Table 5

Associations between typical daily screen exposure time at 5 years and change in psychosocial adjustment from 5 years to 7 years, with further adjustments for maternal and family characteristics, child characteristics and family functioning

Conduct problemsHyperactivity/inattentionEmotional symptomsPeer relationship problemsProsocial behaviour
Coeff. (95% CI)pCoeff. (95% CI)pCoeff. (95% CI)pCoeff. (95% CI)pCoeff. (95% CI)p
Model A) TV/video/DVDs only
TV/video/DVDs
 None0.10 (−0.09 to 0.28)0.303−0.21 (−0.59 to 0.17)0.274−0.04 (−0.28 to 0.20)0.751−0.07 (−0.26 to 0.11)0.4300.05 (−0.18 to 0.28)0.671
 <1 hReference groupReference groupReference groupReference groupReference group
 1 to <3 h0.07 (0.00 to 0.14)0.0510.00 (−0.11 to 0.11)0.9790.02 (−0.07 to 0.10)0.6900.01 (−0.06 to 0.07)0.8690.06 (−0.02 to 0.14)0.118
 3+ h0.15 (0.05 to 0.25)0.0030.05 (−0.09 to 0.19)0.4650.03 (−0.10 to 0.15)0.6830.09 (−0.01 to 0.18)0.086−0.04 (−0.14 to 0.06)0.442
Model B) Electronic games only
Electronic games
 None0.06 (−0.01 to 0.13)0.0700.04 (−0.06 to 0.14)0.4750.07 (−0.01 to 0.15)0.094−0.04 (−0.11 to 0.02)0.193−0.05 (−0.12 to 0.03)0.206
 <1 hReference groupReference groupReference groupReference groupReference group
 1 to <3 h0.07 (−0.02 to 0.17)0.130−0.05 (−0.16 to 0.06)0.3960.03 (−0.06 to 0.12)0.467−0.06 (−0.13 to 0.02)0.1330.00 (−0.08 to 0.08)0.989
 3+ h0.19 (−0.02 to 0.40)0.0750.16 (−0.14 to 0.46)0.3000.26 (−0.05 to 0.57)0.1060.15 (−0.07 to 0.37)0.194−0.12 (−0.36 to 0.12)0.338
Model C) Different types of screen time (TV/video/DVDs and electronic games) mutually adjusted for one another
TV/video/DVDs
 None0.08 (−0.10 to 0.27)0.380−0.22 (−0.60 to 0.16)0.261−0.05 (−0.30 to 0.19)0.660−0.07 (−0.25 to 0.11)0.4590.06 (−0.17 to 0.29)0.630
 <1 hReference groupReference groupReference groupReference groupReference group
 1 h to <3 h0.07 (0.00 to 0.14)0.0480.01 (−0.10 to 0.12)0.9000.02 (−0.06 to 0.10)0.6370.01 (−0.06 to 0.08)0.8130.06 (−0.02 to 0.13)0.146
 3+ h0.13 (0.03 to 0.24)0.0100.06 (−0.09 to 0.20)0.4360.01 (−0.12 to 0.14)0.9110.08 (−0.02 to 0.18)0.100−0.04 (−0.15 to 0.06)0.436
Electronic games
 None0.06 (0.00 to 0.13)0.0600.04 (−0.06 to 0.14)0.4310.07 (−0.01 to 0.15)0.085−0.04 (−0.11 to 0.02)0.202−0.04 (−0.11 to 0.03)0.232
 <1 hReference groupReference groupReference groupReference groupReference group
 1 h to <3 h0.06 (−0.04 to 0.15)0.231−0.05 (−0.16 to 0.06)0.3370.03 (−0.06 to 0.12)0.478−0.07 (−0.14 to 0.01)0.0810.01 (−0.07 to 0.09)0.860
 3+ h0.16 (−0.06 to 0.38)0.1460.14 (−0.17 to 0.45)0.3710.26 (−0.06 to 0.58)0.1060.12 (−0.10 to 0.33)0.300−0.08 (−0.33 to 0.16)0.503
Model D) Combined screen time (TV/video/DVDs and electronic games)
 Neither−0.05 (−0.30 to 0.20)0.718−0.30 (−0.92 to 0.31)0.330−0.02 (−0.32 to 0.29)0.9080.12 (−0.16 to 0.39)0.4010.06 (−0.26 to 0.39)0.706
 Both <1 h, one or both >zeroReference groupReference groupReference groupReference groupReference group
 Both <3 h, one or both >1 h0.06 (−0.01 to 0.13)0.0910.01 (−0.11 to 0.13)0.8960.02 (−0.06 to 0.10)0.6960.00 (−0.06 to 0.07)0.8810.07 (−0.01 to 0.14)0.070
 Either/both for 3+ h0.14 (0.05 to 0.24)0.0030.04 (−0.10 to 0.18)0.5810.06 (−0.07 to 0.19)0.3730.09 (0.00 to 0.18)0.061−0.03 (−0.13 to 0.08)0.620

  • Models adjusted for gender, age in months at the age 7 years interview, relevant Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) score at age 5 years, sociodemographic factors and maternal characteristics (mother's ethnicity, maternal education, equivalised household income, maternal employment, maternal health, biological father's presence and number of child's siblings in household); family functioning (warmth and conflict in the mother-child relationship, frequency of parent-child joint activities and household chaos) and child characteristics (British Ability Scale picture similarities and naming vocabulary scores, limiting long-term illness or disability, sleeping difficulties, physical activity and negative attitudes to school).