The impact of passive screen time on early childhood speech and language development: parental perspectives and behavioral correlates

Abstract

Excessive and early exposure to digital screens has raised growing concerns about its implications for children’s speech and language development. This study investigated the associations between passive screen exposure and speech and language delays in children aged 5–8 years, focusing on behavioral and clinical risk factors such as screen-use duration, content type, contextual usage, parental awareness, and screen-time mediation strategies. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted with 203 parent‒child dyads via a structured questionnaire. Most children were exposed to screens before age two, with more than 57% exceeding two hours of daily screen time. Social media and entertainment content were the most frequently consumed, while only 47.3% engaged with educational content. Parental mediation practices were inconsistent, and only 28.6% reported frequent supervision. Language delay severity was high, with 62.1% classified as having severe delays. Chi-square analysis revealed a significant association between average daily screen time and language delay status (p = 0.001). Binary logistic regression revealed that greater screen time increased the odds of delay (AOR = 2.67, p < 0.001), whereas greater parental awareness [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 0.45, p = 0.002], educational content consumption (AOR = 0.40, p = 0.041), and active mediation (AOR = 0.35, p = 0.048) were protective. A modest but significant negative correlation was observed between parental awareness and language delay severity (r = -0.183, p = 0.009). This study revealed that excessive and early screen exposure is strongly linked to speech and language delays in children aged 5–8 years, whereas greater parental awareness, a preference for educational content, and engaged mediation practices are associated with reduced risk. These findings emphasize the pivotal role of parents in shaping digital environments and highlight the need for early, targeted interventions to enhance parental digital engagement, promote content supervision, and guide balanced screen use. Public health efforts and pediatric counseling should collaboratively support families in promoting healthy language development amid evolving digital habits