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Cited by 36Child Development and Digital TechnologyChild and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional DevelopmentImpact of Technology on Adolescents

The Association Between Electronic Media and Emotional and Behavioral Problems in Late Childhood

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Mundy, Lisa K., Canterford, Louise, Olds, Timothy, Allen, Nicholas B., Patton, George C.·2017·Academic Pediatrics
DOI 10.1016/j.acap.2016.12.014
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Abstract

Objective There is growing concern that rising rates of electronic media use might be harmful. However, the extent to which different types of electronic media use might be associated with emotional and behavioral problems is unclear. In this study we examined associations between emotional and behavioral problems and electronic media use during late childhood, in a large community sample.Methods Participants were 876 8- to 9-year-old children taking part in the Childhood to Adolescence Transition Study in Australia. Parents reported on their child's emotional and behavioral problems using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire and on their child's duration of electronic media use (in hours: television, video games, general computer use).Results Logistic regression analyses were conducted with adjustments for age, socioeconomic status, and body mass index z score, separately for male and female participants. Boys who played more video games had significantly greater odds of scoring borderline/abnormal on conduct (odds ratio [OR], 1.07; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.02-1.12) and emotional problems (OR, 1.07; 95% CI, 1.04-1.11) for each additional hour of weekly use. This equates to 2.58-fold greater odds for a boy who plays on average 2 hours per day per week. Television viewing was associated with greater odds of hyperactivity/inattention in boys (OR, 1.04; 95% CI, 1.00-1.07). There were no significant relationships for girls.Conclusions Because of the increasing rates of electronic media use in children, these results might have important implications for child mental health. Future interventions might be more effective if they are targeted at specific types of electronic media use.

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Authors
Mundy, L. K., Canterford, L., Olds, T., Allen, N. B., & Patton, G. C.
Affiliations
  • Royal Children's Hospital (AU)
  • University of Oregon (US)
Corresponding author
Mundy, Lisa K.
ORCID
Venue
Academic Pediatrics
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2017-08
Volume
17
Issue
6
Pages
620-624
ISSN
1876-2859 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/j.acap.2016.12.014
OpenAlex
W2562937229
Cited by
36
References
26
Citations by year
2026: 2 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 7 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 1 · 2017: 1
FWCI
5.89
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Academic Pediatrics (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Adelaide Research & Scholarship (AR&S) (University of Adelaide) (submittedVersion)
  • Figshare (submittedVersion, cc-by)
Funders
National Health and Medical Research Council (1010018)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Education › Child Development and Digital Technology
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Impact of Technology on Adolescents
Keywords
electronic media use, video game use, television viewing, computer use, emotional problems, behavioral problems, conduct problems, hyperactivity/inattention, child mental health, late childhood, sex differences, Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire
MeSH terms
Problem Behavior, Affective Symptoms, Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity, Child, Child Behavior, Computers, Female, Humans, Male, Surveys and Questionnaires, Schools, Television, Victoria, Cohort Studies, Body Mass Index, Logistic Models, Sex Distribution, Video Games

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