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

  2. Active versus Passive Screen Time for Young Children

    Penelope Sweetser, Daniel Johnson, Anne Ozdowska, et al. · 2012 · Australasian Journal of Early Childhood · 109 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

  3. 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 · 29 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

  4. 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

  5. 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

  7. 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

  8. 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

  11. Beyond Screen Time: A Scoping Review of Screen Exposure and Early Childhood Development

    Mshari Alghadier, Ragab K. Elnaggar, Abdulaziz Ghandurah, et al. · 2026 · Healthcare

    Background: Screen exposure in early childhood has evolved beyond traditional duration-focused “screen time” to encompass a multidimensional construct including content quality, context of use, co-viewing, caregiver mediation, and developmental trajectories. Understanding these dimensions is essential for comprehensive assessment, particularly in rapidly digitizing cultural contexts such as Saudi Arabia and the broader Middle East. Objectives: This scoping review aimed to systematically map and synthesize peer-reviewed evidence on multidimensional screen exposure and developmental outcomes in children aged 0–5 years, with specific focus on language, cognitive, and socio-emotional outcomes. M

    Save this paper

  12. 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

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 →