The Effects of Screen Time on Early Childhood Development: A Systematic Literature Review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31965/infokes.Vol23.Iss4.2009Keywords:
Screen Time, Excessive Screen Exposure, Child DevelopmentAbstract
The effects of screen time on young children warrant greater attention, particularly as screen use has increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. Excessive screen exposure in early childhood reduces opportunities for adequate stimulation and limits children’s engagement with their physical and social environments. When children do not receive sufficient developmental stimulation during this critical period, optimal brain development may be affected, potentially leading to delays or disorders across various developmental domains. This review aimed to further examine the negative impact of screen time on early childhood development. Guided by the PRISMA guidelines, a comprehensive search was conducted across Google Scholar, PubMed, and Scopus using the keywords “screen time” and “child development” for articles published between 2021 and 2025. A total of 15 studies met the eligibility criteria. The findings consistently show that excessive screen time negatively affects several aspects of early childhood development, including motor, speech-language, cognitive, and social-emotional domains. The review also underscores the critical role of parents in regulating children’s screen use to mitigate these risks. In conclusion, excessive screen media exposure diminishes developmental stimulation and increases the likelihood of developmental delays; therefore, active parental involvement in managing screen time is essential to promote healthy child development.
Downloads
References
Al Hosani, S. S., Darwish, E. A., Ayanikalath, S., AlMazroei, R. S., AlMaashari, R. S., & Wedyan, A. T. (2023). Screen time and speech and language delay in children aged 12–48 months in UAE: a case–control study. Middle East Current Psychiatry, 30(1), 4–11. https://doi.org/10.1186/s43045-023-00318-0
Amanda, V., & Najmah, S. (2024). Screen Time Exposure and Language Development in Indonesian Children Under Five: A Comprehensive Analysis of Risk Factors and Impacts. Scientia Psychiatrica, 5(3), 520–531. https://doi.org/10.37275/scipsy.v5i3.172
Azlina, F., & Surjadi, L. M. (2023). Waktu Pajanan Layar dan Keterlambatan Perkembangan pada Anak Balita di Tanjung Duren – Jakarta Barat. Journal of Medicine and Health, 5(2), 136–145. https://doi.org/10.28932/jmh.v5i2.6360
Badan Pusat Statistik. (2022). Profil Anak Usia Dini 2022. Jakarta: Badan Pusat Statistik. Retrieved from: https://www.bps.go.id/id/publication/2022/12/13/dea4ac1faa8b3e121c9fb925/profil-anak-usia-dini-2022.html
Chakhunashvili, K., Kvirkvelia, E., & Chakhunashvili, D. G. (2024). Does Screen Time Do More Damage in Boys Than Girls? Cureus, 16(10), e72054. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.72054
Coyne, S. M., Shawcroft, J., Gale, M., Gentile, D. A., Etherington, J. T., Holmgren, H., & Stockdale, L. (2021). Tantrums, toddlers and technology: Temperament, media emotion regulation, and problematic media use in early childhood. Computers in human behavior, 120, 106762. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2021.106762
Gath, M., McNeill, B., & Gillon, G. (2023). Preschoolers’ screen time and reduced opportunities for quality interaction: Associations with language development and parent-child closeness. Current Research in Behavioral Sciences, 5, 100140. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crbeha.2023.100140
Ghanamah, R. (2025). The Impact of Physical Activity and Screen Time on Motor Creativity in Kindergarteners. Children, 12(2), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.3390/children12020116
Guy-Evans, O. (2020). Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory. Simply Psychology, 10518-046. Retrieved from: https://www.simplypsychology.org/bronfenbrenner.html
Hedderson, M. M., Bekelman, T. A., Li, M., Knapp, E. A., Palmore, M., Dong, Y., ... & Barrett, E. S. (2023). Trends in screen time use among children during the COVID-19 pandemic, July 2019 through August 2021. JAMA Network Open, 6(2), e2256157. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.56157
Hutton, J. S., Dudley, J., DeWitt, T., & Horowitz-Kraus, T. (2022). Associations between digital media use and brain surface structural measures in preschool-aged children. Scientific Reports, 12(1), 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-20922-0
Jusienė, R., Breidokienė, R., Baukienė, E., & Rakickienė, L. (2025). Emotional Reactivity and Behavioral Problems in Preschoolers: The Interplay of Parental Stress, Media-Related Coping, and Child Screen Time. Children, 12(2), 188. https://doi.org/10.3390/children12020188
Kerai, S., Almas, A., Guhn, M., Forer, B., & Oberle, E. (2022). Screen time and developmental health: results from an early childhood study in Canada. BMC Public Health, 22(1), 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-022-12701-3
Kiing, J. S. H., Kang, Y. Q., Mulay, K. V., Lim, T. S. H., Chong, S. C., Tan, M. Y., Chan, Y. H., Lim, A. S. Y., & Aishworiya, R. (2024). Screen time and social-emotional skills in preschoolers with developmental, behavioural or emotional issues in Singapore. Annals of the Academy of Medicine Singapore, 53(7), 410–419. https://doi.org/10.47102/annals-acadmedsg.2023384
KPAI. (2020). Hasil Survei Pemenuhan Hak dan Perlindungan Anak pada Masa Pandemi COVID-19. Jakarta: Komisi Perlindungan Anak Indonesia.
Liang, Y., Jin, Q., Miao, J., Ni, X., Qian, X., Xiong, Y., Liu, Z., & Xue, H. (2024). Association between screen time and physical activity on mental health among preschoolers: a cross-sectional study from Southwest China. BMC Public Health, 24(1), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-024-17722-8
Madigan, S., McArthur, B. A., Anhorn, C., Eirich, R., & Christakis, D. A. (2020). Associations between Screen Use and Child Language Skills: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. JAMA Pediatrics, 174(7), 665–675. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2020.0327
McArthur, B. A., Tough, S., & Madigan, S. (2022). Screen time and developmental and behavioral outcomes for preschool children. Pediatric Research, 91(6), 1616–1621. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41390-021-01572-w
Muppalla, S. K., Vuppalapati, S., Reddy Pulliahgaru, A., & Sreenivasulu, H. (2023). Effects of Excessive Screen Time on Child Development: An Updated Review and Strategies for Management. Cureus, 15(6), e40608. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.40608
Panjeti-Madan, V. N., & Ranganathan, P. (2023). Impact of Screen Time on Children’s Development: Cognitive, Language, Physical, and Social and Emotional Domains. Multimodal Technologies and Interaction, 7(5), 52. https://doi.org/10.3390/mti7050052
Putnick, D. L., Trinh, M. H., Sundaram, R., Bell, E. M., Ghassabian, A., Robinson, S. L., & Yeung, E. (2023). Displacement of peer play by screen time: associations with toddler development. Pediatric Research, 93(5), 1425–1431. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41390-022-02261-y
Rocha, B., Ferreira, L. I., Martins, C., Santos, R., & Nunes, C. (2023). The Dark Side of Multimedia Devices: Negative Consequences for Socioemotional Development in Early Childhood. Children, 10(11), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.3390/children10111807
Rocha, H. A. L., Correia, L. L., Leite, Á. J. M., Machado, M. M. T., Lindsay, A. C., Rocha, S. G. M. O., Campos, J. S., Cavalcante e Silva, A., & Sudfeld, C. R. (2021). Screen time and early childhood development in Ceará, Brazil: a population-based study. BMC Public Health, 21(1), 4–11. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-021-12136-2
Schwarz, S., Krafft, H., Maurer, T., Lange, S., Schemmer, J., Fischbach, T., ... & Martin, D. (2024). Screen Time, Nature, and Development: Baseline of the Randomized Controlled Study “Screen‐free till 3”. Developmental Science, 28(1), e13578. https://doi.org/10.1111/desc.13578
Schwarzer, C., Grafe, N., Hiemisch, A., Kiess, W., & Poulain, T. (2022). Associations of media use and early childhood development: cross-sectional findings from the LIFE Child study. Pediatric Research, 91(1), 247–253. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41390-021-01433-6
Sommer, I., Nußbaumer-Streit, B., & Gartlehner, G. (2021). WHO guideline: physical activity, sedentary behavior and sleep for children under 5 years of age. Gesundheitswesen (Bundesverband der Arzte des offentlichen gesundheitsdienstes (Germany)), 83(7), 509-511. https://doi.org/10.1055/a-1489-8049
Summers, J. K., Vivian, D. N., & James Tobias Summers. (2019). The Role of Interaction with Nature in Childhood Development: An Under-Appreciated Ecosystem Service. Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, 8(6), 142. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.pbs.20190806.11
Sundqvist, A., Barr, R., Heimann, M., Birberg-Thornberg, U., & Koch, F. S. (2024). A longitudinal study of the relationship between children’s exposure to screen media and vocabulary development. Acta Paediatrica, International Journal of Paediatrics, 113(3), 517–522. https://doi.org/10.1111/apa.17047
Supanitayanon, S., Trairatvorakul, P., & Chonchaiya, W. (2020). Screen media exposure in the first 2 years of life and preschool cognitive development: a longitudinal study. Pediatric Research, 88(6), 894–902. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41390-020-0831-8
Varadarajan, S., Venguidesvarane, Akila Govindarajan Ramaswamy, K. N., Rajamohan, M., Krupa, M., & Christadoss, S. B. W. (2021). Prevalence of excessive screen time and its association with developmental delay in children aged <5 years: A population-based cross-sectional study in India. Plos One, 16(7), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0254102
Webb, A. (2023). Childhood Screen Time and Child Development. Family Perspectives, 5(1), 1-8.
Widiarti, A. U., & Anggita, G. M. (2022). The Role of Traditional Games on Children’s Ground Motor and Emotional Ability. ACPES Journal of Physical Education, Sport, and Health (AJPESH), 2(2), 1433–149. https://doi.org/10.15294/ajpesh.v2i2.60887
Wu, J. B., Yin, X. N., Qiu, S. Y., Wen, G. M., Yang, W. K., Zhang, J. Y., ... & Jing, J. (2022). Association between screen time and hyperactive behaviors in children under 3 years in China. Frontiers in psychiatry, 13, 977879. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.977879
Youvan, D. C. (2024). The Impact of Screen Time on Early Childhood Development: A Comprehensive Review of Health Guidelines and Research Findings. Researchgate, 1-29. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.22151.41127
Yuan, R., Zhang, J., Song, P., & Qin, L. (2024). The relationship between screen time and gross motor movement: A cross-sectional study of pre-school aged left-behind children in China. Plos one, 19(4), e0296862. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0296862
Yusof, S. M. (2021). Vygotsky Sociocultural Theory of Child Development: More Knowledgeable Other (MKO) and the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD). Bachelor's Thesis. Open University Malaysia. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.35985.40804
Zhang, Z., Adamo, K. B., Ogden, N., Goldfield, G. S., Okely, A. D., Kuzik, N., ... & Carson, V. (2022). Associations between screen time and cognitive development in preschoolers. Paediatrics & Child Health, 27(2), 105-110. https://doi.org/10.1093/pch/pxab067
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 JURNAL INFO KESEHATAN
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Copyright notice
Ownership of copyright
The copyright in this website and the material on this website (including without limitation the text, computer code, artwork, photographs, images, music, audio material, video material and audio-visual material on this website) is owned by JURNAL INFO KESEHATAN and its licensors.
Copyright license
JURNAL INFO KESEHATAN grants to you a worldwide non-exclusive royalty-free revocable license to:
- view this website and the material on this website on a computer or mobile device via a web browser;
- copy and store this website and the material on this website in your web browser cache memory; and
- print pages from this website for your use.
- All articles published by JURNAL INFO KESEHATAN are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. This permits anyone to copy, redistribute, remix, transmit and adapt the work provided the original work and source is appropriately cited.
JURNAL INFO KESEHATAN does not grant you any other rights in relation to this website or the material on this website. In other words, all other rights are reserved.
For the avoidance of doubt, you must not adapt, edit, change, transform, publish, republish, distribute, redistribute, broadcast, rebroadcast or show or play in public this website or the material on this website (in any form or media) without appropriately and conspicuously citing the original work and source or JURNAL INFO KESEHATAN prior written permission.
Permissions
You may request permission to use the copyright materials on this website by writing to [email protected].
Enforcement of copyright
JURNAL INFO KESEHATAN takes the protection of its copyright very seriously.
If JURNAL INFO KESEHATAN discovers that you have used its copyright materials in contravention of the license above, JURNAL INFO KESEHATAN may bring legal proceedings against you seeking monetary damages and an injunction to stop you using those materials. You could also be ordered to pay legal costs.
If you become aware of any use of JURNAL INFO KESEHATAN copyright materials that contravenes or may contravene the license above, please report this by email to [email protected]
Infringing material
If you become aware of any material on the website that you believe infringes your or any other person's copyright, please report this by email to [email protected].
