About the project

Recent years have seen a dramatic rise in screen use among young people, and research has not kept pace.  While there is a growing body of empirical evidence associating screen use and many poor life outcomes, quality longitudinal research exploring associations over time is scarce. Furthermore, little is understood about why some of our more vulnerable young people, such as those with ADHD, have a propensity towards higher screen time.

Objectives

The overarching intent of this project is to for New Zealand parents, educators and policymakers to get a better understanding of how screen time is associated over the longer term with language and with inhibitory control, and whether there are steps parents can take to reduce screen exposure. In addition, it will explore how neurodiverse young people interact with screens and how this differs to neurotypical young people. The end goal is to contribute to the development of evidence based recommendations to positively manage children's screen exposure.

Methods

Analysis will include multilevel mixed modelling, controlling for covariates, with multiple measures of screen time, family rules for screen use, and language (each at ages 4 ½, 8 and 12 years); inhibitory control at 8 and 12 years, child behavioural response to screens (12 years,) and Group (neurotypical, neurodiverse).

Output

We hope to determine whether there is an association between earlier screen time and later child language, and earlier screen time and later inhibitory control, plus understand how this association varies for those with neurodiversity. We then hope to find techniques that have worked well for parents to control their children’s screen time. These findings will be part of Claire Reid's Psychology PhD thesis. There will be published journal articles and community and conference presentations resulting from this research.

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Start date: 22/07/2024