About the project

Given the evidence that a majority of preschoolers in New Zealand are exceeding recommended levels of screen time, there is a clear need to understand the impact of children's screen media use on their developmental outcomes. In particular, it is critical to go beyond examinations of the quantity of screen time to examine aspects of the quality of children's screen media use. In this study, we will examine the longitudinal associations between qualities of children's television programming and later social, emotional, and behaviour outcomes. Specifically, we will examine television programming at age 2 on dimensions such as: prosocial themes, aggressive themes, emotion words, mental state talk, educational content, and pacing. We will then identify patterns of TV viewing at age 2 and examine how these patterns predict later social, emotional, and behavioural outcomes assessed at ages 5 through 12. Our results will provide descriptive information about the nature of television programming designed for preschoolers, and provide insights related to the qualities of children's TV programming that are predictive of later developmental outcomes.

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Start date: 1/06/2024