High-dose electronic media use in five-year-olds and its association with their psychosocial symptoms: a cohort study

Objectives This study investigated the frequency of electronic media (e-media) usage by preschool children and the risks of high-dose e-media use on young children’s psychosocial well-being.Design Longitudinal associations between e-media use at 18 months and psychosocial symptoms at 5 years of age...

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Main Authors: Outi Saarenpää-Heikkilä, Janette Niiranen, Olli Kiviruusu, Riitta Vornanen, E Juulia Paavonen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMJ Publishing Group 2021-03-01
Series:BMJ Open
Online Access:https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/11/3/e040848.full
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author Outi Saarenpää-Heikkilä
Janette Niiranen
Olli Kiviruusu
Riitta Vornanen
E Juulia Paavonen
author_facet Outi Saarenpää-Heikkilä
Janette Niiranen
Olli Kiviruusu
Riitta Vornanen
E Juulia Paavonen
author_sort Outi Saarenpää-Heikkilä
collection DOAJ
description Objectives This study investigated the frequency of electronic media (e-media) usage by preschool children and the risks of high-dose e-media use on young children’s psychosocial well-being.Design Longitudinal associations between e-media use at 18 months and psychosocial symptoms at 5 years of age were studied, as well as cross-sectional associations between e-media use and psychosocial symptoms at 5 years.Setting Between 2011 and 2017 in Finland.Participants Children aged 5 years (n=699).Primary and secondary outcome measures Children’s psychosocial symptoms were determined at the age of 5 years using the parent-reported questionnaires Five-to-Fifteen (FTF) and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ).Results Based on our results, 95% of the preschool children exceeded the daily recommended use of e-media set by health professionals. Our results indicate that increased screen time at 5 years of age is associated with a risk of multiple psychosocial symptoms (OR 1.53–2.18, 95% CI 1.05 to 3.34, p<0.05), while increased levels of e-media use at 18 months was only associated with FTF peer problems (OR 1.59, 95% CI 1.04 to 2.41, p=0.03). Moreover, high-dose use of electronic games at the age of 5 years seems to be associated with fewer risks for psychosocial well-being than programme viewing, as it was only associated with SDQ hyperactivity (OR 1.65, 95% CI 1.08 to 2.51, p=0.02).Conclusion Increased screen time has multiple risks for children’s psychosocial well-being. These risk factors seem to be significant in the long term, and are related to problems in children’s socio-emotional development later on. Health professionals and paediatricians have an important role as communicators of the current research results on the safe usage time of e-media for families, and enhancing parents’ skills as regulators of children’s safe e-media use. More research is needed on the family conditions of high-dose e-media users.
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spelling doaj-art-f7d79c4af1dd4fe9b17755522a45e9dc2024-11-21T01:30:08ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Open2044-60552021-03-0111310.1136/bmjopen-2020-040848High-dose electronic media use in five-year-olds and its association with their psychosocial symptoms: a cohort studyOuti Saarenpää-Heikkilä0Janette Niiranen1Olli Kiviruusu2Riitta Vornanen3E Juulia Paavonen45 Tampere Centre for Child Health Research, University of Tampere and Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland1 Department of Public Health Solutions, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, FinlandDepartment of Public Health and Welfare, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland2 Department of Social Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland1 Department of Public Health Solutions, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, FinlandObjectives This study investigated the frequency of electronic media (e-media) usage by preschool children and the risks of high-dose e-media use on young children’s psychosocial well-being.Design Longitudinal associations between e-media use at 18 months and psychosocial symptoms at 5 years of age were studied, as well as cross-sectional associations between e-media use and psychosocial symptoms at 5 years.Setting Between 2011 and 2017 in Finland.Participants Children aged 5 years (n=699).Primary and secondary outcome measures Children’s psychosocial symptoms were determined at the age of 5 years using the parent-reported questionnaires Five-to-Fifteen (FTF) and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ).Results Based on our results, 95% of the preschool children exceeded the daily recommended use of e-media set by health professionals. Our results indicate that increased screen time at 5 years of age is associated with a risk of multiple psychosocial symptoms (OR 1.53–2.18, 95% CI 1.05 to 3.34, p<0.05), while increased levels of e-media use at 18 months was only associated with FTF peer problems (OR 1.59, 95% CI 1.04 to 2.41, p=0.03). Moreover, high-dose use of electronic games at the age of 5 years seems to be associated with fewer risks for psychosocial well-being than programme viewing, as it was only associated with SDQ hyperactivity (OR 1.65, 95% CI 1.08 to 2.51, p=0.02).Conclusion Increased screen time has multiple risks for children’s psychosocial well-being. These risk factors seem to be significant in the long term, and are related to problems in children’s socio-emotional development later on. Health professionals and paediatricians have an important role as communicators of the current research results on the safe usage time of e-media for families, and enhancing parents’ skills as regulators of children’s safe e-media use. More research is needed on the family conditions of high-dose e-media users.https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/11/3/e040848.full
spellingShingle Outi Saarenpää-Heikkilä
Janette Niiranen
Olli Kiviruusu
Riitta Vornanen
E Juulia Paavonen
High-dose electronic media use in five-year-olds and its association with their psychosocial symptoms: a cohort study
BMJ Open
title High-dose electronic media use in five-year-olds and its association with their psychosocial symptoms: a cohort study
title_full High-dose electronic media use in five-year-olds and its association with their psychosocial symptoms: a cohort study
title_fullStr High-dose electronic media use in five-year-olds and its association with their psychosocial symptoms: a cohort study
title_full_unstemmed High-dose electronic media use in five-year-olds and its association with their psychosocial symptoms: a cohort study
title_short High-dose electronic media use in five-year-olds and its association with their psychosocial symptoms: a cohort study
title_sort high dose electronic media use in five year olds and its association with their psychosocial symptoms a cohort study
url https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/11/3/e040848.full
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