Is the screen time duration affecting children's language development? - A scoping review

Abstract

BackgroundHow parents interact with their children and what they are exposed to can have a big impact on a child's language development. Nowadays, videos on different devices are an important source of information and stimulation for kids from a young age. Many researchers have studied how screen time may affect a child's language development. ObjectivesThe purpose of this review was to explore the available research on the relationship between screen time and language development in children under 12. MethodsThis scoping review involved a systematic search of the database using predefined criteria for available research regarding the impact of screen time on language development in children younger than 12 years. Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) framework was adhered to for this review. Researchers did a qualitative and thematic analysis of the included research. Any conflict of opinion was resolved by discussion. Results16 studies were selected for this review, of which nine reported a negative impact of screen time on language development, five reported no significant impact and two reported a positive effect. ConclusionsAfter reviewing various studies, it has been found that increased screen time can have a negative impact on a child's language development. While some studies show no impact or even a positive impact, factors such as the duration of viewing, video characteristics, content, and co-viewing with adults also play a role. Overall, it seems that the negative effects of screen time outweigh the positive ones.