Toddlers and the Telly: A latent profile analysis of children’s television time and content and behavioral outcomes one year later in the U.S.

ABSTRACT

Despite the ubiquity of tablets and smartphones, television remains the most frequently used screen media consumed by young children. However, it is likely that variability exists in how young children use media; for example, while some may view small amounts of aggressive content, others may view many hours each day of aggressive and prosocial media content. It is possible that differences in toddler television time and content also impact behavioral outcomes. The aims of this study were two-fold; first, we examined profiles of children’s time spent watching television and media content viewed. Second, we examined longitudinal relations between media use profiles and outcomes including aggression, prosocial behavior, and problematic media use. Results suggested a three-profile solution of children’s television time and content, including “Low TV content,” “High child-centered content,” and “High aggressive content” profiles. The “High aggressive content” group experienced higher levels of problematic media use and aggressive behavior one year later compared to other classes. The discussion focuses on implications of these findings. We urge parents to become aware of both television time and media content as they may relate to problematic media use behaviors in young children.

IMPACT SUMMARY

Prior State of Knowledge: Television content (e.g., aggressive, educational) has been associated with outcomes in toddlerhood. Existing research also suggests that viewing aggressive or violent media content is positively associated with problematic media use in young children.

Novel Contributions: Varying outcomes existed for children based on membership in three television time/content profiles. Notably, parents of toddlers in the group viewing high levels of aggressive content reported more negative outcomes for their children including higher levels of aggressive behavior and problematic media use.

Practical Implications: We encourage parents and caregivers to become aware of the television content their children are consuming, and to limit television content that is aggressive or violent in nature.

KEYWORDS:

• Screen time
• media content
• toddlers
• problematic media use

Acknowledgments

This project was funded in part by a grant from the National Institute of Health (R15HD101969).

We also thank the School of Family Life, and the College of Family, Home, and Social Sciences at BYU, and recognize the generous support of the many private donors who provided assistance for this project. We also thank those families who were willing to spend valuable hours with our team in interviews and the many students who assisted in conducting the interviews.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Supplementary material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed online at https://doi.org/10.1080/17482798.2023.2195194.

Additional information

Funding

The work was supported by the National Institutes of Health [R15HD10196]

Notes on contributors

Hailey G. Holmgren

Hailey G. Holmgren is a research associate and project manager in the School of Family life at Brigham Young University. Dr. Holmgren earned her Ph.D. in Family Social Science from the University of Minnesota. Her research focuses on media use in the family context: how media influences family relationships and development across the lifespan. Email: [email protected]

Laura Stockdale

Laura Stockdale is a research associate at Brigham Young University. She is a principle investigator on Project M.E.D.I.A., a longitudinal study seeking to address what it means to grow and develop in a digital world. Laura is also working towards licensure in clinical mental health counseling and is excited to combine both research and clinical work. Laura can be reached at [email protected] and [email protected].

Jane Shawcroft

Jane Shawcroft is a Ph.D. student in the Department of Communication at U.C. Davis. Her research focuses on understanding the role of media and technology in children and adolescents’ health and healthy social functioning, specifically exploring antecedents of healthy relationships with media, and the uptake of stereotypes around gender and racial identities. Email: [email protected]

Sarah M. Coyne

Sarah M. Coyne is a professor and associate director in the School of Family Life at Brigham Young University. Her research interests included media, child development, gender, mental health, and body image. Email: [email protected]

Ashley M. Fraser

Ashley Jimenez Fraser is an assistant professor in the School of Family Life at Brigham Young University. Dr. Fraser has bachelors and master’s degrees in human development from Brigham Young University, and a doctorate degree in Family and Human Development from Arizona State University. The overarching goal of Dr. Fraser’s research is to understand and support positive development across childhood and adolescence, particularly in contexts of adversity. To do so, Dr. Fraser specifically investigates the interplays of individual, family, and societal-level factors on the development of hope and resilience, empathy, prosocial behavior, and practices that contribute to equitable and anti-racist behaviors across childhood.