Claim: More Screen Time Means Less Parent-Child Talk

Question

In a New York Times article, studies claim that children who are exposed to more screens at a younger age have fewer conversations with their parents/guardians. They measured this study based on 3 various ways of language: words spoken by an adult, child vocalizations, and turns in the conversation. It was explained that "When the children were 18 months old, each additional minute of screen time was associated with 1.3 fewer child vocalizations, for example, and when they were 2 years old, an additional minute was associated with 0.4 fewer turns in conversation.". They concluded that "at almost all ages, increased screen time squelched conversation."

Answer 1

This claim is true. With the rise of exposure to excessive screen time, children are missing out on essential attributes that promote development, and this includes parent-child talk. Excessive screen time interferes with the ability to experience a home that fosters a language-rich environment. A study conducted by the National Library of Medicine on the correlation between increased screen time and decreased parent-child talk showed results that "for every additional minute of screen exposure, parents and children were generally talking or vocalizing less and were engaging in fewer back-and-forth interactions." The final analysis of this study included results from 220 families with children ages 12 to 36 months. This is a vital time for language development, and a lack of parent-child conversations in favor of excessive screen time can and most likely will be detrimental for children's language development. Children are likely to have developmental delays with excessive exposure to screen-time. This includes negative impacts on vocabulary, language skills, and delay in speech. It's vital for parents to find a balance with their children's electronic exposure so as to not inhibit their development and prevent them from not experiencing crucial things like parent-child talk.

Sources:

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10580299/

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10913002/

Comments

I agree with limiting screentime but parents can also actively engage with their children on what they are seeing on the screen, with the right piece of media it can be a learning experience instead of mindless consumption. This approach can help children develop critical thinking and conversational skills while still enjoying technology.

Answer 2

     This article posted in March of this year, claims that more screen time means less parent-child talk, as highlighted in the title. Through my fact-checking process, I first note the source. The New York Times is a reputable news site, and the author Emily Baumgaertner, indicates her current position as New York Times National Health Correspondent on her LinkedIn. This information points to a legitimate author and high-quality news source. The article clearly pinpoints where they are finding their information, hyperlinking a JAMA study published also in March of 2024. The study’s findings “support the notion of technoference for Australian families, whereby young children’s exposure to screen time is interfering with opportunities to talk and interact in their home environment” (Brushe) which agrees with the NYT article’s claim. JAMA is a recognized medical journal, further validating the claim. The study was also posted on the National Library of Medicine, a government website. The study has been posted on several different websites, such as ABC News, and Yahoo News. Taking these points into consideration, I would conclude that the claim is true.

 

Sources: 

Brushe, Mary E., et al. “Screen Time and parent-child talk when children are aged 12 to 36 months.” JAMA Pediatrics, vol. 178, no. 4, 4 Mar. 2024, https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2023.6790.

Answer 3

From thorough research and making sure the information in the article, "More Screen Time Means Less Parent-Child Talk, Study Finds" it can be determined that the claim is true. Social media has always impacted our lives, especially when it comes to the form of entertainment. Because the pace of social media influence is on the rise, society as a whole will slowly lose the ability to have conversations or interact with people. The article is from the New York Times which already gives the reader a heads up that the source is credible and factual. Looking deeper into it, the author, Emily Baumgaertner, provided statistics from a study that can also be found on the the Institute for Family Studies proving that children ranging from 12 to 36 months have a negative association to screen time. Excessive use of screen time can harm the newer generations of kids because they are lacking the exposure of conversations and interactions with one another. The National Library of Medicine also produced a study describing speech delay as a common factor. Linguistic development is important for kids who are learning how to communicate with their parents, but "the children [who were] 3 years old- and exposed to an average of 2 hours and 52 minutes of screen time daily" further proves excessive screen has more negative impacts on younger children. There can be ways to have interactive screen time that helps educate kids, but many are placing a screen in front of their face to solve any issue. 

Sources:

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10580299/

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/fullarticle/2815514?guestAccessKey=af1b82f5-2ff4-4cc9-a88c-2720ef541470&utm_source=For_The_Media&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=ftm_links&utm_content=tfl&utm_term=030424

https://ifstudies.org/blog/screen-time-and-language-development

Comments

How would you rate the claim? Always select a rating and mention your stance within the fact-check. Thanks!

Answer 4

The claim “More Screen Time Means Less Parent-Child Talk” is true. In the article,  More Screen Time Means Less Parent-Child Talk, Study Finds - The New York Times is reliable when having that information. They defined it as “technoference” which refers to the interruptions in interpersonal communication caused by the attention paid to personal technological devices. Devices just take away the experiences that a child misses. The article has stated, “Screens are not just linked to higher rates of obesity, depression and hyperactivity among children; they also curb face-to-face interactions at home — with long-term implications that could be worrisome” (The New York Times). When it can be confirmed that it can turn into a long-term problem, that it is an issue. Some things can prevent a child from being exposed to when they are involved with too much screen time. It prevents social development, higher IQs, and even better brain function. There was another article that helps provide on how screen time affects children from being able to grow up and have less parent-child talk. The article, Screen Time and Parent-Child Talk When Children Are Aged 12 to 36 Months | Media and Youth | JAMA Pediatrics | JAMA Network, stated, “For every additional minute of screen time, children heard fewer adult words, spoke fewer vocalizations, and engaged in fewer back-and-forth interactions” (JAMA). 

Comments

I really liked how you agreed with the original claim, and then elaborated with additional information on why it is correct. Your claim is much more credible because you included a separate article that you found, included the link, and cited a quote from it.

Answer 5

The article with the claim shows evidence about the claim backing it up with info from sources from studies led by people like Marry E. Brushe that gathered info on 220 families in South Australia, Western Australia and Queensland showing how when screen time occurs to the kids they tend to be quite and the more screen time the less they would talk,

The article also states this Quote
“Dr. Perry, who studies language and social interaction among preschool children, said experts in the field should next investigate how media designed to be viewed by parents and children together “might allow for more conversational turn-taking and bypass some of the negatives of screen time.””

Its clear to state that with the rise of exposure time to these kids that if they were to spend a lot of time on tech that the social skills that are halted in a way as they watch videos or play games on the iPad for example, its important for parents to know what cause and effects this has Emily Baumgaertner has shown sources to back up this claim so what I would have to say is that its true