Are maternal and infant screen time that important for infant development?

E-poster

Abstract Overview

Background: Screen time is often used as an indicator of sedentary behaviour and has been linked to many poor health outcomes including cardiovascular disease, mental health and musculoskeletal disorders. However, there is limited evidence on how screen time by infants and their mothers could impact infant development.

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the influence of infant and maternal screen time (i.e. mobile touchscreen devices [MTSD] and television) and other family factors on infant development.

Methods: This analysis used data from 1157 participants from The ORIGINS Project, collected when the infant was 12 months of age. Data on maternal and infant screen time (Technology Use Questionnaire, TechU-Q), sociodemographic factors (e.g. infant sex, household income), maternal mental health (Depression Anxiety Stress Scales, DASS-21), and child development (Ages and Stages Questionnaire, version 3, ASQ-3) were used. Multivariable linear regression with parametric bootstrap sampling was used for analyses.

Results: When considering family factors, infants with higher MTSD use had poorer infant development. However, there were no associations between infant television use or maternal screen time, and infant development. Associations were also found between some family factors and infant development, including maternal mental health and parental education, with maternal mental health being the most consistent predictor of infant development.

Conclusion: Overall, screen time by infant or their mothers may not be that important for infant development and rather should be best considered as part of the family system in which many behaviours and factors are interrelated.
Practical implications: To improve infant development outcomes, less emphasis should be on screen time, and more on supporting the family as a whole, with a focus on supporting maternal mental health in particular.

Funding: The Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for the Digital Child and core funding was received for ORIGINS project.

Additional Authors

Name: Leon Straker
Affiliation: Curtin School of Allied Health, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia. ARC Centre of Excellence for the Digital Child, Australia
Presenting Author: no
Name: Charlotte Lund Rasmussen
Affiliation: Curtin School of Allied Health, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia. ARC Centre of Excellence for the Digital Child, Australia
Presenting Author: yes
Name: Danica Hendry
Affiliation: Curtin School of Allied Health, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia. ARC Centre of Excellence for the Digital Child, Australia
Presenting Author: no
Name: Sarah Stearne
Affiliation: Curtin School of Allied Health, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia. ARC Centre of Excellence for the Digital Child, Australia
Presenting Author: no
Name: Stephen Zubrick
Affiliation: Telethon Kids Institute, Perth, Western Australia, Australia. Medical School, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
Presenting Author: no
Name: Brad Jongeling
Affiliation: Department of the Child Development Service, Perth, Western Australia, Australia. Joondalup Health Campus, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
Presenting Author: no
Name: Courtenay Harris
Affiliation: Curtin School of Allied Health, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia. ARC Centre of Excellence for the Digital Child, Australia
Presenting Author: no
Name: Desiree Silva
Affiliation: Medical School, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia. Department of the Child Development Service, Perth, Western Australia, Australia. Joondalup Health Campus, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
Presenting Author: no
Name: Juliana Zabatiero
Affiliation: Curtin School of Allied Health, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia. ARC Centre of Excellence for the Digital Child, Australia
Presenting Author: no

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Information

Study Type: Epidemiology
Subtheme: Mental Health
Population Group: Early Childhood
Setting: Family

Submitting Author

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Amber Beynon
Research Fellow
Curtin University
Australia

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