Association between screen time and developmental screening test performance in children under the age of five

Abstract

Aims: Excessive screen time has been linked to delays in development, but it is not clear whether it predicts lower performance scores or affects challenging behavior in children. The study aims to evaluate the correlation between screen time and child development in children aged 6 to 60 months. Methods: The study conducted in Turkiye, involving 230 mothers and children aged 0–60 months, assessed screen-time behavior and developmental outcomes using the questionnaire and the Denver Developmental Screening Test-II (DDST-II). Results: The DDST-II test of 155 (67.4%) of the children was evaluated as normal, 42 (18.2%) as abnormal, and 33 (14.6%) as uncertain. The mean age of those whose DDST-II was abnormal was 46 ± 12.3 months. Children exposed to screens for over an hour had abnormal DDST-II results compared to those exposed for less than an hour (p<0.001). More than 3 hours of screen exposure were associated with a higher rate of abnormal DDST-II results (p < 0.001). DDST-II results were significantly associated with parental control over screen exposure (p<0.001). Conclusion: A positive relationship between screen time and developmental delay in children, emphasizing the significance of effective family media strategies and screen control.