Relationship between touchscreen tablet usage time and attention performance in young children

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the relationships between touchscreen tablet usage time and attention performance in preschool children. Seventy-five young children with typical development were recruited. The accuracy rate and reaction time of their attention performance improved with age. Significant differences in accuracy rates, reaction time, and executive attention performance between young children who use touchscreen tablets more or less often were observed. Children who spent more time using touchscreen tablets had better accuracy rates and faster reaction time in the Attentional Network Task test. However, children who spent more time on tablets performed slower in terms of executive attention. These findings add to the understanding of the experience of using touchscreen tablets and its relationship with the attention performance of young children.

Keywords:

• Young children
• attention
• attentional network
• touchscreen tablets

Additional information

Funding

Support for this research was provided in part by grant MOST 108-2813-C-006-109-B from the Taiwan Ministry of Science and Technology. The authors gratefully acknowledge the Summer Research Project Grant no. NCKUMCS2018007 from College of Medicine at National Cheng Kung University.

Notes on contributors

Yu-Ru Jin

Yu-Ru Jin is a senior student in the Department of Occupational Therapy at the National Cheng Kung University. Then she will continue her master study, specializing in occupational therapy at the National Cheng Kung University. Her current research interest is on using technologies to promote children's attention, especially for children with autism spectrum disorder.

Ling-Yi Lin

Ling-Yi Lin is an Associate Professor and Chair in the Department of Occupational Therapy at the National Cheng Kung University. Her research interests are focused on child development and functional outcomes of individuals with autism spectrum disorder. Her current research interest is on using technologies such as augmented reality systems to promote children's emotion regulation and self-regulation behaviors.