports on Touch Screen Use in Early Childhood

    Alejandrina Cristià, Amanda Seidl · 2015 · PLoS ONE · 196 citations

    Touch screens are increasingly prevalent, and anecdotal evidence suggests that young children are very drawn towards them. Yet there is little data regarding how young children use them. A brief online questionnaire queried over 450 French parents of infants between the ages of 5 and 40 months on their young child's use of touch-screen technology. Parents estimated frequency of use, and further completed several checklists. Results suggest that, among respondent families, the use of touch screens is widespread in early childhood, meaning that most children have some exposure to touch screens. Among child users, certain activities are more frequently reported to be liked than others, findings

    Save this paper

  9. Association Between Screen Time Trajectory and Early Childhood Development in Children in China

    Jin Zhao, Zhangsheng Yu, Xiaoning Sun, et al. · 2022 · Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine · 125 citations

    Importance: Screen time has become an integral part of children's daily lives. Nevertheless, the developmental consequences of screen exposure in young children remain unclear. Objective: To investigate the screen time trajectory from 6 to 72 months of age and its association with children's development at age 72 months in a prospective birth cohort. Design, Setting, and Participants: Women in Shanghai, China, who were at 34 to 36 gestational weeks and had an expected delivery date between May 2012 and July 2013 were recruited for this cohort study. Their children were followed up at 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48, and 72 months of age. Children's screen time was classified into 3 groups at age 6

    Save this paper

  11. Active versus Passive Screen Time for Young Children

    Penelope Sweetser, Daniel Johnson, Anne Ozdowska, et al. · 2012 · Australasian Journal of Early Childhood · 103 citations

    IN THIS PAPER WE REPORT SOME initial findings from our investigations into the Australian Government's Longitudinal Study of Australian Children dataset. It is revealed that the majority of Australian children are exceeding the government's Screen Time recommendations and that most of their screen time is spent as TV viewing, as opposed to video game play or computer use. In light of this finding, we review the body of research surrounding children's engagement in Screen Time activities and the associated positive and negative effects. Based on existing evidence, we define two categories of Screen Time—Active Screen Time and Passive Screen Time. It is proposed that this distinction provides

    Save this paper

  12. Screen time and early childhood development in Ceará, Brazil: a population-based study

    Hermano Alexandre Lima Rocha, Luciano Lima Correia, Álvaro Jorge Madeiro Leite, et al. · 2021 · BMC Public Health · 74 citations

    BACKGROUND: Globally, children's exposure to digital screens continues to increase and is associated with adverse effects on child health. We aimed to evaluate the association of screen exposure with child communication, gross-motor, fine-motor, problem-solving, and personal-social development scores. METHODS: We conducted a population-based, cross-sectional study with cluster sampling among children 0-60 months of age living in the state of Ceará, Brazil. Child screen time was assessed by maternal report and the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations were used to define excessive screen time exposure. Child development was assessed with the Brazilian Ages and Stages Questionnaire.

    Save this paper

  13. Screen on = development off? A systematic scoping review and a developmental psychology perspective on the effects of screen time on early childhood development

    Fabio Sticca, Valérie Brauchli, Patricia Lannen · 2025 · Frontiers in Developmental Psychology · 24 citations

    Research on the associations between screen time and child development suggests that various forms of screen time might pose a risk for various aspects of child development. However, data on the impact of exposure to screen media on the development of children under 3 years of age is comparatively scarce. Although the evidence available on the topic is evolving rapidly, no review of existing literature has yet encompassed a comprehensive set of developmental outcomes with a focus in the first 3 years of life. To address this research gap, the present literature review focused on the influences of screen time on various developmental outcomes of children aged zero to 36 months. These outcomes

    Save this paper

  14. Negotiating screen time: A mother’s struggle over ‘no screen time’ with her infant son

    Laura Teichert · 2020 · Journal of Early Childhood Literacy · 22 citations

    The literature on infant and toddler screen time has been built on two traditions—cognitive models of learning and sociocultural models of learning. Cognitive studies have cautioned against the use of screen time for young children because clinical research has not shown children can learn as effectively from screens as they do from human interaction and might delay children’s cognitive development. Conversely, qualitative research has described the social ways children learn and use digital technology through social interactions with other people in their homes. This paper reports on an autoethnographic study of how digital tools were embedded in the everyday ways of life in my home during

    Save this paper

  16. Beyond Screen Time: Effective Use of Digital Tools in Early Childhood Development

    Dalal Aldhilan, Shahid Rafiq, Ayesha Afzal · 2025 · TEM Journal · 1 citations

    This qualitative study explores the integration of digital tools in early childhood education (ECE) in Lahore, Pakistan, through semi-structured interviews with 25 educators and 25 parents of children aged 4–6 years. Employing thematic analysis, the study identifies seven themes: Educational Enhancement, Access and Equity Challenges, Developmental Concerns, Teacher Preparedness, Screen Time Regulation Strategies, Cultural and Contextual Relevance, and Parental Involvement. Findings reveal that digital tools, such as interactive apps, enhance engagement, literacy, numeracy, and motivation. Still, benefits are limited by unequal access to devices and the internet, particularly in public school

    Save this paper

  18. The influence of screen time and screen activity on socio-emotional development in 5-year-old children: Findings from a nationally representative Irish cohort study

    Chloé Beatty, Suzanne M. Egan · 2026 · Journal of Early Childhood Research

    The present research focuses on the influence of both screen time and various screen activities (television, video or educational games) on the socio-emotional development of 9001 Irish 5-year-old children using a nationally representative birth cohort study. Parents were asked about their children’s screen use and various family factors, while socio-emotional development was measured using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Hierarchical multiple regression models examined the influence of screen use factors on externalised, internalised, and prosocial behaviour, while controlling for environment and family factors. Engaging in two or more hours of screen time per day had a small

    Save this paper

  19. The Role of Parents in Implementing Screen Time Restrictions on Children to Help Improve Social Development

    Teris Maf'tuhatun, Hayani Wulandari · 2023 · GENIUS Indonesian Journal of Early Childhood Education

    Technology has a significant influence on human life, including the lives of children. Behind the many positive impacts of technology, there are also negative impacts, one of which is that children's social development will be hampered. So, time limits, assistance, and parental direction are needed to provide screen time to children. The purpose of this research is to determine the role of parents in implementing screen time restrictions on children to help improve their social skills. This research uses descriptive qualitative research methods. The data collection method used was a questionnaire. The questionnaire contains eight questions related to the role of parents in implementing scree

    Save this paper

  22. Impact Of Screen Time On Executive Function In Early Childhood

    Rudritara Shroff · 2025 · International Journal For Multidisciplinary Research

    The World Health Organization (WHO) mandates no screen time for children below two years of age; and an upper limit of one hour per day for children aged 2–5 years. However, contemporary research studies present a whole new perspective - 53% of Indian children receive screen exposure before the age of 2; roughly 88% use screen media during mealtime, and 68% do so within an hour before bedtime. The digital era makes it easy to normalize this increased exposure to screens, but we ought to be concerned about its developmental consequences on early childhood development. The ensuing study probes the relationship between screen time and executive function in children aged 3 to 6 years. Deploying

    Save this paper

  23. Parental Involvement in Mattering Early Childhood Digital Literacy: The Role of Balanced Screen time and Access to Technology Evidence from Indonesia

    Asmayawati . · 2023 · INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MULTIDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS

    This study aimed to explore the dynamics of early childhood digital literacy in Indonesia and examine the roles of parental involvement, balanced screen time, and access to technology in shaping digital literacy outcomes. A quantitative research approach was employed, involving a sample of Indonesian parents and educators. Data were collected through surveys and analyzed using structural equation modeling. The study revealed that parental involvement positively influences early childhood digital literacy, highlighting the significance of active parental engagement in fostering digital skills. Additionally, balanced screen time was found to enhance digital literacy, emphasizing the importance

    Save this paper

Write your paper with these sources

Folio is the integrity-first research workspace: search 200M+ papers, save sources, and write with citations that format themselves. Free for students and researchers.

Start writing free →