Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41068752›Full record

ArticleBMC pediatrics2025

Longitudinal associations between maternal and child screen use at 1 year of age and child behavior and development at 3 years of age.

Stephanie Sim, Juliana Zabatiero, Natasha Bear, Amber Beynon, George Thomas, Ravisha Srinivasjois, Brad Jongeling, Desiree Silva, Leon Straker

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In one paragraph

Article in BMC pediatrics, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from 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.

2 · The registry

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.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Stephanie SimJoondalup Health Campus, Perth, Australia.
Juliana ZabatieroAustralian Research Council Centre of Excellence for the Digital Child, Brisbane, Australia.
Natasha BearInstitute for Health Research, Notre Dame University, Perth, WA, Australia.
Amber BeynonAustralian Research Council Centre of Excellence for the Digital Child, Brisbane, Australia.
George ThomasAustralian Research Council Centre of Excellence for the Digital Child, Brisbane, Australia.
Ravisha SrinivasjoisJoondalup Health Campus, Perth, Australia.
Brad JongelingMedical School, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia.
Desiree SilvaTelethon Kids Institute, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia.
Leon StrakerAustralian Research Council Centre of Excellence for the Digital Child, Brisbane, Australia. L.Straker@curtin.edu.au.

Funding

Australian Research Council CE200100022
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundYoung children are increasingly exposed to evolving screen technology. International guidelines recommend no screen use for children under the age of 2 years, due to the potential for detrimental effects on behaviour and development. However, evidence for these guidelines is limited by inadequate consideration of device-specific effects (TV and mobile phone/tablet computer), maternal screen use, confounders such as maternal mental health and importance of effect sizes. Our aim was to investigate longitudinal associations of device-specific maternal and child technology use and covariates (including maternal mental health) with behavioural and developmental outcomes, to guide adults on screen use behaviours by and with their children.

methodsParticipants were part of a large birth cohort (The ORIGINS Project). Measures of mother and child screen use (TechU-Q) at child's 1 year of age and child behaviour and development (Connors Early Childhood) at 3 years of age were used. Demographic data and covariates were obtained antenatally and at 1 year post-birth. Data was extracted in March 2023 for the n = 887 who had completed the Conners EC by this date. Covariates included maternal age, child sex, number of children in the household, maternal education, socioeconomic status, and maternal mental health. To examine associations of screen use and confounding variables with Conners EC t scores, univariable regression and multivariable regression was used. Differences in median Conners EC t scores between the 1st and 4th quartiles of maternal and child screen use were assessed using the Mann Whitney U test.

resultsMaternal and child screen use was inconsistently and weakly associated with behavioural outcomes, whilst poorer maternal mental health was consistently and moderately associated with poorer behavioural outcomes. Maternal and child screen use was inconsistently and weakly associated with developmental outcomes, whilst maternal mental health was not associated with developmental outcomes. There were differences between TV and mobile/tablet use associations with behavioural and developmental outcomes.

conclusionsMaternal and child screen use at 1 year of age appear only weakly related with child behaviour and development at 3 years of age. Maternal mental health is likely to have a more clinically meaningful relationship with child behaviour, but not development.

Indexed as

Child BehaviorChild DevelopmentMothersScreen TimeTelevisionAdultChild, PreschoolComputers, HandheldFemaleHumansInfantLongitudinal StudiesMaleChild developmentCohortMental healthOriginsScreen useSocioeconomic equity

Identifiers

PMID41068752
PMCPMC12512461

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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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.