Screen use patterns and global cognitive development in preschool children
Keywords:
child cognitive development, screen time, early childhood, screen dependence, family rulesAbstract
Introduction: The increasing use of screens in early childhood generates debate regarding its impact on development. This research seeks to understand the relationship between different patterns of screen use and global cognitive development in young children.
Objectives: To analyze the association between screen use patterns (frequency, dependency, supervision, and rule establishment) and global cognitive development.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 935 children. Global cognitive development was measured using the CUMANIN test. Screen use variables were categorized into levels. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was applied to evaluate differences between groups.
Results: Significant associations were found with the frequency of use (p= 0,002), perceived dependency (p=0,001), and the establishment of family rules (p=0,047). Children with low frequency of use and low dependency showed significantly lower global cognitive development. Low establishment of rules was also associated with lower development. Family supervision showed no significant differences.
Conclusions: The relationship between screen use and cognitive development is complex. The findings suggest that Low Frequency of Use and Low Establishment of Family Rules are associated with lower Global Cognitive Development. This underscores the importance of the quality of family mediation over simple time restriction.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Iván Leonardo Pincay Aguilar, Jonathan Alexander González Cano, Christian Milton Molina Garces, Alex Xavier Win Mejia
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