Maternal distress and children's screen media use: A longitudinal study.

Abstract

Maternal distress has been linked to increased screen media use for children, which is concerning because of the possible negative impact of screen media on the well-being and cognitive development of young children. This study explores the screen media use of children at 12, 18, 24, and 36 months old in relation to maternal depression/anxiety symptoms and stress from a longitudinal perspective. The final sample consisted of 720 mothers who completed an online questionnaire multiple times: in the last trimester of their pregnancy and then 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, and 36 months after delivery. The results from previous studies are not consistent regarding the relation of maternal depression, anxiety, and stress to the screen media use by their children. Our study did not find a significant relationship between maternal depression/anxiety or stress and children's media use. Similarly, children's screen media use did not have a significant effect on maternal depression/anxiety or stress. These findings contribute to the existing literature by helping to clarify previously inconsistent results in this study area. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).