Peer-reviewed article
Types of Screen Time and Developmental Outcomes Among Children Aged 0-6 Years in Thailand: A Cross-Sectional Study.
Jaichomcheun S, Suriyawong W, Bawornthip P, Chen SR ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This study examined how different types of screen time affect development in Thai children aged 0-6 years. Most children exceeded recommended screen time limits, averaging 2.25 hours per day. Recreational screen time was linked to higher risks of developmental delays in language and social skills, while educational and interactive screen time showed protective associations with certain developmental outcomes.
Key points
- 78.9% of children exceeded recommended screen time limits, with a median of 2.25 hours daily
- Each additional hour of total screen time increased odds of suspected receptive language delay (aOR 1.52) and gross motor delay (aOR 1.49)
- Recreational screen time showed the strongest harmful associations, particularly for receptive language delay (aOR 2.39) and personal-social delay (aOR 2.27)
- Educational screen time was associated with lower odds of receptive language delay (aOR 0.45) and expressive language delay (aOR 0.40)
- Communication-based screen time was associated with lower odds of personal-social delay (aOR 0.14)
Limitations
The cross-sectional design cannot establish causality, only associations. The study used convenience sampling which may not be representative of all Thai children, and developmental assessment relied on practitioner observation rather than standardised clinical diagnosis.
Abstract
Introduction Excessive screen time during early childhood can affect developmental outcomes. However, evidence on the differential effects of screen time types in Thailand remains limited. In this study, we examined associations between different types of screen time and developmental outcomes among children aged 0-6 years in Thailand. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted in community kindergartens and primary healthcare centres in Thailand. A multistage area-selection procedure was used to select the study settings, followed by convenience sampling of caregiver-child pairs. Data on screen time and related characteristics were collected through structured caregiver interviews. Children's developmental outcomes were assessed using the Developmental Surveillance and Promotion Manual by trained public health practitioners. Adjusted multivariable logistic regression models were used to examine associations between different types of screen time and suspected developmental delays. Results In total, 465 caregiver-child pairs were included. The mean age of children was 41.97 (SD 19.76) months. The median daily screen time was 2.25 h (IQR 1.83-3.00), with 78.9% exceeding recommended limits. Each additional hour of total screen time was associated with increased odds of suspected developmental delays across developmental domains, particularly receptive language delay (aOR 1.52, 95% CI 1.30-1.79) and gross motor delay (aOR 1.49, 95% CI 1.21-1.84). Recreational screen time showed the strongest associations, particularly for receptive language delay (aOR 2.39, 95% CI 1.73-3.30) and personal-social delay (aOR 2.27, 95% CI 1.68-3.08). In contrast, educational screen time was associated with lower odds of receptive language delay (aOR 0.45, 95% CI 0.23-0.88) and expressive language delay (aOR 0.40, 95% CI 0.16-0.99), whereas communication-based screen time was associated with lower odds of personal-social delay (aOR 0.14, 95% CI 0.02-0.95). Conclusions Higher total and recreational screen time were associated with increased odds of suspected developmental delays, whereas educational and communication-based screen time were associated with lower odds in specific domains. Limiting recreational screen time and promoting age-appropriate, high-quality, interactive screen use may support child development.
Findings the Hub has extracted
Each claim below is labelled by its type of design and links back to this report.
- Intervention
- Differential exposure to types of screen time (recreational, educational, and communication-based)
- Population
- 465 caregiver-child pairs with children aged 0-6 years in Thailand (mean age 41.97 months)
Key finding
Each additional hour of total screen time increased odds of suspected receptive language delay (aOR 1.52, 95% CI 1.30-1.79) and gross motor delay (aOR 1.49, 95% CI 1.21-1.84)
S et al. · Europe PMC · 1 Sept 2026