The Impact of Screen Time on Language Development among Preschool-Age Saudi Children

Abstract

Young children are growing up in a new era of technology with increasing exposure to touch screen devices. In this study, investigated whether exposure to screen time is associated with children’s early language development. Fifty caregivers of Saudi children aged 24-60 months completed a media exposure questionnaire and language screening survey. Thirty percent needed learning activities, while four percent had a language delay and needed further assessment. Data analysis revealed that spending more than two hours using a mobile device predict language delay (P = 0.034); children of working mothers had low language scores compared to children of housewives (P = 0.005); children who were watching entertainment videos on YouTube had lower language scores than children who watched educational videos (P = 0.049). Thus, the evidence suggests screen time quantity and quality correlate with language development among young Saudi children.