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Media use, attention, mental health and academic performance among 8 to 12 year old children

ABSTRACT: The rise in digital media consumption, especially among children, raises the societal question of its impact on cognition, mental health and academic achievement. Here, we investigate three different ways of measuring technology use-—total hours of media consumed, hours of video game play and number of media used concurrently—-in 118 eight-to-twelve year-old children. At stake is the question of whether different technology uses have different effects, which could explain some of the past mixed findings. We collected data about children’s media uses as well as (i) attentional and behavioral control abilities, (ii) psychological distress, psychosocial functioning, and sleep, and (iii) academic achievement and motivation. While attentional control abilities were assessed using both cognitive tests and questionnaires, mental health and sleep were all questionnaire-based. Finally, academic performance was based on self-reported grades, with motivational variables being measured through the grit and the growth-mindset questionnaires. We present partial correlation analyses and construct a psychological network to assess the structural associations between different forms of media consumption and the three categories of measures. We observe that children consume large amounts of media and media multitask substantially. Partial correlation analyses show that media multitasking specifically was mostly correlated with negative mental health, while playing video games was associated with faster responding and better mental health. No significant partial correlations were observed for total hours on media. Psychological network analysis complement these first results by indicating that all three ways of consuming technology are only indirectly related to self-reported grades. Thus, technology uses appear to only indirectly relate to academic performance, while more directly affecting mental health. This work emphasizes the need to differentiate among technology uses if one is to understand how every day digital consumption impacts human behavior.

SUBMITTER: Cardoso-Leite P

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8598050 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Project description:ObjectivesNationwide prevention programs in Germany aim to promote oral health. The group prevention program starts in kindergarten and ends when the children are about 12 y old. While in a recent study, toothbrushing behavior of 12-y-old children was analyzed, the present study's objective was to examine the children's ability to achieve oral cleanliness and to analyze how toothbrushing behavior and compliance with the toothbrushing recommendations taught in the group prevention programs predict oral cleanliness.MethodsTwelve-year-old randomly selected children (N = 174) were asked to brush their teeth to the best of their abilities, and simultaneously a video was recorded for behavioral analyses. Plaque levels were measured before and immediately after toothbrushing. In addition, dental status and gingival bleeding were assessed.ResultsAfter brushing to the best of their abilities, there was plaque on 50% (±24.72%) of all measured sites at the gingival margin (Marginal Plaque Index). Regression analyses revealed approximately 22% of the variance of marginal plaque on the outer surfaces to be explained by the time brushed by circular movements (β = -0.41;P < 0.001) and the number of sextants brushed for at least 7.5 s (β = -0.171; P < 0.05). Circular movements explained most additional variance (ΔR2 = 0.113; P < 0.001). With respect to inner surfaces, none of the behavioral aspects explained any variance of oral cleanliness.ConclusionDespite regular group prevention measures, 12-y-old children show limited skills to clean their teeth adequately. Furthermore, none of the recommended behaviors relates to oral cleanliness after toothbrushing at inner surfaces. As a consequence, it is necessary to explore further which behavioral sequences effectively improve oral cleanliness.Knowledge transfer statementThis study illustrates that children's compliance to toothbrushing recommendations is not necessarily related to toothbrushing effectiveness. Clinicians should therefore assess the effectivity of recommendations individually and provide individual guidance for improvement.

Project description:ImportanceThe health consequences of excessive screen media use in children and adolescents are increasingly being recognized; however, the association between screen media use and academic performance remains to be elucidated.ObjectivesTo estimate the association of time spent on screen-based activities with specific academic performance areas in children and adolescents and to examine this association separately in these populations.Data sourcesMEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and ERIC were searched from database inception through September 2018.Study selectionCross-sectional studies of the association between time or frequency of screen media use and academic performance in children and adolescents were independently screened by 2 researchers. A total of 5599 studies, published between 1958 and 2018 from 23 countries, were identified.Data extraction and synthesisData were processed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). Random-effects models were used to estimate the pooled effect size (ES).Main outcomes and measuresAcademic performance areas included composite scores, language, and mathematics. Screen media measurements included time or frequency of computer, internet, mobile phone, television, video game, and overall screen media use.ResultsIn total, 58 cross-sectional studies (1.0%) of 5599 articles were included in the systematic review, of which 30 (52%) were included in the meta-analysis. The systematic review studies involved 480 479 participants aged 4 to 18 years, ranging from 30 to 192 000 people per study, and the meta-analysis studies involved 106 653 total participants, ranging from 70 to 42 041 people per study. Across studies, the amount of time spent on overall screen media use was not associated with academic performance (ES = -0.29; 95% CI, -0.65 to 0.08). Individually, television viewing was inversely associated with composite academic performance scores (ES = -0.19; 95% CI, -0.29 to -0.09), language (ES = -0.18; 95% CI, -0.36 to -0.01), and mathematics (ES = -0.25; 95% CI, -0.33 to -0.16). Video game playing was inversely associated with composite scores (ES = -0.15; 95% CI, -0.22 to -0.08). Subgroup analyses found that television viewing was inversely associated with language only in children (ES = -0.20; 95% CI, -0.26 to -0.15), whereas both television viewing (ES = -0.19; 95% CI, -0.30 to -0.07) and video game playing (ES = -0.16; 95% CI, -0.24 to -0.09) were inversely associated with composite scores only in adolescents.Conclusions and relevanceFindings from this study suggest that each screen-based activity should be analyzed individually for its association with academic performance, particularly television viewing and video game playing, which appeared to be the activities most negatively associated with academic outcomes. Education and public health professionals should consider supervision and reduction to improve the academic performance of children and adolescents exposed to these activities.

Project description:BackgroundOtoscopy alone has low sensitivity and specificity for acute otitis media (AOM). Otomicroscopy and pneumatic methods are superior to otoscopy. However, these methods require clinical skills. The use of different diagnostic methods for AOM differs between countries and has not been evaluated in Sweden since new guidelines were introduced in 2010. This study aimed to describe the extent of which diagnostic methods and written advice were used for AOM in children 1 to 12 years old.MethodsIn this cross-sectional study all general practitioners (GPs) and specialist trainees in primary care (STs) at 27 primary health care centres in Sweden were asked to complete a self-administrated questionnaire including diagnostic approach and the management of AOM; 75% (111/148) responded to the questionnaire.Outcome measuresGPs versus STs and their gender, the use of otoscopy, pneumatic otoscopy, otomicroscopy, tympanometry and written advice. Logistic regressions were used to evaluate the association between GPs versus STs and their gender and the use of diagnostic methods and written advice.ResultsTo diagnose AOM, 98% of the GPs and STs often or always used otoscopy, in addition to this 17% often or always used otomicroscopy, 18% pneumatic otoscopy and 11% tympanometry. Written advice to parents was provided often or always by 19% of the GPs and STs. The GPs used otomicroscopy more often than STs, adjusted OR 4.9 (95% CI 1.5-17; p = 0.011). For the other diagnostic methods, no differences were found. Female GPs and STs provided written advice more often than male GPs and STs, OR 5.2 (95% CI, 1.6-17; p = 0.0061), adjusted for GP versus ST.ConclusionsOtoscopy was by far the most commonly used method for the diagnosis of AOM. Female GPs and STs provided written advice more frequently than did their male colleagues. GPs used the significantly better method otomicroscopy more often than STs, therefore, it is important to emphasise teaching of practical skills in otomicroscopy in the specialist training programme for general practice. A correct diagnosis is important for avoiding potentially harmful antibiotic treatments, antimicrobial resistance and possible delay of other diagnoses.

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Media use, attention, mental health and academic performance among 8 to 12 year old children

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