Study Finds Toddlers Are Engaging Less in Conversation and Interaction with Parents Due to Screen Time
By the age of 36 months, children uttered 6.6 fewer adult words per additional minute spent on screens, leading to a deficit of 1,139 adult words.
An investigation by the Telethon Kids Institute unveiled that every minute toddlers spend fixated on screens at home results in reduced exposure to words, decreased speech, and fewer dialogues with their parents.
Researchers observed 220 Australian families for two-and-a-half years, with toddlers wearing a device capturing 16 hours of audio daily at home.
After analyzing over 7,000 hours of recordings, it was discovered that toddlers aged 18 to 36 months average about three hours of screen time daily, missing out on crucial language-rich interactions during their formative years.
The most significant decline in language abilities was noted at 36 months, with a drop of 6.6 adult words for each extra minute of screen time, resulting in a loss of 1,139 adult words, 843 vocalizations, and 194 conversations per day.
Sr. researcher Mary Brushe highlighted how screen time hampers the essential amount of communication necessary for children’s language development.
She expressed concern about the implications of the findings in relation to “technoference,” suggesting that young children’s screen exposure is impeding opportunities for communication and interaction in their home environments.
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On the other hand, she elaborated that recent findings published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Pediatrics indicate that screen time and its associated “technoference” may have even more adverse effects on children than previously assumed.
She noted the limitations in the study in capturing parents’ silent screen-related activities, like reading emails, texting, or silently browsing websites or social media, as the devices only registered noise linked to screen time such as TV shows, videos, or games.
Participating families were unaware that screen time was being monitored during recordings, with parental consent obtained for subsequent analysis.
This approach ensured a more accurate representation of young children’s screen exposure, as parents did not alter their normal behavior subconsciously, Ms. Brushe mentioned.
Screen Time a Top Concern Among Parents and Teachers
It is evident that parents and teachers express apprehensions about excessive screen time being the top health concern for children, as indicated by the Australian Institute of Family Studies (AIFS).
A concerned parent shared how their 3-year-old daughter was strictly forbidden from using any tablets or phones under any circumstances.
Expressing their reluctance, a parent revealed the challenges of managing daily tasks and screen time concerns, admitting to resorting to TV as a temporary distraction for their child.
Conversely, teachers highlight the deficiency in social skills among children and adolescents extensively engaged with screens from a young age.
Emphasizing the impact of excessive screen time on emotional development in young individuals, a wellbeing specialist underscored the importance of social awareness and emotional intelligence in everyday interactions.
A psychology lecturer at the University of the Sunshine Coast pointed out the correlation between increased screen time and social skill deficiencies at younger ages, referencing brain imaging studies indicating reduced white matter tracts in the brain linked to prolonged screen exposure.
She suggested that spending more time outdoors is beneficial for cognitive abilities associated with working memory and attention, as opposed to extended screen time.
Educational Screen Content for Language Learning
Despite the concerns surrounding screen time, Ms. Brushe emphasized the inevitability of screens in daily life and suggested strategies to mitigate its impact on children.
She mentioned the possibility of interactive co-viewing to lessen the negative effects of screen time or engaging in conversations while a screen is on, like singing along to theme songs or using the content of a show as a conversation starter post-screen time.
Efforts should also focus on educating parents on high-quality educational screen content appropriate for their children to support language development and interaction.
