[Article Review] Unraveling the Impact of Digital Media on Children's Intelligence: A Comprehensive Study

Reference

Sauce, B., Liebherr, M., Judd, N., & Klingberg, T. (2022). The impact of digital media on children’s intelligence while controlling for genetic differences in cognition and socioeconomic background. Scientific Reports, 12(1), 7720. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-11341-2

Review

In their article, Sauce, Liebherr, Judd, and Klingberg (2022) explore the cognitive effects of digital media on children, addressing the ongoing debate surrounding this topic. The authors advocate for the inclusion of genetic data in such studies to clarify causal claims and account for typically unaddressed genetic predispositions. The study analyzed 9,855 children in the United States, part of the ABCD dataset, with intelligence measurements taken at ages 9-10 and after two years.

The authors discovered that time spent watching (r = -0.12) and socializing (r = -0.10) was negatively correlated with intelligence at baseline, while gaming showed no correlation. However, after two years, gaming had a positive impact on intelligence (standardized β = +0.17), which aligns with experimental studies on video gaming's cognitive benefits. Socializing, on the other hand, had no effect.

Interestingly, watching videos also benefited intelligence (standardized β = +0.12), which contradicts prior research on the impact of watching TV. A post hoc analysis, though, revealed that this was not significant when controlling for parental education instead of SES. Overall, the results support research on cognitive abilities' malleability from environmental factors, such as cognitive training and the Flynn effect.

The study by Sauce et al. (2022) provides valuable insights into the cognitive impact of digital media on children while addressing potential confounding factors. The findings contribute to a more nuanced understanding of the relationship between screen time and children's intelligence, offering implications for future research and educational policy.

[Article Review] The Impact of High Screen Time on Cognitive and Behavioral Outcomes in Extremely Preterm Children

Reference

Vohr, B. R., McGowan, E. C., Bann, C., Das, A., Higgins, R., Hintz, S., & Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Neonatal Research Network. (2021). Association of High Screen-Time Use With School-age Cognitive, Executive Function, and Behavior Outcomes in Extremely Preterm Children. JAMA Pediatrics, 175(10), 1025-1034. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2021.2041

Review

In a cohort study conducted by Vohr et al. (2021), the authors assessed the association of high screen time with cognitive, language, executive function, and behavior outcomes in extremely preterm children (EPT) aged 6 to 7 years. The secondary objective of the study was to examine the association between high screen time and rates of structured physical activity and weight.

The study included 414 EPT children born between February 1, 2005, and February 28, 2009, and evaluated between 2012 and 2016. The cohorts were divided into children exposed to low (≤2 hours per day) vs. high (>2 hours per day) amounts of screen time and by the presence (no vs. yes) of a television/computer in the bedroom.

The findings of the study revealed that high screen time was independently associated with lower full-scale IQ, and increased deficits in executive functions, including metacognition, global executive function, inhibition, and Conners 3rd Edition–Parent Short-Form inattention. Additionally, a television/computer in the bedroom was associated with an increase in inhibition and hyperactivity/impulsivity problems.

The authors concluded that high screen time contributes to adverse cognitive, executive function, and behavior outcomes at ages 6 to 7 years in children born at less than 28 weeks. This study emphasizes the need for clinicians to be aware of the risks for EPT children and discuss both the benefits and risks of screen time with families.