EFFECTS OF SCREEN TIME ON CHILDREN’S COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT: A QUALITATIVE INQUIRY BASED ON SECONDARY DATA

Abstract

The rise in the use of digital devices has led to an increase in concern about how screen exposure affects the cognitive development of children in the very early years. The purpose of this review is to integrate the existing literature on the impact of screen time on the major cognitive domains, namely: attention, memory, language development, and problem-solving skills. A qualitative document analysis methodology has been utilised for this study to evaluate twin-reviewed articles, systematic reviews, policy guidelines, and theoretical papers from recognised sources. The findings constantly indicated that highly and merely watching screens without any active involvement leads to the slowing down of the language development process, less control over attention, and lower executive functioning. Nevertheless, the power of screen time is greatly dependent on various factors such as the way parents mediate, the socio-economic background, and the quality of the content presented in the digital format. The negative effects were not so strong for educational and interactive media, which, when used properly, can in fact lead to learning benefits. Both the risks and the potential advantages are highlighted in this review, and it supports the need for the use of screens that are balanced, structured, and controlled. Several gaps have been pointed out in the current research, one of which is the inadequacy of the content-specific effects examination. The findings provide a basis for evidence-based recommendations for the direction of parents, educators, and policymakers in their decision-making regarding the exposure of young children to digital media of young children.