The Interplay Between Screen Time and Outdoor Play on Preschool Children's Cognitive and Social-emotional Development

To (1) identify distinct profiles (i.e., subgroups) of screen time (ST) and outdoor play (OP) in a sample of preschool children, and (2) examine the mean differences in specific domains of cognitive and social-emotional development between these profiles.

Baseline data from the Technology and Development in Early Childhood study were used. Participants were 352 preschool children (3-4 years) and their parents living in Western Canada. ST (television [TV]/video viewing and video/computer games) and OP for both weekdays and weekend days were parent-reported. Social-emotional development outcomes (emotional, cognitive, and behavioral self-regulation) and demographic covariates were assessed by questionnaire. Cognitive development outcomes (language, response inhibition, working memory, and self-control) was assessed by 4 short games played during a recorded virtual meeting. Latent profile analysis was conducted.

Four profiles were identified: (1) low ST/medium-high OP, (2) high TV/high OP, (3) medium ST/low OP, and (4) high ST/medium-high OP. Profile 1 was selected as the reference group. For response inhibition, the medium ST/low OP ( M = 10.3, SE = 2.0; p = 0.03) and high ST/medium-high OP ( M = 2.8, SE = 3.7; p < 0.01) profiles scored significantly lower than the reference group ( M = 15.3, SE = 1.0). For self-control, the high TV/high OP ( M = 65.5, SE = 3.2; p = 0.03) and medium ST/low OP ( M = 63.8, SE = 4.8; p < 0.05) profiles scored significantly lower than the reference group ( M = 74.2, SE = 2.1). For behavioral self-regulation, the high TV/high OP ( M = 3.6, SE = 0.1; p < 0.01) profile scored significantly lower than the reference group ( M = 3.9, SE = 0.04).

Children with the combination of lower ST and higher OP had more advanced cognitive and social-emotional development for some outcomes.