Investigating how screen time affects young children's development
Official title: Re-examining links between screen time, health behaviors, and executive functioning: Validating an objective measure of screen exposure in a sample of young children
Funded at Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill · NIH-10725847 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how the time kids spend in front of screens, like TVs and smartphones, affects their thinking and social skills, using a special camera to see what they watch and how they interact with it.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chapel Hill, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2025 |
| Funding year | 2023 |
| Award (this year) | $418,108 |
| NIH project number | 1R21HD112773-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-10725847 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for participation include young children aged 0-11 years who are exposed to various forms of screen media.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are older than 21 years or those who do not have access to screen devices may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research aims to understand the impact of screen exposure on the development of young children by measuring the amount and type of screen time they experience. Using a novel wearable camera, researchers will objectively capture and analyze screen exposure across various devices, such as TVs and smartphones. The study seeks to clarify mixed findings in previous research by employing advanced artificial intelligence algorithms to assess the quality and quantity of screen interactions. By focusing on naturalistic and observational methods, the research hopes to provide more accurate insights into how screen time influences cognitive and socio-emotional development in children.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to better guidelines for screen time usage that promote healthier developmental outcomes for children.
How similar studies have gone: While previous studies have explored screen time effects, this research is novel in its use of objective measurement methods and has not been widely tested.
Where this research is happening
-
Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Propper, Cathi Barbra — Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
- Study coordinator: Propper, Cathi Barbra
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.