1
|
Wang J, Wang S, Xiao B, Li J, Feng Y, Li Y. Maternal distress, parenting stress, maladaptive parenting and children's problematic media use in China: evidence from 2022 spring in Shanghai. BMC Public Health 2024; 24:1857. [PMID: 38992640 PMCID: PMC11238508 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-024-19382-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 lockdown has forced young children to spend more time on media and significantly impacted their mothers' mental health. This study explored how mothers' individual distress influences children's problematic media use during the Shanghai citywide lockdown caused by COVID-19. Data were collected from 1889 Chinese mothers (Mage = 34.69 years, SD = 3.94 years) with preschoolers aged 3-6 years (Mage = 4.38 years, SD = 1.06 years; 49.0% boys) via an online survey. The statistical analyses relied on SPSS Statistics version 26.0 and macro-program PROCESS 3.3. to investigate the associations and mediation analysis among all the study variables. The results indicated a positive association between maternal distress and children's problematic media use, mediated by parenting stress and maladaptive parenting. Specifically, the serial mediation analysis revealed that high levels of maternal distress exacerbate parenting stress, which in turn leads to maladaptive parenting practices. These maladaptive practices subsequently increase problematic media use in preschool children. The findings highlighted that parents need to enhance their ability to manage risk and promote mental health during periods of significant stress and routine disruption to reduce children's problematic media use.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jingyao Wang
- Shanghai Institute of Early Childhood Education, Shanghai Normal University, 100 Guilin Road, Xuhui District, Shanghai, China
| | - Shumin Wang
- Shanghai Institute of Early Childhood Education, Shanghai Normal University, 100 Guilin Road, Xuhui District, Shanghai, China
| | | | - Juan Li
- Shanghai Institute of Early Childhood Education, Shanghai Normal University, 100 Guilin Road, Xuhui District, Shanghai, China
| | - Yuemin Feng
- Shanghai Institute of Early Childhood Education, Shanghai Normal University, 100 Guilin Road, Xuhui District, Shanghai, China
| | - Yan Li
- Shanghai Institute of Early Childhood Education, Shanghai Normal University, 100 Guilin Road, Xuhui District, Shanghai, China.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Likhitweerawong N, Boonchooduang N, Khorana J, Phinyo P, Patumanond J, Louthrenoo O. Executive dysfunction as a possible mediator for the association between excessive screen time and problematic behaviors in preschoolers. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0298189. [PMID: 38574024 PMCID: PMC10994291 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0298189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Excessive screen time in children is a growing concern for parents and healthcare providers worldwide because it frequently leads to behavioral problems. Although executive dysfunction is proposed to be one of the contributing factors to maladaptive behaviors, little is known about the link between screen time and behaviors. This study aimed to identify whether executive dysfunction contributes to the negative behaviors of children exposed to excessive screen time. A cross-sectional study was conducted on preschool-aged children from public and private schools in Chiang Mai, Thailand. The parents/guardians of each child completed the questionnaires regarding clinical characteristics and screen time use, the Behavior Rating Inventory for Executive Function-Preschool (BRIEF-P), and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Children with more than one hour of media exposure per day were considered to have excessive screen time. Multivariable Gaussian regression was analyzed to compare the BRIEF-P and SDQ scores between the excessive and appropriate screen time groups. Causal mediation analysis was performed to examine the effects of total screen time on increasing behavioral problems with executive functioning as a mediator. A total of 1,126 preschoolers were included in the analyses. After controlling for age, sex, socioeconomic status, and maternal education, the excessive screen time group had significantly higher BRIEF-P global executive composite score than the appropriate screen time group (mean difference of global executive composite score = 1.49, 95% CI [0.12, 2.86], and p = 0.033). Concurrently, there were significant differences in externalizing behavior subscales and SDQ total difficulties scores between the excessive and appropriate screen time groups (mean difference of total difficulties score = 0.90, 95% CI [0.29, 1.50], and p = 0.004). A significant average causal mediation effect (ACME) of screen time on behavioral problems mediated through executive functioning was β = 0.28, 95% CI [0.13-0.44], which was more than half of the total effect (54.9%, 95% CI [37.4-100%]). The current study suggests that the increase in behavioral issues in preschoolers might be partly explained by the direct effect of excessive screen time and the mediating effect of impaired executive functioning. Our results may raise concerns about the necessity to limit screen time and monitor for executive function deficits and behavioral problems in young children with high screen time.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Narueporn Likhitweerawong
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Growth and Development, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Nonglak Boonchooduang
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Growth and Development, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Jiraporn Khorana
- Department of Surgery, Division of Pediatric Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
- Center of Clinical Epidemiology and Clinical Statistics, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
- Clinical Surgical Research Center, Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Phichayut Phinyo
- Center of Clinical Epidemiology and Clinical Statistics, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
- Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Jayanton Patumanond
- Center of Clinical Epidemiology and Clinical Statistics, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Orawan Louthrenoo
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Growth and Development, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Slobodin O, Hetzroni OE, Mandel M, Saad Nuttman S, Gawi Damashi Z, Machluf E, Davidovitch M. Infant screen media and child development: A prospective community study. INFANCY 2024; 29:155-174. [PMID: 38157284 DOI: 10.1111/infa.12575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2023] [Revised: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
The current study examined longitudinal associations between early screen media exposure (assessed at 6, 12, and 24 months) and the child's motor and language/communication development at the ages of 24 and 36 months. We also aimed to study whether these associations varied by socioeconomic status (SES). Participants were 179 parent-infant dyads, recruited from well-baby clinic services during routine visits. Child development measures included standardized measures of developmental milestones as assessed by professionals and referral data to child developmental centers. Both measures were retrieved from the official health maintenance organization records by an expert in child development. Results indicated that screen exposure at 6 and 12 months was associated with a higher risk for language/communication deficits at 36 months in children with moderate or high SES but not in children with low SES. Our findings are consistent with existing literature demonstrating cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between early screen exposure and language development deficits. Given that media use practices and motivations vary among families from different backgrounds, further investigation of the interaction between SES and screen exposure is needed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ortal Slobodin
- School of Education, Ben-Gurion University, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Orit E Hetzroni
- Faculty of Education, Department of Special Education, Haifa University, Haifa, Israel
| | - Moran Mandel
- Department of Psychology, Ben-Gurion University, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | | | - Zainab Gawi Damashi
- Faculty of Education, Department of Special Education, Haifa University, Haifa, Israel
| | - Eden Machluf
- Faculty of Education, Department of Special Education, Haifa University, Haifa, Israel
| | - Michael Davidovitch
- Kahn Sagol Maccabi Research and Innovation Center, Maccabi Healthcare Services, Tel Aviv, Israel
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Paulus FW, Joas J, Friedmann A, Fuschlberger T, Möhler E, Mall V. Familial context influences media usage in 0- to 4-year old children. Front Public Health 2024; 11:1256287. [PMID: 38274543 PMCID: PMC10808691 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1256287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Background The use of digital media (e.g., smartphones, tablets, etc.) and the Internet have become omnipresent for every age group and are part of children's and parents' everyday life. Focusing on young children, the availability of media devices, their use as well as associated problems (e.g., in social, emotional and motor development) have increased in recent years. Of particular interest for prevention of these problems in early childhood is the relationship between the familial context (parental digital media use, Problematic Internet Use, school graduation, presence of siblings) and the digital media use of infants and toddlers. The present study's goal was to describe media usage in 0-4-year-old children and to identify the potential relationship between familial context factors and child media usage. Methods The sample included N = 3,035 children aged 0 to 3;11 years (M = 17.37 months, SD = 13.68; 49.13% female). Recruitment took place within the framework of a restandardization study for a German developmental test. The parents of the participants answered a questionnaire on socio-demographics, on child media use, and on parental media use. Questions on parental media use included the full version of the Short Compulsive Internet Use Scale (S-CIUS). Results Significant increases in media usage times with child age were identified, but no significant gender differences. A multiple regression analysis revealed that increasing maternal total media usage time, a higher parental S-CIUS score, lower school leaving certificate of both mother and father, and increasing child's age led to higher child media usage time. Having siblings diminished young children's media usage in this study. Having more than one child and having children aged over a year was associated with a higher parental S-CIUS score. Conclusion Family factors such as maternal media use time, Problematic Internet Use and lower school graduation are significantly associated with young children's digital media use. Parents should be aware of their personal influence on their children's media use which might be due their role in terms of model learning.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Frank W. Paulus
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Saarland University Hospital and Saarland University Faculty of Medicine, Homburg, Germany
| | - Jens Joas
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Saarland University Hospital and Saarland University Faculty of Medicine, Homburg, Germany
| | - Anna Friedmann
- Technical University of Munich, TUM School of Medicine and Health, Chair of Social Pediatrics, München, Germany
| | - Tamara Fuschlberger
- Technical University of Munich, TUM School of Medicine and Health, Chair of Social Pediatrics, München, Germany
| | - Eva Möhler
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Saarland University Hospital and Saarland University Faculty of Medicine, Homburg, Germany
| | - Volker Mall
- Technical University of Munich, TUM School of Medicine and Health, Chair of Social Pediatrics, München, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Kattein E, Schmidt H, Witt S, Jörren HL, Menrath I, Rumpf HJ, Wartberg L, Pawils S. Increased Digital Media Use in Preschool Children: Exploring the Links with Parental Stress and Their Problematic Media Use. CHILDREN (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 10:1921. [PMID: 38136123 PMCID: PMC10742172 DOI: 10.3390/children10121921] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2023] [Revised: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Intense or problematic media use behavior of parents could serve as a role model for their children's media use behavior. So far, knowledge is scarce about increased children's media use (ICMU) and its association with parental stress (PS) and problematic parental media use (PPMU). METHODS ICMU was examined using a modified set of the DSM-5 criteria for Internet Gaming Disorder. PS was assessed via the widely used Parenting Stress Index, and PPMU was assessed using the Short Compulsive Internet Use Scale. A multiple linear regression analysis was conducted to evaluate the links between ICMU, PS, and PPMU. A mediation analysis was performed to examine if PPMU mediated the relationship between PS and ICMU. RESULTS In sum, 809 parents (M = 36.89 years; SD = 4.87; 81.4% female) of preschool children (average age: 44.75 months, SD = 13.68) participated in the study. ICMU was statistically significantly related to higher age of the parent, greater PPMU, and higher PS. Furthermore, we found that the association between PS and ICMU was partially mediated by PPMU. CONCLUSIONS The results indicate that more pronounced PS and PPMU are associated with ICMU, highlighting the necessity of considering these parental variables when developing early prevention strategies for preschool-age children.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Elena Kattein
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Lübeck, 23562 Lübeck, Germany
| | - Hannah Schmidt
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Lübeck, 23562 Lübeck, Germany
- Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University of Lübeck, 23562 Lübeck, Germany
| | - Stefanie Witt
- Institute of Medical Psychology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20251 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Hannah Lea Jörren
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Lübeck, 23562 Lübeck, Germany
| | - Ingo Menrath
- Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University of Lübeck, 23562 Lübeck, Germany
| | - Hans-Jürgen Rumpf
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Lübeck, 23562 Lübeck, Germany
| | - Lutz Wartberg
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Human Sciences, MSH Medical School Hamburg, 20457 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Silke Pawils
- Institute of Medical Psychology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20251 Hamburg, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Shalani B, Azadfallah P, Farahani H, Brand S. Why Do Iranian Preschool-Aged Children Spend too Much Time in Front of Screens? A Preliminary Qualitative Study. CHILDREN (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 10:1193. [PMID: 37508690 PMCID: PMC10378130 DOI: 10.3390/children10071193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2023] [Revised: 06/28/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023]
Abstract
There is evidence that Iranian preschool children are increasingly spending their time in front of screens (screen time: ST; time spent with any screen such as TVs, computers, tablets, smartphones, game consoles, or video games), but few studies have explored the possible causes of such an increase. Given this, the present study aimed to qualitatively explore determinants of excessive ST in Iranian children. To this end, parents of preschool children were interviewed, and their answers were qualitatively clustered to identify additional important factors. Key informant interviews were conducted with parents of preschool children in Tehran (Iran). A semi-structured interview was developed to assess child and family life, daily routine, family rules, family interactions, and home climate as possible contributing factors to ST. Parents' audiotaped statements were transcripted verbatim, coded, and clustered into main themes using thematic analysis with the MaxQda® software. A total of 20 parents of children aged 2 to 7 were interviewed, and a total of 6 key themes and 28 subthemes were extracted from their interviews. The results of the analysis identified a broad range of both independent and interrelated factors leading to the development and maintenance of ST behaviors among preschool children. Our findings indicate that the central concept is the family. Considering screen-related behaviors, family life encompasses parental health literacy (e.g., parenting pattern, monitoring standards, thoughtful parenting), family psychological atmosphere (e.g., presence of parents, family norms, parent-parent and parent-child interaction, congruency/incongruency of parents with each other) and the digital structure of the home. The child's and parents' actions and characteristics can influence family interactions. A child's and parent's behavior is also influenced by social/cultural factors. Parents' behaviors and attitudes, family communications, and interactions contribute to healthy ST habits in children. It is not possible to examine the child's behavior without considering the family and the dominant environment, since the behavior of family members as a whole affects each family member. Given this, interventions should make parents aware of their role and responsibilities in reducing children's ST and consider the family system as a whole, and interventions also can benefit from considering the parental perceptions of children's behaviors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bita Shalani
- Department of Psychology, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran 14117-13116, Iran
| | - Parviz Azadfallah
- Department of Psychology, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran 14117-13116, Iran
| | | | - Serge Brand
- Center for Affective, Sleep and Stress Disorders, Psychiatric Clinics of the University of Basel, 4002 Basel, Switzerland
- Division of Sport Science and Psychosocial Health, Department of Sport, Exercise and Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Basel, 4002 Basel, Switzerland
- Substance Abuse Prevention Research Center, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences (KUMS), Kermanshah 67158-47141, Iran
- Sleep Disorders Research Center, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences (KUMS), Kermanshah 67158-47141, Iran
- School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS), Tehran 14166-34793, Iran
- Center for Disaster Psychiatry and Disaster Psychology, Psychiatric Clinics of the University of Basel, 4002 Basel, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Li J, Zhai Y, Xiao B, Xia X, Wang J, Zhao Y, Ye L, Li Y. Maternal COVID-19 Distress and Chinese Preschool Children's Problematic Media Use: A Moderated Serial Mediation Model. Psychol Res Behav Manag 2023; 16:2553-2567. [PMID: 37457390 PMCID: PMC10348373 DOI: 10.2147/prbm.s414456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Maternal distress increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, significantly impacting children's media use. The purpose of this study was to explore the influence mechanism of maternal COVID-19 distress on preschoolers' problematic media us through a moderated mediation model; specifically, we examined the possible mediating roles of parenting stress and negative instrumental use of media in parenting and the moderating role of supportive co-parenting. Methods An online survey was conducted in a sample of 1357 children (Mage = 4.01, SD = 1.06; 47.4% boys) and their parents from six public kindergartens in Shanghai, China. The mothers provided information by completing measures on their levels of distress related to COVID-19, parenting stress levels, digital parenting practices, and perception of supportive co-parenting from their partners. Additionally, both parents rated their children's problematic media use. Results (1) maternal COVID-19 distress was significantly and positively related to children's problematic media use; (2) this relationship was sequentially mediated by parenting stress and parents' negative instrumental use of media in parenting; and (3) supportive co-parenting moderated the serial mediation path by reducing the effect of maternal COVID-19 distress on parenting stress. Conclusion The findings provide some support and guidance for preventing children's problematic media use and enhancing parental adaptation during the COVID-19 pandemic or in potentially adverse situations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Juan Li
- Shanghai Institute of Early Childhood Education, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yuanyuan Zhai
- Shanghai Institute of Early Childhood Education, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
| | - Bowen Xiao
- Psychology Department, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Xiaoying Xia
- School of Early Childhood Education, Shanghai Normal University Tianhua College, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jingyao Wang
- Shanghai Institute of Early Childhood Education, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yanan Zhao
- Shanghai Institute of Early Childhood Education, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
| | - Li Ye
- Shanghai Institute of Early Childhood Education, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yan Li
- Shanghai Institute of Early Childhood Education, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Almeida ML, Garon-Carrier G, Cinar E, Frizzo GB, Fitzpatrick C. Prospective associations between child screen time and parenting stress and later inattention symptoms in preschoolers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1053146. [PMID: 37303895 PMCID: PMC10249107 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1053146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2022] [Accepted: 04/21/2023] [Indexed: 06/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Child attention skills are critical for supporting self-regulation abilities, especially during the first years of life. On the other hand, inattention symptoms in preschoolers have been associated with poor school readiness, literacy skills and academic achievement. Previous research has linked excessive screen time with increased inattention symptoms in early childhood. However, most research has only focused on TV exposure and did not investigate this association during the COVID-19 pandemic. This atypical context has increased screen time in children worldwide, including preschoolers. We hypothesize that higher levels of child screen media and parenting stress at age 3.5 will be associated with higher child inattention symptoms at age 4.5. Method This study draws on participants followed longitudinally over the span of 2-years for an investigation of Canadian preschoolers' screen media use during the pandemic (N = 315, 2020). A follow-up with this sample was completed in 2021 (N = 264). Results Analyses using multiple linear regression, revealed a positive association between child screen time at age 3.5 and inattention symptoms at 4.5 years. Parental stress was also positively associated with child inattention symptoms. Associations were observed above individual (child age, inhibitory control, and sex) and family (parent education and family income) characteristics. Discussion These results confirmed our hypothesis and highlight that preschooler screen use and parenting stress may undermine attentional skills. Since attention is a crucial component for children development, behavior and academic outcomes, our study reinforces the importance for parents of adopting healthy media habits.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maíra Lopes Almeida
- Département de l’enseignement au préscolaire et au primaire, Faculté d`Éducation, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Gabrielle Garon-Carrier
- Département de psychoéducation, Faculté d`Éducation, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrook, QC, Canada
| | - Eda Cinar
- Département de psychoéducation, Faculté d`Éducation, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrook, QC, Canada
| | - Giana Bitencourt Frizzo
- Departamento de Psicologia do Desenvolvimento e Personalidade, Instituto de Psicologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Caroline Fitzpatrick
- Département de l’enseignement au préscolaire et au primaire, Faculté d`Éducation, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
- Department of Childhood Education, Faculty of Education, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Swider-Cios E, Vermeij A, Sitskoorn MM. Young children and screen-based media: The impact on cognitive and socioemotional development and the importance of parental mediation. COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cogdev.2023.101319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/17/2023]
|
10
|
Reich SM, Liu Y, Tulagan N, Martin E, Dahlin M, Cabrera N. Applying a family stress model to understand U.S. families' patterns of stress, media use, and child behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic. JOURNAL OF CHILDREN AND MEDIA 2023; 17:246-265. [PMID: 37485053 PMCID: PMC10361240 DOI: 10.1080/17482798.2023.2187853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2021] [Revised: 03/01/2023] [Accepted: 03/02/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has greatly altered family life, and research among adults and families is finding increases in financial stress, mental health problems, screen time, parental conflict, and child behavior problems. Given these patterns, we sought to replicate these findings with a younger and largely non-white sample and consider how these constructs might relate to each other by using the Family Stress Model. From surveys of 247 predominately Latine mothers and fathers of children under 4 years in the U.S., we found that financial strain was related to children's media exposure and use, largely through impacts on parents' mental health and coparenting relationship. Interestingly, only use of television in the background and during mealtimes were associated with increases in children's behavior problems. Such findings better capture how stress may operate in a family system and offer a way to counsel parents about healthier media habits for children.
Collapse
|
11
|
Sherrard A, Vang M, Tan CC. Children's media use and food approach behavior: Associations with temperament and food parenting. Appetite 2023; 182:106444. [PMID: 36592796 DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2022.106444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2022] [Revised: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Children's media use has been found to be associated with obesogenic eating and obesity risk. Children's temperament and food parenting have been found to be important factors associated with children's eating behavior. The current study examined whether children's temperament and food parenting moderated the associations between children's media use and children's food approach behaviors. Parents (n = 214) of children between 3- to 5- years old were recruited to complete an online survey. Findings showed that children's temperament (i.e., negative affectivity and effortful control) and food parenting (i.e., coercive control) moderated the relationship between children's media use and children's food approach behavior. The results suggest that children's temperament and food parenting play important roles in understanding the relationship among children's media use and children's eating behavior.
Collapse
|
12
|
Griffith SF, Qiu Y. A Population-Based Study of Associations Among Child Screen Media Use, Social-Contextual Factors, and School Readiness. J Dev Behav Pediatr 2022; 43:529-536. [PMID: 35986674 DOI: 10.1097/dbp.0000000000001115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2021] [Accepted: 06/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Results of studies examining relations between child media use and school readiness have been inconsistent. Importantly, studies often focus on a single outcome domain (e.g., academic, social, or behavioral), making the comparison of relative importance difficult; fail to account for confounding variables; and fail to investigate social-contextual moderators. This study investigated relations among child media use exposure, social-contextual factors, and multiple domains of school readiness in preschool-aged children. METHODS Multivariate regression analyses were used to examine relations between child media use and 3 domains of school readiness (early learning, social-emotional skills, and self-regulation), controlling for demographic and social-contextual factors, and to investigate differential susceptibility by examining family income and 4 social-contextual factors (sleep, exposure to adverse childhood events, frequency of shared reading, and parent stress) as moderators in a large US population-based sample (N = 9323) of 3 to 5 year olds. RESULTS After controlling for confounding variables, higher screentime was negatively related to children's social-emotional skills and self-regulation, but less so for early learning. Effect sizes were small. The relation between screentime and self-regulation was significantly moderated by family income, such that the relation was stronger for children from low-income backgrounds. No other evidence of significant moderation was found. CONCLUSION Results add to evidence that the relation between screen media use and outcomes in young children is likely complex. Future work should prioritize examining impacts of screen media use on social and behavioral functioning to further inform the evaluation of relative benefits and costs of child screen media use.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shayl F Griffith
- Department of Counselling, Recreation, and School Psychology, Florida International University, Miami, FL
| | | |
Collapse
|
13
|
Fitzpatrick C, Harvey E, Cristini E, Laurent A, Lemelin JP, Garon-Carrier G. Is the Association Between Early Childhood Screen Media Use and Effortful Control Bidirectional? A Prospective Study During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Front Psychol 2022; 13:918834. [PMID: 35832920 PMCID: PMC9271860 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.918834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 05/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Individual differences in effortful control, a component of temperament, reflecting the ability to use attention and other cognitive processes to self-regulate emotion and behavior, contribute to child academic adjustment, social competence, and wellbeing. Research has linked excessive screen time in early childhood to reduced self-regulation ability. Furthermore, research suggests that parents are more likely to use screens with children who have more challenging temperaments, such as low levels of effortful control. Since screen time by children between the ages of 0 and 18 has increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, it remains timely to investigate the developmental pattern of association between child screen media use and effortful control. We hypothesize that higher levels of screen media intake at age 3.5 will be associated with lower effortful control at age 4.5 and that lower effortful control at 3.5 will contribute to more screen media intake at age 4.5. This study draws on participants followed longitudinally over the span of 2-years for an investigation of Canadian preschoolers' screen media use during the pandemic (N = 316, Wave 1). A follow-up with this sample was completed in 2021 (N = 265, Wave 2). Analyses using a cross-lagged panel model revealed stability in child screen time and effortful control between the ages of 3.5 and 4.5. Child screen time at age 3.5 significantly contributed to decreased effortful control scores at the age of 4.5, whereas effortful control at age 3.5 did not contribute to screen time at age 4.5. Our results partially confirmed our hypothesis and indicated that higher levels of screen time intake were detrimental to the development of effortful control. These results suggest that screen media use, an exceedingly frequent activity, may play an enduring role in development by shaping young children's temperaments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Fitzpatrick
- Faculty of Education, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
- Department of Childhood Education, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa
- Groupe de Recherche et d’Intervention sur les Adaptations Sociales de l’Enfance, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Elizabeth Harvey
- Groupe de Recherche et d’Intervention sur les Adaptations Sociales de l’Enfance, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
- Department of Education, Université Sainte-Anne, Church Point, NS, Canada
| | - Emma Cristini
- Faculty of Education, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
- Groupe de Recherche et d’Intervention sur les Adaptations Sociales de l’Enfance, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Angélique Laurent
- Faculty of Education, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
- Groupe de Recherche et d’Intervention sur les Adaptations Sociales de l’Enfance, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Jean-Pascal Lemelin
- Faculty of Education, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
- Groupe de Recherche et d’Intervention sur les Adaptations Sociales de l’Enfance, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Gabrielle Garon-Carrier
- Faculty of Education, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
- Groupe de Recherche et d’Intervention sur les Adaptations Sociales de l’Enfance, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Affiliation(s)
- Lauren J Myers
- Department of Psychology, Lafayette College, Easton PA, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
15
|
Macias C, Choi K. Preschoolers' beliefs about media technologies: The role of family income. HUMAN BEHAVIOR AND EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/hbe2.278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Carla Macias
- Department of Psychology Rutgers University‐Newark Newark New Jersey USA
| | - Koeun Choi
- Department of Human Development and Family Science Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Blacksburg Virginia USA
| |
Collapse
|