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Study supports AAP guidelines on screen exposure

A recent study published in JAMA Pediatrics concurred with AAP guidelines that children aged younger than 18 months should not be exposed to screens, whereas screen time should be limited to an hour for those aged between 2 and 5 years.

The study further determined that children with a higher rate of screen time exposure had lower language skills.

The researchers conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis using research sourced from MEDLINE, Embase and PsycINFO in March 2019. Studies were excluded if they were qualitive; they included children aged older than 12 years; the language measure was preverbal; the study included children with autism spectrum disorder; and the study was experimental.

The initial search identified 26,751 records. Only 42 studies met the criteria to be examined.

The publication years examined were between 1973 and 2019. Children observed were aged between 35.7 and 44.4 months. Overall, 70.7% of the studies used television exclusively to assess screen time, whereas 24.4% used a composite of video games, mobile use and television or computers, and 4.8% examined mobile use only.

The data suggested multiple conclusions. According to the researchers, a greater quantity of screen use was associated with lower child language based on 38 studies that produced a significant and negative combined effect size (r = –0.14; CI, 95% –0.18 to –0.10). Background television also was associated with decreased language skills according to five studies that produced a pooled effect size of r = –0.19 (CI, 95% –0.33 to 0.05).

Viewing educational content was associated with increased language skills in 13 studies that produced a significant and positive combined effect size (r = 0.13; CI, 95% 0.02-0.24). Coviewing educational programs also produced a significant and positive combined effect size in 12 studies (r = 0.16; CI, 95% 0.07-0.24).

Four studies suggested that as the age at onset of screen use increased, stronger language skills were observed. The studies produced a significant pooled effect size of r = 0.17 (CI, 95% 0.07-0.27). – by Ken Downey Jr.

Disclosures: The authors report no relevant financial disclosures.