Parental perspectives on the impact of screen time on the language skills of typically developing Indian children

Varghese, Febha; Karuppali, Sudhin

doi:10.1590/2317-1782/20242023159en

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Original Article • CoDAS 36 (3) • 2024 • https://doi.org/10.1590/2317-1782/20242023159en copy

Parental perspectives on the impact of screen time on the language skills of typically developing Indian children

Authorship SCIMAGO INSTITUTIONS RANKINGS

ABSTRACT

Purpose

The overuse of screen-based devices results in developmental problems in children. Parents are an integral part of the children’s language development. The present study explores the parental perspectives on the impact of screen time on the language skills of typically developing school-going children using a developed questionnaire.

Methods

192 parents of typically developing children between 6 and 10 years of age participated in the study. Phase 1 of the study included the development of a questionnaire targeting the impact of screen devices on language development. The questionnaire was converted into an online survey and was circulated among the parents in Phase 2. Descriptive statistics were performed on the retrieved data and a chi-square test was done to determine the association between the use of screen devices across all language parameters.

Results

Parents reported television and smartphones to be the most used type of device, with a large proportion of children using screen-based devices for 1-2 hours per day. Most parents reported children prefer watching screens mainly for entertainment purposes, occasionally under supervision, without depending on them as potential rewards. The impact of screen-based devices on language skills has been discussed under the semantics, syntax, and pragmatic aspects of language.

Conclusion

The findings of this study will help identify the existing trends in the usage of screen-based devices by children, thereby identifying potential contributing factors towards language delays. This information will also benefit in parental counselling during the interventional planning of children with language delays.

Keywords:
Devices; Impact; Language; Parent; Screen-time

Age of the child (in years)	Total no. of parents
6-6.11	44
7-7.11	36
8-8.11	49
9-9.11	27
10-10.11	36
Total	192

	Always n (%)	Sometimes n (%)	Rarely n (%)	Never n (%)
Does your child use TV or any other gadgets under supervision?	53 (27.6)	117 (60.9)	NA	22 (11.5)
Does your child depend on these devices as a reward for doing an activity?	5 (2.6%)	62 (32.3%)	57 (29.7%)	68 (35.4)

Items	Always n (%)	Most of the times n (%)	Sometimes n (%)	Never n (%)
Semantics
Does your child like to learn new vocabulary after having used screen- based devices?	22 (11.5)	89 (46.4)	78 (40.6)	3 (1.6)
Does your child use all of his/her vocabulary on a frequent basis after having used screen-based devices?	29 (15.1)	78 (40.6)	77 (40.1)	8 (4.2)
Does your child use a variety of words to communicate after having used screen-based devices?	30 (15.6)	73 (38)	83 (43.2)	6 (3.1)
Does your child ask meanings of words after having used screen-based devices?	15 (7.8)	71 (37)	94 (49)	12 (6.3)
Syntax
Does your child use sentences with 5 or more words frequently after having used screen-based devices?	64 (33.3)	90 (46.9)	35 (18.2)	3 (18.2)
Does your child address others by calling names instead of using ‘he’ ‘she’ ‘him’ ‘her’ after having used screen-based devices?	102 (53.1)	56 (29.2)	30 (15.6)	4 (2.1)
Does your child have difficulties understanding instructions at home after having used screen-based devices?	3 (1.6)	30 (15.6)	49 (25.5)	110 (57.3)
Does your child have difficulties understanding instructions at school after having used screen-based devices?	5 (2.6)	19 (9.9)	50 (26)	118 (61.5)
Do you find it difficult to understand your child after having used screen- based devices?	5 (2.6)	18 (9.4)	44 (22)	125 (65.1)
Does others find it difficult to understand your child after having used screen-based devices?	6 (3.1)	18 (9.4)	50 (26)	118 (61.5)
Pragmatics
Does your child share information after having used screen-based devices?	18 (9.4)	62 (32.3)	90 (46.9)	22 (11.5)
Does your child initiate conversations with people after having used screen- based devices?	57 (29.7)	92 (47.9)	38 (19.8)	5 (2.6)
Does your child request other people after having used screen-based devices?	69 (35.9)	63 (32.8)	54 (28.1)	6 (3.1)
Does your child greet other people after having used screen-based devices?	100 (52.1)	53 (27.6)	36 (18.8)	3 (18.8)
Does your child thank other people after having used screen-based devices?	95 (49.5)	68 (35.4)	25 (13)	4 (2.1)
Does your child prefer playing in a group after having used screen-based devices?	50 (26)	106 (55.2)	33 (17.2)	3 (1.6)
Does your child understand and use higher language likes jokes and sarcasm after having used screen-based devices?	12 (6.3)	58 (30.2)	114 (59.4)	8 (4.2)
Does your child talk about activities at schools or friends’ homes after having used screen-based devices?	19 (9.9)	69 (35.9)	88 (45.8)	16 (8.3)
Does your child interact easily with other children and adults after having used screen-based devices?	28 (14.6)	120 (62.5)	36 (18.8)	8 (4.2)
Does your child finish the activities which he started after having used screen-based devices?	25 (13)	127 (66.1)	38 (19.8)	2 (1)
Is your child able to narrate stories after having used screen-based devices?	33 (17.2)	113 (58.9)	44 (22.9)	2 (1)

Sl. No	Screen usage	Language component	Component parameter	Value
1.	Screen-based devices used by the child at home	Semantics	Asks meanings of words	X²(12)=28.362; p=.005
		Syntax	Frequent usage of 5 or more words	X²(12)=58.526; p=.000
			Using referent pronouns	X²(12)=34.626; p=.001
			Difficulties understanding instructions at school	X²(12)=56.102; p=.000
			Difficulties understanding instructions at home	X²(12)=23.911; p=.021
		Pragmatics	Initiate conversation	X²(12)=37.112; p=.000
			Requesting	X²(12)=42.595; p=.000
			Greeting	X²(12)=88.608; p=.000
			Thanking	X²(12)=50.220; p=.000
			Preference to play in group	X²(12)=42.152; p=.000
			Talking about activities at schools or friends’ homes	X²(12)=45.477; p=.000
			Finishing activities which he started	X²(12)=27.862; p=.006
			Narrating stories	X²(12)=39.815; p=.000
			Interact easily with others	X²(12)=25.467; p=.013
2.	The average hours the child using screen-based devices	Semantics	Asks meanings of words	X²(12)=37.231; p=.000
3.	The frequency of usage of screen-based devices	Syntax	Using referent pronouns	X²(9)=20.946; p=.013
		Syntax	Difficulties understanding instructions at school	X²(9)=19.561; p=.021
		Pragmatics	Greeting	X²(9)=22.619; p=.007
		Pragmatics	Interact easily with others	X²(9)=21.037; p=.012
4.	Limiting the screen usage	Semantics	Variety of words use to communicate	X²(9)=18.440; p=.030
		Syntax	Difficulties understanding instructions at school	X²(9)=33.922; p=.000
			Others find difficulties to understand child	X²(9)=48.707; p=.000
			Difficult to understand your child	X²(12)=56.420; p=.000
		Pragmatics	Requesting	X²(9)=22.127; p=.008
			Talking about activities at schools or friends’ homes	X² (9)=17.794; p=.038
			Finishing activities which he started	X² (9)=31.685; p=.000
5.	The web-based platforms used to watch	Semantics	Asks meanings of words	X² (15)=30.142; p=.011
		Syntax	Frequent usage of 5 or more words	X² (15)92.661; p=.000
			Using referent pronouns	X² (15)=27.239; p=.027
			Others find difficulties to understand child	X² (15)=37.665; p=.001
			Difficulties understanding instructions at home	X² (15)=27.415; p=.026
		Pragmatics	Initiate conversation	X² (15)=53.383; p=.000
			Requesting	X² (15)=68.425; p=.000
			Greeting	X² (15)=89.001; p=.000
			Preference to play in group	X² (15)=77.140; p=.000
			Understands jokes and sarcasm.	X² (15)=30.392; p=.011
6.	Watching screen devices under supervision	Semantics	New vocabulary learning	X² (6)=15.650; p=.016
			Frequency of vocabulary used	X² (6)=28.953; p=.000
			Variety of words use to communicate	X² (6)=14.892; p=.021
			Asks meanings of words	X² (6)=24.171; p=.000
		Syntax	Using referent pronouns	X² (6)=19.243; p=.004
		Pragmatics	Requesting	X² (6)=21.828; p=.001
			Preference to play in group	X² (6)=14.554; p=.024
			Talking about activities at schools or friends’ homes	X² (6)=31.165; p=.000
			Finishing activities which he started	X² (6)=17.401; p=.008
			Narrating stories	X² (6)=19.243; p=.004
7.	Dependency on screen-based devices as a potential reward	Semantics	Asks meanings of words	X² (9)=18.492; p=.030
		Syntax	Frequent usage of 5 or more words	X² (9)=20.467; p=.015
			Using referent pronouns	X² (9)=25.151; p=.003
			Difficulties understanding instructions at school	X² (9)=17.018; p=.048
			Difficulties understanding instructions at home	X² (9)=44.057; p=.000
		Pragmatics	Initiate conversation	X² (9)=18.827; p=.027
			Requesting	X² (9)=36.650; p=.000
			Greeting	X² (9)=40.269; p=.000
			Thanking	X² (9)=32.440; p=.000
			Preference to play in group	X² (9)=31.171; p=.000
			Talking about activities at schools or friends’ homes	X² (9)=25.450; p=.003
			Interact easily with others	X² (9)=24.540; p=.004
8.	Purposeful use of screen-based devices by the child	Semantics	Asks meanings of words	X² (12)=36.196; p=.000
		Syntax	Frequent usage of 5 or more words	X²(12)=35.951; p=.000
			Using referent pronouns	X²(12)=22.902; p=.029
			Difficulties understanding instructions at home	X²(12)=27.190; p=.007
		Pragmatics	Initiate conversation	X²(12)=33.075; p=.001
			Requesting	X²(12)=22.694; p=.030
			Greeting	X²(12)=53.198; p=.000
			Thanking	X²(12)=46.200; p=.000
			Preference to play in group	X²(12)=27.507; p=.007
			Talking about activities at schools or friends’ homes	X²(12)=28.085; p=.005
			Finishing activities which he started	X²(12)=25.780; p=.012
			Interact easily with others	X²(12)=21.158; p=.048
9.	Sharing screen experiences with parents	Semantics	New vocabulary learning	X² (9)=31.105; p=.000
			Frequency of vocabulary used	X² (9)=25.988; p=.002
			Variety of words use to communicate	X² (9)=25.148; p=.003
			Asks meanings of words	X² (9)=44.930; p=.000
		Syntax	Frequent usage of 5 or more words	X² (9)=18.754; p=.027
			Using referent pronouns	X² (9)=28.802; p=.001
			Difficulties understanding instructions at school	X² (9)=22.874; p=.006
			Difficulties understanding instructions at home	X² (9)=33.822; p=.000
		Pragmatics	Initiate conversation	X² (9)=19.093; p=.024
			Greeting	X² (9)=24.639; p=.003
			Preference to play in group	X² (9)=18.310; p=.032
			Talking about activities at schools or friends’ homes	X² (9)=33.193; p=.000
			Narrating stories	X² (9)=17.823; p=.037
			Interact easily with others	X² (9)=19.093; p=.024

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[1] Conflict of interests: nothing to declare.