Type of screen time and academic achievement in children from Australia and New Zealand: interactions with socioeconomic status

<p class="apa">Studies suggest that socioeconomic status is a strong predictor of academic achievement. This theoretical paper proposes that despite the fact that low-socioeconomic status represents a risk factor that seems to undermine attentional skills and thus academic achievement, emerging evidence suggests the potential of new approaches, interventions and cognitive training programs to reverse the negative effects of poverty. The evidence presented in this paper may be of particular interest for teachers because it provides a larger scope to better understand the implications of socioeconomic status on learning and school achievement. This paper intends to make teachers aware that today more than ever they count on important knowledge and valuable resources like cognitive training intervention programs to help students. These intervention programs correct dysfunctional attention bringing hope to socially disadvantaged students who struggle in school.</p>

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Obese girls differences in neighbourhood perceptions, screen time and socioeconomic status according to level of physical activity

Health Education Research ◽

10.1093/her/cyn001 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 24 (1) ◽

pp. 98-104 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

J. Mota ◽

J. C. Ribeiro ◽

M. P. Santos

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Socioeconomic Status ◽

Screen Time ◽

Neighbourhood Perceptions

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Clustering of Sedentary Behaviours, Physical Activity, and Energy-Dense Food Intake in Six-Year-Old Children: Associations with Family Socioeconomic Status

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu12061722 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (6) ◽

pp. 1722

Author(s):

Junwen Yang-Huang ◽

Amy van Grieken ◽

Lu Wang ◽

Wilma Jansen ◽

Hein Raat

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Socioeconomic Status ◽

Low Income ◽

Screen Time ◽

Healthy Lifestyle ◽

Intervention Development ◽

Lifestyle Behaviour ◽

Lifestyle Behaviours ◽

Sugary Drinks ◽

Physically Inactive

This study examined the clustering of lifestyle behaviours in children aged six years from a prospective cohort study in the Netherlands. Additionally, we analysed the associations between socioeconomic status and the lifestyle behaviour clusters that we identified. Data of 4059 children from the Generation R Study were analysed. Socioeconomic status was measured by maternal educational level and net household income. Lifestyle behaviours including screen time, physical activity, calorie-rich snack consumption and sugar-sweetened beverages consumption were measured via a parental questionnaire. Hierarchical and non-hierarchical cluster analyses were applied. The associations between socioeconomic status and lifestyle behaviour clusters were assessed using logistic regression models. Three lifestyle clusters were identified: “relatively healthy lifestyle” cluster (n = 1444), “high screen time and physically inactive” cluster (n = 1217), and “physically active, high snacks and sugary drinks” cluster (n = 1398). Children from high educated mothers or high-income households were more likely to be allocated to the “relatively healthy lifestyle” cluster, while children from low educated mothers or from low-income households were more likely to be allocated in the “high screen time and physically inactive” cluster. Intervention development and prevention strategies may use this information to further target programs promoting healthy behaviours of children and their families.

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Association of screen time with long-term stress and temperament in preschoolers: results from the DAGIS study

European Journal of Pediatrics ◽

10.1007/s00431-020-03686-5 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 179 (11) ◽

pp. 1805-1812

Author(s):

Marja H. Leppänen ◽

Katri Sääksjärvi ◽

Henna Vepsäläinen ◽

Carola Ray ◽

Pauliina Hiltunen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Socioeconomic Status ◽

Preschool Children ◽

Young Children ◽

Screen Time ◽

Effortful Control ◽

Cortisol Concentration ◽

Hair Cortisol ◽

Moderating Role

Abstract Screen time is increasing rapidly in young children. The aim of this study was to examine associations of long-term stress and temperament with screen time in Finnish preschool children and the moderating role of socioeconomic status. Cross-sectional DAGIS data were utilized. Long-term stress was assessed using hair cortisol concentration, indicating values of the past 2 months. Temperament was reported by the parents using the Children’s Behavior Questionnaire (the Very Short Form), and three broad temperament dimensions were constructed: surgency, negative affectivity, and effortful control. Screen time was reported by the parents over 7 days. The highest education level in the household was used as an indicator of socioeconomic status. In total, 779 children (mean age, 4.7 ± 0.9 years, 52% boys) were included in the study. Of the temperament dimensions, a higher effortful control was associated with less screen time (B = − 6.70, p = 0.002). There was no evidence for an association between hair cortisol concentration and screen time nor a moderating role of socioeconomic status in the associations (p > 0.05). Conclusion: Our findings indicate that preschool children with a higher score in effortful control had less screen time. Because effortful control reflects general self-regulatory abilities, promoting these skills may be effective in reducing screen time in young children. What is Known: • Screen time has increased rapidly during the last decades, and higher screen time has been linked with numerous adverse health consequences in children. • There are no previous studies investigating associations of long-term stress and temperament with screen time in young children. What is New: • Of the temperament dimensions, effortful control was associated with higher screen time in preschool children, but there was no association found between long-term stress and screen time. • Since effortful control reflects general self-regulatory abilities, promoting these skills may be effective in reducing screen time in young children.

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