Mobile media use and preschoolers' social skills
Official title: Mobile Media Use and Preschoolers’ Peer Interaction Skills
Funded at Baylor University · NIH-11422288 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how preschoolers' time with tablets and smartphones relates to their growing social skills and what families can do to support healthy interactions.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R15 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Baylor University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Waco, United States) |
| Project start | September 2, 2026 |
| Project end | August 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $519,501 |
| NIH project number | 1R15HD122735-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11422288 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal participants are children aged 3–5 years and their families where mobile media use is part of daily life.
✕Less likely to help
Families with minimal mobile media use or those not focused on social development may experience limited direct benefit.
What this research studies
The study follows 3- to 5-year-olds over time to see how the amount and type of mobile media they use relates to their ability to interact with peers. It also asks how parents’ own mobile media use during shared time might influence their child’s social development. Researchers will collect information from caregivers and others, track media use and social behaviors, and analyze different usage patterns to identify who might be most affected. The research aims to uncover practical insights that could guide parents and educators in supporting preschoolers’ peer skills in a digital age.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, findings could help families and educators foster healthier social development for preschoolers amid widespread mobile media use.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work has suggested links between screen time and social outcomes, but this study will explore profiles and parent–child interactions in depth for preschoolers.
Where this research is happening
-
Baylor University
Waco, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Langlais, Michael Roger — Baylor University
- Study coordinator: Langlais, Michael Roger
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.