SynthesisBMC public health2025
Effect of intervention on screen time in preschoolers: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
Synthesis in BMC public health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
6 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Effect of parent-focused interventions for screen use on developmental outcomes in young children: a systematic review and meta-analysis.The international journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity · 2026Pooled it
- Artificial intelligence interaction is not equivalent to social interaction: Rethinking artificial intelligence-mediated digital exposure in early childhood.Pediatric investigation · 2026Review
- International study of 24-hour movement behaviours among preschool children (SUNRISE): A pilot study from Nepal.Archives of public health = Archives belges de sante publique · 2026Article
- The Effects of Family-Based Programs on Preschool Children's Screen Time: A Systematic Review.Children (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Review
- The impact of social marketing practices in promoting digital etiquette: a descriptive and analytical study on a sample of Fallujah University students.F1000Research · 2026Article
- Validity and reliability of Indonesian version of the digital screen exposure questionnaire (DSEQ) for young children.PloS one · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundExcessive screen time (ST) is linked to adverse physical and mental development in children, with habits forming in preschool and solidifying over time. Previous studies on interventions to reduce ST in preschoolers aged 0-7 years have shown inconsistent results. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to evaluate intervention effectiveness and identify potential moderators.
methodsWe searched CNKI (Chinese), Wanfang Data (Chinese), SinoMed, Ebscohost, Web of Science, EMBASE, PubMed, and Cochrane Library for RCTs (January 1, 2000-December 31, 2024) targeting ST reduction in preschool children. Study quality was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Assessment tool and Jadad scale. Effect size were reported as standardized mean difference (SMD) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Subgroup analyses (e.g., sample size, child age, gender, intervention duration) were conducted, with statistical tests (e.g., the chi-square test) comparing subgroup differences.
resultsA total of 41 studies with 14,514 participants were included in the meta-analysis. The overall summary of random effects showed a small, beneficial impact of ST interventions compared to controls (SMD = 0.26, 95% CI: 0.12 to 0.39). Subgroup analysis showed that the intervention effect was moderated by child age (χ
conclusionDespite heterogeneity in study methods and results, overall interventions to reduce ST in early childhood show significant reductions, suggesting that this may be an opportune time to intervene. Future research should explore strategies for implementing large-scale interventions and sustaining long-term intervention effects, investigate the potential impact of different theoretical frameworks on intervention outcomes, and examine the role of caregivers in supporting behavior change. These findings provide a robust foundation for developing evidence-based strategies to promote healthy ST habits in young children.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.