Associations of screen use with cognitive development in early childhood: the ELFE birth cohort

Abstract

Background: The associations of screen use with children's cognition are not well evidenced and recent, large, longitudinal studies are needed. We aimed to assess the associations between screen use and cognitive development in the French nationwide birth cohort. Methods: Time and context of screen use were reported by parents at ages 2, 3.5 and 5.5. Vocabulary, non-verbal reasoning and general cognitive development were assessed with the MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventory (MB) at age 2, the Picture Similarities subtest from the British Ability Scales (PS) at age 3.5 and the Child Development Inventory (CDI) at ages 3.5 and 5.5. Outcome variables were age-adjusted and standardized (mean = 100, SD = 15). Multiple imputations were performed among children (N = 13,763) with ≥1 screen use information and ≥1 cognitive measures. Cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between screen use and cognitive development were assessed by linear regression models adjusted for sociodemographic and birth factors related to the family and children, and children's lifestyle factors competing with screen use. Baseline cognitive scores were further considered in longitudinal analysis. Results: TV-on during family meals at age 2, not screen time, was associated with lower MB scores at age 2 (β [95% CI] = −1.67 [−2.21, −1.13]) and CDI scores at age 3.5 (−0.82 [−1.31, −0.33]). In cross-sectional analysis, screen time was negatively associated with CDI scores at ages 3.5 (−0.67 [−0.94, −0.40]) and 5.5 (−0.47 [−0.77, −0.16]), and, in contrast, was positively associated with PS scores (0.39 [0.07, 0.71]) at age 3.5. Screen time at age 3.5 years was not associated with CDI scores at age 5.5 years. Conclusions: Our study found weak associations of screen use with cognition after controlling for sociodemographic and children's birth factors and lifestyle confounders, and suggests that the context of screen use matters, not solely screen time, in children's cognitive development.