The interplay between screen time and outdoor play on preschool children's cognitive and social-emotional development

Abstract

Objective: 1) identify distinct profiles (i.e., subgroups) of screen time (ST) and outdoor play (OP) in a sample of preschool children, and 2) examine the mean differences in specific domains of cognitive and social-emotional development between these profiles. Method: Baseline data from the Technology and Development in Early Childhood (TECH) study were used. Participants were 352 preschool children (3–4 years) and their parents living in Western Canada. ST (television (TV)/video viewing and video/computer games) and OP for both weekdays and weekend days were parent-reported. Social-emotional development outcomes (emotional, cognitive, and behavioral self-regulation) and demographic covariates were assessed via questionnaire. Cognitive development outcomes (language, response inhibition, working memory, self-control) were assessed via four short games played during a recorded virtual meeting. Latent profile analysis was conducted. Results: Four profiles were identified: 1) low ST/medium-high OP (optimal ST-OP), 2) high TV/high OP, 3) medium ST/low OP, and 4) high ST/medium-high OP. Profile 1 was selected as the reference group. For response inhibition, the medium ST/low OP (M=10.3, SE=2.0; p=0.03) and high ST/medium-high OP (M=2.8, SE=3.7; p<0.01) profiles scored significantly lower than the reference group (M=15.3, SE=1.0). For self-control, the high TV/high OP (M=65.5, SE=3.2; p=0.03) and medium ST/low OP (M=63.8, SE=4.8; p<0.05) profiles scored significantly lower than the reference group (M=74.2, SE=2.1). For behavioral self-regulation, the high TV/high OP (M=3.6, SE=0.1; p<0.01) profile scored significantly lower than the reference group (M=3.9, SE=0.04). Conclusion: Children with the most optimal combination of lower ST and higher OP had more advanced cognitive and social-emotional development for some outcomes.