Poster #113 - Association Between "Screen Time" Exposure and Severity of Autism Spectrum Disorder Symptoms in Early Childhood

• In Event: 2-002 - Special Poster Session 05 with Continental Breakfast Reception
  In Poster Session: PS 05 - Interdisciplinary Section

Integrative Statement

The rapid and significant increase of electronic use in the United States is widely recognized. What is not as well known, however, is the impact of electronic use on young children. Results from recent studies indicate various adverse effects of electronics, such as delayed social and language development and an increased risk for deficits in attention. Virtually no studies have examined the impact of electronics on children who are not typically developing, such as children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), who may be particularly vulnerable to these effects due to preexisting social and language deficits. The purpose of this pilot study was to examine the impact of screen time on the severity of autism spectrum disorder symptoms in young children. Participants (N =18) included children, ages 3 and younger, who participated in an initial evaluation at a regional child development clinic and presented with symptoms consistent with autism spectrum disorder. Caregivers of participants completed a demographic survey, as well as a series of questions regarding screen time exposure. Clinicians conducting the evaluation completed the Childhood Autism Rating Scale, Second Edition (CARS-2), rating severity of autism spectrum disorder symptoms. The primary aim of this study was to investigate the association between screen time and ASD symptoms. It was hypothesized that there would be a positive association between amount of screen time (foreground and background) and severity of autism symptoms. Due to the limited number of participants and associated limited power, effect size, rather than statistical significant was explored in a number of the analyses. However, when considering effect size, results indicated a positive relationship between screen time and severity of ASD symptoms, with a large effect size (β= .494, p = .100). It was also found that sex of the child was negatively associated with total CARS score (β = -.348, p = .195), such that males had higher CARS scores than females, while caregiver age was positively associated with total CARS score (β= .386, p =.194), both with moderate effect sizes. Positive relationships, with moderate effect sizes, were also found between screen time and a number of specific ASD symptoms, such as deficits in verbal communication, imitation, nonverbal communication, listening response, intellectual response, and emotional response. These findings point towards the need for additional research examining the impact of screen time on children with ASD.

Authors

• Sarah Mealy, American School of Professional Psychology, Argosy University, VA
  Presenting Author

• Elana Maurin, American School of Professional Psychology
  Non-Presenting Author

• Karen Weise, George Washington University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Tara Brennan, Children's National Medical Center
  Non-Presenting Author