Associations between digital media use and early child development: A longitudinal project from pregnancy to age 2 years

Research problem and specific questions: Digital media is being extensively used by children, often already during their first year in life.

This could have negative effects on development and new recommendations for children’s screen time has therefore recently been presented. However, the link between digital media and child development is complex and more research is needed. We also need to know how to best implement recommendations.

This project therefore aims to examine: 1) Parents’ knowledge and attitudes towards recommendations and how well they are being implemented in Sweden and 2) How parents’ and children’s use of digital media influence child development from birth to 2-years of age.

Data and method: A large sample of families (n=500) is recruited during the last trimester of pregnancy and followed until child aged 2-years. A second cohort (n=200) is recruited during year 3 to investigate cohort differences.

Large-scaled questionnaire data will be collected at multiple time points, and we will include lab visits to assess cognitive, language and motor abilities, as well as parent-child interaction. An online diary will provide information about screen time, as well as content and context-related factors.

Finally, we will collect qualitative interview data from parents.

Societal relevance and utilisation: Multiple reports have shown that screen use in infancy, as well as parents’ use of screens, is associated with delayed child development. However, others argue that these reports are alarmistic and that screen recommendations are impossible to follow.

The present study is of high societal relevance as it will provide detailed information about the link between digital media use and outcomes, as well as parents’ views of screen time recommendations.

Of great importance is also the fact that we have designed the study in close cooperation with stakeholders to be able to recruit families with low socio-economic status and immigrant background.

Project realization: Through a collaboration between two Swedish universities (KI and LiU) and Georgetown University in the US, we will bring together expertise from multiple disciplines. The project also includes an advisory board of relevant stakeholders. Two applicants (Thorell and Sundqvist) will be in charge of the data collection at two Swedish universities.

Due to extensive data collection, most of the budget costs will cover salary costs for the applicants and research assistants.