Screen Use, Child Development and Family Involvement in Children Aged 2-7 Years: A Systematic Review

Area of Science:

• Pediatrics
• Developmental Psychology
• Media Studies

Background:

• Screen time is a prevalent aspect of modern childhood.
• Understanding its impact on child development is crucial.
• The role of family context in mediating these effects requires investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the effects of screen time on child development.
• To examine the mediating role of family practices in the screen time-child development relationship.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature review using PRISMA guidelines.
• Searches conducted in Web of Science, Scopus, and ERIC databases (2020-2025).
• Inclusion criteria: children aged 2-7 years, specified screen time, child development outcomes, and family factors.

Main Results:

• 62% of studies reported screen use exceeding recommended limits.
• Excessive screen time linked to adverse outcomes in socio-emotional, cognitive, language, and motor domains.
• Parental modeling, supervision, joint viewing, educational content, and shared reading moderated effects.

Conclusions:

• Children's digital device use is significantly influenced by family practices.
• Family engagement and educational content use are key factors in mitigating negative screen time effects.