Skip to Main Content

Clinical Psychology and Special Education
2025. Vol. 14, no. 2, 72–95
doi:10.17759/cpse.2025140205
ISSN: 2304-0394 (online)

Digital media use and neurocognitive development in senior preschool age children

 
Audio is AI-generated
58

, , , , , , , , ,

PDF (RUS)
Online translation in english
GS
Information
in Google Scholar
Metrics

Abstract

Objective: to assess the association between a number of digital media device use indicators and neurocognitive, intellectual, and speech development in preschool children. Context and relevance. The results of studies on the impact of digital media device use on children’s neurocognitive development remain contradictory. Studies in samples of preschool children are few, and Russia lacks a legislative framework and recommendations for parents on limiting the digital environment for children of different age categories. Methods and materials. The study was a cross-sectional observational and retrospective (when assessing a number of characteristics) design. The presence and nature of associations were tested through correlation analysis and comparing of subgroups with different qualitative characteristics. Participants: Russian sample of senior preschool children: N = 166 (107 boys, age 6.5 [6.0; 7.0] — median and interquartile range). Methods (tools): standardized examination by a psychiatrist, neuropsychologist, parent questionnaire on the child’s use of the digital environment, the International Leiter-3 Productivity Scale, the SHUHFRIED hardware and software complex (HSC), the Clinical Assessment of the Development of Basic Linguistic Competencies (KORABLIK) method. Results. Significant negative associations were found between the gadget use and speech, intellectual development, acoustic and visual gnosis, operational and mechanical verbal memory. Both the age of the onset of gadget use and the average daily time of using gadgets in older preschool age have a negative impact on neuropsychic development. Positive associations were also obtained between the use of gadgets and a number of indicators using the SHUHFRIED hardware and software complex, which can be explained by the trained skill of interacting with digital devices in children who use gadgets more often. Conclusions. The use of gadgets negatively affects a number of indicators of neurocognitive development of preschoolers. The multidirectional associations obtained using digital and non-digital methods of assessing cognitive functions require further study.

General Information

Keywords: digital environment, gadgets, preschool children, fluid intelligence, speech development, neurocognitive functions

Journal rubric: Empirical Research

Article type: scientific article

DOI: https://doi.org/10.17759/cpse.2025140205

Funding. The study was supported by the Priority 2030 Program, the project “Study of neurobiological predictors of a child’s academic success” within the framework of the strategic project of the Privolzhsky Research Medical University “Adaptive potential of a child’s mental health as a factor in individual success”.

Acknowledgements. The authors thank the head of the Mental Health Center of the University Clinic of the Privolzhsky Research Medical University O.V. Balandina, and the vice-rector for research at the Privolzhsky Research Medical University E.D. Bozhkova, for their assistance in preparing the research infrastructure.

Received 16.01.2025

Accepted

Published

For citation: Zhilyaeva, T.V., Klekochko, O.S., Taraday, Yu.M., Kotkova, A.V., Tolstobrova, E.M., Panova, I.V., Nasonova, U.A., Brak, I.V., Borisov, V.Yu., Borisova, A.M. (2025). Digital media use and neurocognitive development in senior preschool age children. Clinical Psychology and Special Education, 14(2), 72–95. (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.17759/cpse.2025140205

© Zhilyaeva T.V., Klekochko O.S., Taraday Yu.M., Kotkova A.V., Tolstobrova E.M., Panova I.V., Nasonova U.A., Brak I.V., Borisov V.Yu., Borisova A.M., 2025

License: CC BY-NC 4.0

References

  1. Glozman, Zh.M., Potanina, A.Yu., Soboleva, A.E. (2006). Neuropsychological diagnostics in preschool age. St Petersburg: Piter. (In Russ.).
  2. Gomozova, M.A., Arutiunian, V.G., Lopukhina, A.A., Dragoy, O.V. (2021). Russian Child Language Assessment Battery (RuCLAB) and its application in primary school children with ASD. Autism and Developmental Disorders, 19(4), 24—31. (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.17759/autdd.2021190403
  3. Dvoinin, A.M., Trotskaya, E.S. Cognitive predictors of academic success: How do the general patterns work in the early stages of education? Psychological Science and Education, 27(2), 42—52. (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.17759/pse.2022270204
  4. Kasatkin, V.N., Grushko, A.I., Fedunina, N.Yu., Kuznetsov, A.I., Kabanov, D.Yu., Feshchenko, V.S., Vykhodets, I.T., Khokhlina, N.K. (2018). Methodological recommendations for the diagnosis and development of cognitive and psychophysiological determinants of “peak athletic form”: Methodological recommendations. Moscow: Federal Scientific and Clinical Center for Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation of the Federal Medical and Biological Agency. (In Russ.).
  5. Orekhova, N.V., Petrova, N.V. Activation of speech in young children. Pedagogical Bulletin, 6, 50—52. (In Russ.).
  6. Royd, G.H., Miller, L.J., Pomplan, M., Koch, K. (2014). International Leiter-3 Productivity Scales, third edition. Manual. Russian version edited by A. Sorokin. Giunti Psychometrics. (In Russ.).
  7. Alamri, M.M., Alrehaili, M.A., Albariqi, W., Alshehri, M.S., Alotaibi, K.B., Algethami, A.M. (2023). Relationship between speech delay and smart media in children: A systematic review. Cureus, 15(9), https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.45396
  8. Anitha, F.S., Narasimhan, U., Janakiraman, A., Janakarajan, N., Tamilselvan, P. (2021). Association of digital media exposure and addiction with child development and behavior: A cross-sectional study. Industrial psychiatry journal, 30(2), 265—271. https://doi.org/4103/ipj.ipj_157_20
  9. Berg, K.W., Byrd, D. (2002). The Tower of London spatial problem-solving task: enhancing clinical and research implementation. Journal of clinical and experimental neuropsychology, 24(5), 586—604. https://doi.org/10.1076/jcen.24.5.586.1006
  10. Carson, V., Rahman, A.A., Wiebe, S.A. (2017). Associations of subjectively and objectively measured sedentary behavior and physical activity with cognitive development in the early years. Mental Health and Physical Activity, 13, 1—8. https://doi.org/1016/j.mhpa.2017.05.003
  11. Chiu, K., Lewis, F.C., Ashton, R., Cornish, K.M., Johnson, K.A. (2022). Higher tablet use is associated with better sustained attention performance but poorer sleep quality in school-aged children. Frontiers in psychology, 12, art. 742468. https://doi.org/3389/fpsyg.2021.742468
  12. Debelak, R., Egle, J., Köstering, L., Kaller, C.P. (2016). Assessment of planning ability: Psychometric analyses on the unidimensionality and construct validity of the Tower of London Task (TOL-F). Neuropsychology, 30(3), 346—360. https://doi.org/1037/neu0000238
  13. Gentile, D.A., Swing, E.L., Lim, C.G., Khoo, A. (2012). Video game playing, attention problems, and impulsiveness: evidence of bidirectional causality. Psychology of Popular Media Culture, 1(1), 62—70. https://doi.org/1037/a0026969
  14. Lin, L.Y., Cherng, R.J., Chen, Yung-Jung, Chen, Yi-Jen, Yang, H.M. (2015). Effects of television exposure on developmental skills among young children. Infant behavior and development, 38, 20—26. https://doi.org/1016/j.infbeh.2014.12.005
  15. McNeill, J., Howard, S.J., Vella, S.A., Cliff, D.P. (2021). Cross-sectional associations of application use and media program viewing with cognitive and psychosocial development in preschoolers. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(4), 1608. https://doi.org/3390/ijerph18041608
  16. McNeill, J., Howard, S.J., Vella, S.A., Cliff, D.P. (2019). Longitudinal associations of electronic application use and media program viewing with cognitive and psychosocial development in preschoolers. Academic pediatrics, 19(5), 520—528. https://doi.org/1016/j.acap.2019.02.010
  17. Morgan, P.L., Farkas, G., Wang, Y., Hillemeier,M., Oh, Y., Maczuga, S. (2019). Executive function deficits in kindergarten predict repeated academic difficulties across elementary school. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 46, 20—32. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecresq.2018.06.009
  18. Poulain, T., Vogel, M., Neef, M., Abicht, F., Hilbert, A., Genuneit, J., Körner, A., Kiess, W. (2018). Reciprocal associations between electronic media use and behavioral difficulties in preschoolers. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 15(4), 814. https://doi.org/3390/ijerph15040814
  19. Roid, G.H., Miller, L.J., Pomplun, M., Koch, C. (2013). Leiter international performance scale, third edition. Wood Dale, IL: Stoelting Company.
  20. Swing, E.L., Gentile, D.A., Anderson, C.A., Walsh, D.A. (2010). Television and video game exposure and the development of attention problems. Pediatrics, 126, 214—221. https://doi.org/1542/peds.2009-1508
  21. Tamana, S.K., Ezeugwu, V., Chikuma, J., Lefebvre, D.L., Azad, M.B., Moraes, T.J., Subbarao, P., Becker, A.B., Turvey, S.E., Sears, M.R., Dick, B.D., Carson, V., Rasmussen, C., CHILD study Investigators, Pei, J., Mandhane, P.J. (2019). Screen-time is associated with inattention problems in preschoolers: Results from the CHILD birth cohort study. PloS one, 14(4), e0213995. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0213995
  22. Thoma, V.K., Schulz-Zhecheva, Y., Oser, C., Fleischhaker, C., Biscaldi, M., Klein, C. (2020). Media use, sleep quality, and ADHD symptoms in a community sample and a sample of ADHD patients aged 8 to 18 years. Journal of Attention Disorders, 24(4), 576–589. https://doi.org/10.1177/1087054718802014
  23. Verdine, B.N., Irwin, C.M., Golinkoff, R.M., Hirsh-Pasek, K. (2014). Contributions of executive function and spatial skills to preschool mathematics achievement. Journal of experimental Child Psychology, 126, 37—51. https://doi.org/1016/j.jecp.2014.02.012
  24. Welsh, M.C., Satterlee-Cartmell, T., Stine, M. (1999). Towers of Hanoi and London: contribution of working memory and inhibition to performance. Brain and Cognition, 41(2), 231—242. https://doi.org/1006/brcg.1999.1123
  25. Wise, J. (2018). Screen time: two hour daily limit would improve children’s cognition, study finds. BMJ, https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.k4070

Information About the Authors

Tatiana V. Zhilyaeva, Doctor of Medicine, Associate Professor, Professor of the Department of Neurology, Psychiatry and Narcology of the Faculty of Continuing Professional Education, Privolzhsky Research Medical University, Leading Researcher, Department of Social Neuropsychiatry, V.M. Bekhterev National Research Medical Center for Psychiatry and Neurology, Nizhniy Novgorod, Russian Federation, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6155-1007, e-mail: bizet@inbox.ru

Olesya S. Klekochko, Assistant Professor, Department of General and Clinical Psychology, Privolzhsky Research Medical University, Nizhniy Novgorod, Russian Federation, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0006-8910-4640, e-mail: olesya-klekochko@mail.ru

Yuriy M. Taraday, assistant of the department of general and clinical psychology, Privolzhsky Research Medical University, Nizhniy Novgorod, Russian Federation, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0009-6938-2514, e-mail: taraday97@yandex.ru

Angelina V. Kotkova, Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Privolzhsky Research Medical University, Nizhniy Novgorod, Russian Federation, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5631-7088, e-mail: angelina5295@gmail.com

Ekaterina M. Tolstobrova, Psychologist, Mental Health Center of the University Clinic, Privolzhsky Research Medical University, Nizhniy Novgorod, Russian Federation, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0004-4668-7220, e-mail: katerinka-7778@mail.ru

Irina V. Panova, Candidate of Science (Medicine), Associate Professor of the Department of Psychiatry, Privolzhsky Research Medical University, Nizhniy Novgorod, Russian Federation, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0004-1371-2960, e-mail: ipanova@mail.ru

Ulyana A. Nasonova, Assistant Professor at the Department of General and Clinical Psychology, Psychologist at the Mental Health Center of the University Clinic, Privolzhsky Research Medical University, Nizhniy Novgorod, Russian Federation, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1734-6003, e-mail: unasonova@yandex.ru

Ivan V. Brak, Candidate of Science (Biology), Head of Group, Novosibirsk State University, Novosibirsk, Russian Federation, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5146-0096, e-mail: i.v.brak@gmail.ru

Valentin Y. Borisov, Physician of Functional Diagnostics of the Clinical Diagnostic Department no. 2 of the University Clinic, Privolzhsky Research Medical University, Nizhniy Novgorod, Russian Federation, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0002-6377-2756, e-mail: valyaborisov@gmail.com

Anastasia M. Borisova, Physician of Functional Diagnostics at the Mental Health Center of the University Clinic, Privolzhsky Research Medical University, Nizhniy Novgorod, Russian Federation, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0007-3166-4060, e-mail: anastasia.gostenko@gmail.com

Metrics

 Web Views

Whole time: 220
Previous month: 44
Current month: 5

 PDF Downloads

Whole time: 58
Previous month: 13
Current month: 0

 Total

Whole time: 278
Previous month: 57
Current month: 5