About this Research Topic
With this Research Topic we aim to contribute to a critical examination and reflection of the usage of digital media in early childhood. Digital media, including Tablet PCs and smartphones, have become basic devices in almost all homes and are used by almost all adults all over the world. Studies have shown that even children under the age of 5 years come in regular contact with screen media. Some prior studies have shown negative effects on developmental variables in early childhood, such as reduced cognitive ability or language. However, the literature has rarely considered the individual factors of children and parents (e.g. personality, temperament, emotion regulation). We invite high-quality research focusing on the developmental outcome of digital media use of parents and children in early childhood. We welcome manuscripts adopting diverse methods, including cross-sectional, case-control, longitudinal, experimental manipulation, and intervention studies as well as systematic reviews and meta-analyses, in the field of:
-Contextual processes, e.g., parent-child interactions, parental personality and emotion regulation, cultural differences,
- Pathways and long-term developmental outcomes
- Protective factors and resilience, e.g. moderators, and mediators of change
- Prevention and Intervention
Keywords: digital media, child mental health, intervention, internet, smartphones, mental health, psychiatry, cognitive development
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.