The impact of parenting attitudes and caregiver functioning on the relationship between screen use and social communication problems in preschool children

Aim: Digital media use has increased significantly in recent years, and its effects on children's development are well recognized. This study investigates the relationship between early digital media use and social communication problems, along with the moderating effect of parental attitudes and functioning. Material and Method: A total of 162 children aged 18-36 months and their parents participated. Participants were categorized into three groups: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), developmental delay, and typical development. Social communication problems were assessed through clinical interviews and the Rapid Interactive Screening Test for Autism in Toddlers (RITA-T). Parents completed the Sociodemographic and Digital Media Use Questionnaire, Parenting Scale, and Weiss Functional Impairment Rating Scale (WFIRS). Parenting Scale was excluded from further statistical analyses due to low internal consistency. Results: Participants were found to have an average daily screen exposure of 2.72 hours (SD = 0.96). The two atypical development groups showed higher digital media usage compared to the typical development group. RITA-T scores increased with earlier digital media exposure and longer use. Sociodemographic predictors of social communication problems were child's gender and socioeconomic status, while digital media use predictors were screen time and parental perceptions of its negative impact (ΔR²=0.27, p<0.001). The moderating effect of parental functioning was not demonstrated. Conclusion: A significant relationship was found between digital media use duration and social communication problems, regardless of child's diagnosis. To better understand this relationship, factors like gender, socioeconomic status, and parents' negative perceptions of screen use should be considered along with screen time. Keywords: Autism spectrum Disorder, Child, preschool. Screen Time, Social Communication