Rethinking Language in a Tech World: Exploring SES, Sleep, and Screen Time in Infant Language Development (2023)
Undergraduate: Iris Kang
Faculty Advisor: Rebecca Stephens
Department: Psychology & Neuroscience
The ability to use language for effective communication with others is a critical skill that develops from an early age. While there are many factors that impact a child’s language development during infancy and early childhood, a significant portion of research has focused on how socioeconomic status (SES) and early sleep affect later language outcomes. Furthermore, as technology use has continued to grow steadily over the years, recent research has started to explore how screen time impacts language development in young children. This study sought to explore how prenatal SES, sleep at 6-months, and screen time at 18-months impact language ability at 18-months. Secondary data analyses using data collected from The Brain and Early Experience Study at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill were performed. Although no significant relationships were found between the predictor variables and language, a significant relationship was found between prenatal SES and 18-month screen time. More specifically, lower prenatal SES predicted higher screen time usage at 18-months. These findings underscore the importance of further exploring how screen time may impact language development and other key areas of cognitive development in young children. Furthermore, implications are discussed for exploring how to leverage existing screen time in ways that foster rather than hinder language development.
Keywords: infant language, socioeconomic status (SES), sleep, screen time