SCREEN TIME INFLUENCE ON EARLY CHILDHOOD SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Catherine Arumugam; Mas Said; Nik Nik Farid; Hussein Rizal

doi:10.5114/hpc.2022.118754

eISSN: 2354-0265
ISSN: 2353-6942

Health Problems of Civilization Physical activity: diseases and issues recognized by the WHO

Current issue Archive Online first About the journal Editorial board Reviewers Abstracting and indexing Subscription Contact Instructions for authors Publication charge Ethical standards and procedures

Editorial System

Submit your Manuscript

Editorial Policies

Sarajevo Declaration on Integrity and Visibility of Scholarly Publications

3/2022
vol. 16

Send email

Copy url:

DISEASES AND PROBLEMS DISTINGUISHED BY WHO AND FAO

abstract:

Original paper

SCREEN TIME INFLUENCE ON EARLY CHILDHOOD SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Catherine Thamarai Arumugam

¹

,

Mas Ayu Said

^{1, 2}

,

Nik Daliana Nik Farid

^{1, 3}

,

Hussein Rizal

^{1, 3}

Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Centre for Epidemiology and Evidence-Based Practice (CEBP), Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Centre for Population Health (CePH), Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Health Prob Civil. 2022; 16(3): 190-198

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5114/hpc.2022.118754

Online publish date: 2022/09/05

View full text Get citation

PlumX metrics:

Background
The World Health Organization calls for avoidance of screen-based media usage for children below the age of one and for limitation of screen time to not more than an hour for children under the age of five due to public health concerns. This study is aimed to determine the prevalence of excessive screen time and its association with early childhood social-emotional development among Malaysian children.

Material and methods
Self-administered questionnaires were distributed to 600 Malaysian parents of children aged 18 and 36 months old. Child’s social-emotional development was measured using the “Ages and Stages Questionnaire: Social Emotional-2” questionnaire. Multivariate logistic regression method was utilized for data analysis.

Results
A total of 82.2% of children did not adhere to screen time recommendations. Mean screen time recorded was 141.7 (SD 131.6) minutes per day. The odds of children with excessive screen time having poor mastery of social-emotional development is 2.5 times higher than children adhering to screen time recommendations, with this association persisting after adjustment to confounders (AOR: 2.50, 95% CI: 1.07-5.86).

Conclusions
Excessive screen time among children is linked to paucity in active parent-child interaction and hindrance in the process of learning and development which consequently leads to a delayed attainment of social-emotional milestones.

keywords:

SCREEN TIME INFLUENCE ON EARLY CHILDHOOD SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Catherine Thamarai Arumugam 1 , Mas Ayu Said 1, 2 , Nik Daliana Nik Farid 1, 3 , Hussein Rizal 1, 3

social-emotional development, screen time, public health

Catherine Thamarai Arumugam

¹

,

Mas Ayu Said

^{1, 2}

,

Nik Daliana Nik Farid

^{1, 3}

,

Hussein Rizal

^{1, 3}