IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v20y2023i10p5854-d1149459.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Problematic Media Use among Children up to the Age of 10: A Systematic Literature Review

Author

Listed:
  • Valeria Rega

    (Department of Humanities, University of Naples Federico II, 80100 Naples, Italy)

  • Francesca Gioia

    (Department of Humanities, University of Naples Federico II, 80100 Naples, Italy)

  • Valentina Boursier

    (Department of Humanities, University of Naples Federico II, 80100 Naples, Italy)

Abstract

Introduction: Digital screen media use has significantly grown in all age groups and at an increasingly young age, including toddlers, schoolers, and primary school children. Although there is evidence that excessive early childhood media exposure can lead to several negative developmental outcomes, no systematic review on Problematic Media Use (PMU) of children under 10 years old have been provided. The aim of the present systematic review was to identify (i) the main instruments used to measure children’s PMU across different studies; (ii) the risk and protective factors which might increase or reduce children’s PMU; and (iii) the negative outcomes associated with children’s PMU. Methods: This study was conducted following the systematic review guidelines proposed in the PRISMA statement. A total of 35 studies published between 2012–2022 and with a mean sample age between 0 and 10 years old were ultimately included in this literature review. Results: Use of media for more than 2 h a day, male gender, and higher age increased the risk of developing PMU among children. PMU led to several negative consequences for children’s development and well-being (e.g., more problematic behaviors, sleep problems, higher depressive symptoms, lower emotional intelligence, and lower academic achievements). Children who experienced negative psychological symptoms, a dysfunctional parent–child relationship, and difficulties in school context were more prone to develop PMU. However, an authoritative parenting style and restrictive parental mediation reduced the risk of developing PMU among children. Finally, self-report measures specifically designed to get the younger children’s perspective are still few and not so widely used. Conclusions: Overall, this research field is still in its infancy and needs further investigation. Likely, a dysfunctional family system can lead children to experience emotional distress and negative psychological symptoms, which they try to manage by escaping into the virtual world, thus increasing the risk of developing PMU. As the children’s PMU is closely affected by the family environment, future prevention interventions should target both children and their parents to improve their self-regulatory and mentalizing capabilities, as well as parental mediation strategies and general parenting practices.

Suggested Citation

  • Valeria Rega & Francesca Gioia & Valentina Boursier, 2023. "Problematic Media Use among Children up to the Age of 10: A Systematic Literature Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(10), pages 1-29, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:10:p:5854-:d:1149459
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/10/5854/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/10/5854/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Barbara Chuen Yee Lo & Romance Nok Man Lai & Ting Kin Ng & Haobi Wang, 2020. "Worry and Permissive Parenting in Association with the Development of Internet Addiction in Children," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(21), pages 1-12, October.
    2. Lee, Changho & Lee, Sook-Jung, 2017. "Prevalence and predictors of smartphone addiction proneness among Korean adolescents," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 10-17.
    3. Hwa-Mi Yang & Hye-Ryoung Kim, 2021. "Work–Family Conflict on Children’s Internet Addiction: Role of Parenting Styles in Korean Working Mother," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(11), pages 1-11, May.
    4. Marja Leonhardt & Stian Overå, 2021. "Are There Differences in Video Gaming and Use of Social Media among Boys and Girls?—A Mixed Methods Approach," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(11), pages 1-13, June.
    5. Zhou, Da & Liu, Jinqing & Liu, Jian, 2020. "The effect of problematic Internet use on mathematics achievement: The mediating role of self-efficacy and the moderating role of teacher-student relationships," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 118(C).
    6. Dong, Chuanmei & Cao, Simin & Li, Hui, 2020. "Young children’s online learning during COVID-19 pandemic: Chinese parents’ beliefs and attitudes," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 118(C).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Sana Sadiq & Khadija Anasse & Najib Slimani, 2022. "The impact of mobile phones on high school students: connecting the research dots," Technium Social Sciences Journal, Technium Science, vol. 30(1), pages 252-270, April.
    2. Linda Daniela & Zanda Rubene & Arta Rūdolfa, 2021. "Parents’ Perspectives on Remote Learning in the Pandemic Context," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(7), pages 1-12, March.
    3. Sara Thomée, 2018. "Mobile Phone Use and Mental Health. A Review of the Research That Takes a Psychological Perspective on Exposure," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-25, November.
    4. Tommy Tanu Wijaya & Boran Yu & Fei Xu & Zhiqiang Yuan & Mailizar Mailizar, 2023. "Analysis of Factors Affecting Academic Performance of Mathematics Education Doctoral Students: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(5), pages 1-23, March.
    5. Sheila Yu & Steve Sussman, 2020. "Does Smartphone Addiction Fall on a Continuum of Addictive Behaviors?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(2), pages 1-21, January.
    6. Tingting Shao & Chengwei Zhu & Xi Quan & Haitao Wang & Cai Zhang, 2022. "The Relationship of Technoference in Conjugal Interactions and Child Smartphone Dependence: The Chain Mediation between Marital Conflict and Coparenting," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(17), pages 1-15, September.
    7. repec:thr:techub:10030:y:2022:i:1:p:252-270 is not listed on IDEAS
    8. Veronica Mindrescu & Razvan-Sandu Enoiu, 2022. "Deconstructing the Parent–Child Relationship during the COVID-19 Pandemic through Tech-Wise Outlets Such as the Internet and Media Consumption," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(20), pages 1-14, October.
    9. Adnan Veysel Ertemel & Akin Menekse & Hatice Camgoz Akdag, 2023. "Smartphone Addiction Assessment Using Pythagorean Fuzzy CRITIC-TOPSIS," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(5), pages 1-19, February.
    10. José Juan Carrión-Martínez & Cristina Pinel-Martínez & María Dolores Pérez-Esteban & Isabel María Román-Sánchez, 2021. "Family and School Relationship during COVID-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(21), pages 1-18, November.
    11. Fikar Febrian & Hasan Basri & Sriati Usman & Anshari Syafar & Aminah Suriaman, 2021. "On-Line English Learning in The Perception of Twelfth Grade Students at SMA Negeri 3 Palu," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 5(08), pages 09-15, August.
    12. Adrián Mateo-Orcajada & Raquel Vaquero-Cristóbal & Lucía Abenza-Cano, 2023. "Gender and academic year as moderators of the efficacy of mobile app interventions to promote physical activity in adolescents: a randomized controlled trial," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 10(1), pages 1-15, December.
    13. Ting Kin Ng & Ting Hin Lee & Hazyle Yuen & Wai Chan, 2023. "Attitudes toward Homosexuality and Same-Sex Marriage: The Roles of Parental Attitudes, Traditional Gender Role Values, and Filial Piety," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(3), pages 1-12, January.
    14. Marianna Alesi & Giulia Giordano & Ambra Gentile & Barbara Caci, 2023. "The Switch to Online Learning during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Interplay between Personality and Mental Health on University Students," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(7), pages 1-15, March.
    15. Zhen, Rui & Li, Lu & Ding, Yi & Hong, Wei & Liu, Ru-De, 2020. "How does mobile phone dependency impair academic engagement among Chinese left-behind children?," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 116(C).
    16. Lovász, Anna & Bat-Erdene, Boldmaa & Cukrowska-Torzewska, Ewa & Rigó, Mariann & Szabó-Morvai, Ágnes, 2023. "Competition, subjective feedback, and gender gaps in performance," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 102(C).
    17. Ling Yu & Pengjun Zhao & Junqing Tang & Liang Pang & Zhaoya Gong, 2023. "Social inequality of urban park use during the COVID-19 pandemic," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 10(1), pages 1-11, December.
    18. In-Whi Hwang & Ju-Pil Choe & Jeong-Hui Park & Jung-Min Lee, 2022. "Association between Physical Activity, Sedentary Behavior, Satisfaction with Sleep Fatigue Recovery and Smartphone Dependency among Korean Adolescents: An Age- and Gender-Matched Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(23), pages 1-12, November.
    19. Vicente Javier Clemente-Suárez & Marina Begoña Martínez-González & Juan Camilo Benitez-Agudelo & Eduardo Navarro-Jiménez & Ana Isabel Beltran-Velasco & Pablo Ruisoto & Esperanza Diaz Arroyo & Carmen C, 2021. "The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Mental Disorders. A Critical Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(19), pages 1-25, September.
    20. Ford, Timothy G. & Kwon, Kyong-Ah & Tsotsoros, Jessica D., 2021. "Early childhood distance learning in the U.S. during the COVID pandemic: Challenges and opportunities," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 131(C).
    21. Mohammad, Taufik & Mohamed Hussin, Nur Atikah & Husin, Mohd Heikal, 2022. "Online safety awareness and human factors: An application of the theory of human ecology," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:10:p:5854-:d:1149459. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.